Jack L. Goldsmith is a conservative who used to head the Office of Legal Counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice, and even he was horrified by the Bush administration:
Nine months later, in June 2004, Goldsmith resigned. Although he refused to discuss his resignation at the time, he had led a small group of administration lawyers in a behind-the-scenes revolt against what he considered the constitutional excesses of the legal policies embraced by his White House superiors in the war on terror… He also found himself challenging the White House on a variety of other issues, ranging from surveillance to the trial of suspected terrorists. His efforts succeeded in bringing the Bush administration somewhat closer to what Goldsmith considered the rule of law — although at considerable cost to Goldsmith himself.
I applaud Goldsmith for following his conscience and resigning. President Bush’s approval rating is currently at 33 percent. Really, I want to know: After everything, who are these people who still support him?
Elsewhere: Slate has an excerpt from Goldsmith’s new book here.
