A Judicioius AG Pick By Bush

Is President Bush Reading C-SM? A few days ago, as rumors were swirling that Bush was going to nominate Ted Olson to replace ex-AG AG, I wrote:

Yes, of course Olson is eminently qualified for the job -- a penultimate lawyer, a good administrator -- but really, what's with Bush picking yet another unnecessary fight? The AG need not be a Weapon of Political Destruction,. There are plenty of guys and gals out there who are good party guys who know law and how to run a big operation.

I'm tired of these fights, these opportunities for the Dems to grandstand and tear down the GOP. Someone might want to advise Bush that it's a Dem Congress.

Today we learn that Bush has selected a capable, but much less controversial nominee:

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush has settled on Michael B. Mukasey, a retired federal judge from New York, to replace Alberto Gonzales as attorney general and will announce his selection Monday, a source familiar with the president's decision said Sunday evening.

Mukasey, who has handled terrorist cases in the U.S. legal system for more than a decade, would become the nation's top law enforcement officer.

Besides being tough on terrorism and crime, Mukasey is accepted by Dems, having received an endorsement in the past from Chuck "Schemer" Schumer. The AP story also reminds us that Mukasey was on a short list developed by the libs at Alliance for Justice of Supreme Court nominees they wouldn't oppose.

AP opines (in a news story, yet!):

Bush critics see the Mukasey nomination as evidence of Bush's weakened political clout as he heads into the final 15 months of his presidency.

How about this alternative: Bush critics see the Mukasey nomination as evidence that Bush is (finally) going with consensus nominee so anyone but a shameless partisan will be forced to accept the nomination.

Prepare yourself: The shameless partisans will be railing shortly.