A lot of readers want to get into a fight with me over my post about the Jefferson raid. I’m sorry, but it’s not like I’m siding with Nancy Pelosi or with Hastert for that matter. I agree with Pod and Ramesh on the political point. But, it seems to me, that this uproar could have been avoided with a phone call to the Speaker’s Office. Would Hastert have really opted to protect Jefferson in the name of separation of powers? In politics you reach out to people all the time to grease things along.

If you must know my biases are not pro-Congress, or pro-Hastert or pro-Jefferson. They are anti-Gonzales. I think this mess — if it really amounts to a mess — could have been avoided if a more politically savvy AG were at the helm. John Ashcroft, for example, would probably have found a way to raid Jefferson’s office without needlessly ticking off Hill Republicans and giving the press a reason to ignore Democratic corruption in favor of whining about White House arrogance.