Some things in some of the more minor quotes about the Wilson-Novak-Plame (henceforth WNP) fiasco that might be fun to pick on:

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas:

Surprise, surprise, [Democrats are] calling for a special counsel. My goodness. Must be in their political handbook, their campaign handbook. It makes no sense to call a special counsel. You have special counsels if you think the administration is trying to cover up or obstruct justice or is not interested in this issue....

Is Ashcroft too partisan? I imagine those charges are coming from partisan people?

Aside from the "handbook" nonsense in the first part of the excerpt, about the second, although it might be trite: It takes one to know one. And yes, that point cuts both ways. His foes to know Ashcroft as partisan, Delay to know his foes as partisan. Now, which would I consider the more relevant partisanship?

Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama:

Then the attorney general... can then bring in an independent counsel or somebody independent of the Justice Department. But I believe... in any situation like this, let the process work. This is a political season, and let's don't forget this. There are a lot of people running for president on both sides....

Hmm, how many people are giving a serious run at the Republican presidential nomination, exactly?