I’m more than a little surprised that Bush backed down from a confirmation fight and chose Michael Mukasey over Ted Olson. Was Olson just a stalking horse, put out there to see how far Bush could go? Or is it possible that less partisan advisors have claimed his ear now that Rove is gone?
Barring some new revelation, this looks like an easy confirmation. The Justice Department is in desperate need of new leadership — well, any leadership. Gonzo was worse than useless, his deputy McNulty is gone, and Assistant AG Peter Keisler had already submitted his resignation when he agreed to stick around till the confirmation hearings are done.
I can’t say I’m thrilled that Mukasey currently serves as a judicial advisor to the Giuliani campaign. It makes me wonder if he shares Rudy’s fascist tendencies. Still, he looks to be better than the hyper-partisan Olson. We’ll see.