U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales got a break from intense public scrutiny over the past couple of weeks. First the farce surrounding Don Imus and then the tragedy at Virginia Tech drew the media away.

It was only a temporary respite.

In testimony last week before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Gonzales showed he is out of the loop, out of his depth or flat-out lying.

Any one of the three is enough to argue that Gonzales must go.

But he doesnt seem to be going anywhere yet.

President Bush earlier this week again voiced his confidence in, and support for, the embattled attorney general. The president even said he thought Gonzales did well in his testimony.

One wonders if the president actually saw that testimony.

While the presidents curious loyalty to his longtime friend is commendable, it is also misplaced.

And Gonzales, again showing a detachment from reality, said Monday he was staying put.

‘As long as I think that I can be effective and the president believes that I should continue to be at the head of the Department of Justice, Ill continue serving as the attorney general’ Gonzales said.

In the meantime, Republicans are falling over themselves to say that Gonzales should resign or be fired. They understand far better than the president or Gonzales what a massive political liability the attorney general has become.

The Democrats, of course, are secretly happy to have Gonzales just where he is. This is exactly the kind of political weapon any opposition party wants.

The Justice Department needs a competent, credible leader. Gonzales apparently was never the former and has lost whatever of the latter he once had.

Gonzales should go. Let him resign or send him packing. The only people who dont seem to understand that are Gonzales and the president.

Unfortunately, those are the two who matter.