Analysis: Gonzales a Lesson in Cronyism

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales pauses while announcing his resignation at the Justice Department in Washington, Monday, Aug. 27, 2007. Gonzales, the nation's first Hispanic attorney general, announced his resignation Monday, ending a standoff with congressional critics over his honesty and competence at the helm of the Justice Department. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak) (Charles Dharapak - AP)

"I think the president overlooked what appears to have been malfeasance and, at least as I read the record, perhaps as much as perjury before Congress," said Marc Kruman, a history professor and director of the Center for the Study of Citizenship at Wayne State University in Detroit.

Bush is not the first president to fall into the crony trap.

"The danger of bringing in a crony is that you will overlook malfeasance and corruption," Kruman said. "The benefits are that you will have someone you can trust in an extremely sensitive position."

As always, Washington politicians will momentarily swear off cronyism until they want their backs covered by a brother, a spouse or a pal.

Sen. Arlen Specter, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, urged Bush to pick a current or former senator to replace Gonzales.

"That's always a big help" Specter said, "if you know the person."

Actually, knowing the person too well can be a big problem.

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EDITOR'S NOTE _ Ron Fournier has covered politics for The Associated Press for nearly 20 years.