LIVESTRONG & Gonzo is gone

Four Democratic presidential candidates appeared at this morming’s cancer forum in Cedar Rapids.  All of them are against cancer.  Dennis Kucinich, the last to appear, talked about living healthier lifestyles and touted his own vegan diet.  Kucinich explained to the audience he does not drink milk or eat meat — no chicken or beef.

Lance Armstrong, co-host of this morning’s forum, was sitting beside Kucinich on stage and remarked that the discussion had degenerated.

"I would just be hungry all the time," Armstrong said of the idea of not eating meat.  The audience laughed.

In other non-Michael Vick news, U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announced his resignation today.  Iowa’s two US Senators and three of the five Iowa congressmen released statements.

Senator Chuck Grassley today made the following statement after Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announced his resignation.  "First and foremost, I want to thank Attorney General Gonzales for his service to our country. Alberto Gonzales made a tremendous impact in the Justice Department as an advocate for protecting children and aggressively pursuing child predators. Obviously the last couple of years have been tough for him. Even after all the scrutiny, it doesn’t appear that Attorney General Gonzales committed any crimes, but he did make management missteps and didn’t handle the spotlight well when they were exposed.

"Today, Democratic leaders got what they wanted. Now I hope they’ll send a clear message to the president that they’ll get somebody quickly confirmed and not politicize the process. As they’ve said, the Attorney General is a very important position in our government, and if we’re going to get a qualified and respected person to accept the nomination, that person will need to know they won’t be drug through the mud for a short-lived stint as Attorney General."

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) released the following statement today. “News of Attorney General Gonzalez’s resignation is long overdue; he has at long last done the right thing and resigned. I opposed his nomination because I believed the man who used his position as White House Counsel to authorize the use of torture at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay was unfit to serve as the nation’s highest law enforcement official. Throughout his tenure at the Department of Justice, he has placed blind loyalty to the President ahead of upholding the Constitution and the rule of law. His resignation is the first step toward restoring the credibility of the Department. I urge the President to choose a successor whose first devotion is to the law, and who will respond truthfully to legitimate Congressional oversight.”

Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) released the following statement responding to the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. “The resignation of Attorney General Gonzales is long overdue and is good news for all Americans,” Braley said. “The Attorney General—a man appointed to uphold the Constitution—lost the confidence of the American people long ago because he placed politics over justice and his loyalty to the President over his duty to uphold and defend the Constitution.

“I look forward to the upcoming confirmation process for the new Attorney General and the appointment of a new Attorney General with a proven history of respect for the Constitution and the rule of law.” On July 31st, Braley joined a group of Democrats calling for an investigation into whether Attorney General Gonzales should be impeached. More information on this action can be found at: <http://braley.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=70531>

Congressman Leonard Boswell released the following statement today on the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales: “The resignation of Alberto Gonzales is long overdue. The President has finally realized that Attorney General Gonzales no longer has a place in the Administration. This Justice Department is far too political, and we need to restore integrity to the Department. It is my hope that the President will nominate someone who will bring this integrity back.”

Congressman Dave Loebsack issued the following statement in response to today’s resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. “For months the American people have been disserved by the office of the United States Attorney General because of the continued controversy surrounding Alberto Gonzales. Increased scrutiny over his role in the dismissal of nine United States attorneys has crippled his ability to serve as an effective Attorney General.

“Alberto Gonzales’s resignation marks the start of a new day. I hope that in an effort to get back to the work of the American people President Bush will move quickly to select a nominee to fill the position of the United States Attorney General. I have every confidence that Congress will work with the administration to quickly confirm a non-controversial nominee who has a proven commitment to uphold the Constitution and rule of law.”