I keep waiting and watching for a Democrat, any Democrat, to explain why Bill Clinton’s house-cleaning purge of 1993 is a different situation. In fact, I foolishly waited for former Clinton aide-turned ABC News “journalist” (ha!) George Stephanopolous to ask that of Hillary Clinton while interviewing her the other day about the “scandal.” Silly me. Why would the man who was at Clinton’s right hand in the middle of the mass firings and the woman who was at his left hand even touch on the subject in front of millions of viewers? Even a couple of rabid liberals like them know how to keep their mouths shut when it comes to reeking hypocrisy.

So the only thing left to ponder is why there’s been such a tepid, lukewarm, practically non-existent response from the Bush Administration and Republicans everywhere.

My theory is that there can only be one explanation: despite knowing that this is a non-scandal, conservatives have never really liked Alberto Gonzales and so they’re happy to see him twist in the wind.

I’ve heard the grumblings in the past about the moderate nature of some of Gonzales’ positions on social issues. Others say he is too mild-mannered and even bland for the job. In fact, his media appearances this week seem to confirm that. It really wouldn’t have been much of a stretch for the U.S. Attorney General to dismiss this entire affair with a laugh and an observation to the TV interviewers that politics is certainly blood sport.

Instead, he came across as the proverbial deer in the headlights, saying something about “taking responsibility” for certain aspects of all of this and practically acting like he robbed a bank.

Everything about this fabricated controversy stinks. And the worst part of it is this: if and when Gonzales – or Karl Rove – should happen to resign in order to get the world off President Bush’s back, the bullies of the media and the Democratic Party will wallow in victory and be more monstrous than ever.

One of these days, our side will wake up and realize that you gotta fight back.