Fredo inspires

I did a strange thing today during Alberto Gonzales's speech to us DOJ interns: I held my tongue. Had I put more thought into things beforehand, I maybe would have tried to organize a walkout, or perhaps asked him how many applicants for our jobs had been disqualified because they were not loyal Bushies.

Instead, I sat by while he fielded the following "questions":

"I just want to thank you for your service. Can you tell us who your role models are?" (Answer: His parents, because they worked hard despite a lack of education; the President, because he's disciplined, funny and has faith; I was told he mentioned God, too, but I must have been laughing too hard to hear it).

"How has your relationship with the President changed since you became Attorney General?"

"I'd like to thank you for serving our country. How did your time on the Texas Supreme Court prepare you for this job?"

The most notable one was about how he planned to lure people with mountains of debt into public service careers when the private sector offers are so enticing. Aside from the fact that the person had yet to be hired but was already asking for a raise, he had also either miscalculated the cost of law school or how he would pay back his loans. A good answer would have been something along the lines of 'we are looking for people who want to serve their country, and the country will pay them what it can afford to.'

Instead, Gonzales encouraged us to work for the private sector. I wasn't taking notes, but I'm pretty sure the quote was, "When I talk about public service, I think two or three years is enough." Apparently, when then-Governor Bush first appointed him in Texas, Gonzales promised his wife he would go back to the private sector within a few years. I have to wonder if he's regretting the decision not to follow through on that.