What's Harder to Fire Than a Tenured Professor?

An abiding loyalist and potential fall guy, embodied perfectly in Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

If you're wondering why the "Judge" inspires such bipartisan scorn, consider this dispatch from Slate's Emily Bazelon, concerning his congressional testimony earlier this week:

When Gonzales says to [New York Senator Chuck] Schumer, "I'd like to look at my responses" at the press conference, Schumer is ready to smoothly reply, "We'll bring them up to you right now."

"Good," Gonzales says, which he must immediately regret, because it's a trap. After some whispering from the row of aides sitting behind him, Gonzales says that he "did misspeak" at the June press conference, "but I went back and clarified it with a reporter." Which reporter? More whispering. "Dan Eggen, at the Washington Post, two days later." Schumer presses. Gonzales repeats, "I clarified my statement to the reporter." Then, after more questions and more whispering, "I didn't speak directly to the reporter." There's an intake of breath around the room, and it's not just from the women wearing pink whose hats and banner and mouth tape read "Fire Gonzales."

"What did your spokespeople say to him?" Schumer asks.

"I don't know," Gonzales answers.

Additional reasons Gonzo should spend more time with his family here.

Also, pigs do fly: tenured fraud Ward Churchill, of the University of Colorado at Boulder, has been given the boot. My take on the incident that exposed his notoriety, which occurred at my now-alma mater, here.