Bush said of Alberto Gonzales: “All of a sudden this fellow, who is a good public servant and a really fine person, is under fire. I don’t like it at all.” He has also said: “Al Gonzales is a great friend of mine. When a friend gets attacked, I don’t like it.”

Most of the “attacks” on Gonzales have been pretty respectful. Look, the guy is a public official with a track record, and people can’t very well be expected not to express opinions about that record or his suitability for an important government post just because he’s a friend of the president. If the president wants to shield his pals from such scrutiny, he can leave them in the private sector.