With the long overdue resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on Monday, and that of presidential advisor Karl Rove earlier in the month, the public can expect a continual exodus of those who came to Washington with George W. Bush in 2001. While many are not unhappy to see them go, usually their opponents, it will be interesting to see what tactic the president takes to replace them.The man who once was thought might possibly be the first Hispanic-American to sit on the Supreme Court has twisted in the wind for some time after disclosures earlier this year over the dismissal of several United State Attorneys and the handling of the administration's wire tap policy. While Gonzales' demise was largely helped by his talent to highlight his own inabilities, it is has been disappointing to see how long he was able to hang on in Washington. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made it clear on Monday that he wants to continue tracking down the trail on the dismissals. For the most part, Democrats have gotten what they set out to do, politically, by Gonzales hightailing it out of the Department of Justice. The focus will now shift to whom Bush will name as his third attorney general. The big questions is whether Bush, who in his own comments on Monday, still won't admit the problems with his outgoing attorney general, will see this opening as an opportunity to play it safe or pick a fight with Congress. It would not be surprising to see Bush, whose poll numbers have been anemic at best, pick someone of stature, either from the Senate or legal academic community who is high on credentials and low on ideology. From many accounts, the Justice Department is in disarray and the president needs to pick someone who can give stability to the office. While Gonzales has been a festering wound on this administration for some time, the loss of Rove is the real blow to the White House and Bush, personally. As one who not only came from Texas with Bush, derisively known as “Bush's Brain” by opponents, he was with him prior to any presidential talk. The political operative, despite the major controversies over such items as leaking CIA operative Valerie Plame's name and his sometimes pointed comments against his boss's opponents, Karl Rove is largely responsible for getting George Bush to the White House twice and, prior to that, the Texas governor's mansion. His loss will be felt in an administration that of late continually falters from one crisis to another.

Cosentino is a former mayor of Auburn and can be contacted at cozguytho@aol.com