I appeared on local TV this morning to comment on the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Although I grimaced visibly on camera when they introduced me as a political scientist, I recovered enough to throw out a few not-very-original observations and generalities during my four-minute spot. Here is a summary of my analysis, with just a bit of expansion.

1. The resignation comes as a great relief to both sides:

--For the GOP, the White House capitulation buoys the spirits of the Beltway faithful, who were convinced that Gonzales was not up to the job. Republicans are happy to have the AG retreating from the field of battle and hopeful that the President will replace him with a more competent warrior (a la a Robert Gates for Don Rumsfeld switch).

--For the Democrats, the resignation takes away the building pressure to make the case against Gonzales. The rising expectation among the hardcore left was that the AG had committed an illegal act; therefore, the majority party would find a smoking gun, dramatically confront Gonzales and take him off to jail. The hoped-for Perry Mason moment was a promise unlikely to be realized.

With all the investigations and awkward testimony, the Democrats were still millions of miles away from proving a criminal act. In truth the President and the Congress were at an impasse. The Democrats are happy to have the conflict resolved in a way that appears to be a big public victory. I don't take very seriously Harry Reid's declarations to pursue this scandal all the way to the bitter end. Democratic leadership is happy to have this perceived positive conclusion.

2. There was nothing unprecedented about the relationship between Gonzales and the President. The AG is at the heart of any administration--and presidents generally don't pick independent and/or apolitical department heads. Loyalty counts. It was not at all extraordinary for a president to pick a close friend (or even a relative) to head Justice. Perhaps the most egregious example is JFK and RFK--but more in line with Bush and Gonzales, Ronald Reagan picked life-long chum, William French Smith, as his AG, and Jimmy Carter tapped long-time political associate, Griffin Bell, for the post.

3. The Gonzales legacy? None. Gonzales was not AG long enough to carve out a legacy (or permanently injure the institution). Moreover, how many Attorneys General can most people name? It is a tough job and most folks don't do it for long. The longest serving AG was William Wirt (1817-1829). The second longest-serving? Janet Reno (1993-2001).

4. The office of the Attorney General is an inherently political position. Before John Ashcroft was a saint in the eyes of the Gonzales persecutors--the former AG was a sinner guilty of vicious crimes against the peace and tranquility of the republic. Janet Reno was a political lightning rod for Bill Clinton--as was Ed Meese for Ronald Reagan, to name only a few.

5. Who Next?

--Michael Chertoff? He is a famous and esteemed lawyer--but we wonder about his skill sets for running a big agency. Does the Bush administration really want a national conversation about Katrina?

--A sitting senator? Who would want to give up a Senate seat for a short-term gig in this situation in which the WH is unpopular and under siege and the opposition party smells blood. No thanks.

--A former senator? Maybe. I hear Mike DeWine mentioned. He would be a good choice--but a long shot, nevertheless.

--Fred Thompson? Perhaps a face-saving way to avoid running for president.

--Rudy?

--Paul Clement for the long haul?

6. What Next? More of the same. There are no initiatives to pursue. There are no more rewarding moments to anticipate in this administration. George Bush and company have one objective: secure Iraq and protect American foreign policy interests one hill at a time. Anybody who joins this outfit at this point can expect a long hard slog until January 20, 2009. Not to say that this is not an important mission. It is vitally important. But it is not going to be glamorous, exhilarating or enjoyable. No matter, some good American is going to have to do it.