Via the AP: Gonzales to Succeed Ashcroft, Sources Say

President Bush has chosen White House counsel Alberto Gonzales, a Texas confidant and one of the most prominent Hispanics in the administration, to succeed Attorney General John Ashcroft, sources close to the White House said Wednesday.

I am mildly surprised, as I figured that because of connections to Abu Ghraib and various memos about the treatment of terror suspects that the political stakes might be too high to appoint Gonzales.

On the other hand, Bush trusts him and has a lengthy history with him, so in that regard this isn’t a big shock.

It also plays in to the speculation over the Supremes, as Gonzalez was oft-mentioned when it came to potential vacancies. This may relieve the stress of some conservatives on this count, as many thought him to be unreliable on the abortion (and other) issues.