"The only valid response to lawlessness is the law." I think this point of Katie's bears repeating. Bush has repeatedly and willfully subverted the law and impeachment is the remedy provided us. We can't just cower around forever saying, "oh, we aren't going to have enough votes". If impeachment fails, we'll know who to replace in future elections. Anyone who condones what Bush has done should be shown the door.

If Monica attempts to use the nebulous "senior staff made the decisions" excuse that Gonzo has been so free with, I would like to see the committee nail her to specific names, even if it means Conyers has to go down a list and say, "Was X a member of the staff involved in these decisions?"

Goodling is partly "afraid" because that's her job: make good theater. Goodling pleading the Fifth puts a lesser-known and more physically attractive victim on the cross. The mighty Wurlitzer can huff and puff all it wants, magnifying hamster farts into hurricane-force gales, but that isn't going to blow away the pre-existing PR baggage that Rove, Miers, and Gonzales have. Watch the right wing spin this into "helpless young woman being beat up by those partisan meanies". The media focus will be on Goodling and not on Rove. Funny how someone else always pops up when things start getting warm for Karl, isn't it?

"I can quite simply read what you are saying. I guess my problem is that I am unable to read Schumer's mind as you are. To me, it looks as if a partisan (Goodling) might have asked polical appointees(the USAs) about politics, and another partisan (Schumer) is asking questions about it in a political setting." I think part of the problem may be nomenclature. A "political appointee" doesn't necessarily behave politically once his/her job begins -- in fact, the best ones in many government agencies strive to do just the opposite -- but since these positions wash in and out like the tide with each new administration, they're considered political. This unfortunately lends itself to the "it's all politics, so what's all the fuss about" talking point.