Richard Viguerie's Ten Suggested Replacements For Alberto Gonzales

An outstanding list:

Chris Cox, Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) since 2005. Received his JD from Harvard Law School. Associate Counsel to President Reagan. Member, U.S. House of Representatives, 1989-2005.

Miguel Estrada, nominated in 2001 to U.S. Court of Appeals for Second Circuit (D.C.), but filibustered by Democrats.

Jim Gilmore, former Virginia Attorney General (1993-1997) and Virginia Governor (1998-2002). From 1999 to 2003 chaired the Congressional terrorism commission known as the Gilmore Commission. Chairman of the Republican National Committee in 2001-2002.

Edith Jones, nominated by President Reagan and now chief judge of U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The other finalist for the Supreme Court vacancy given instead to David Souter. Had the honor of being named one of five worst judges in Texas by the liberal Texas Observer.

Ed Meese, Ronald Reagan’s distinguished Attorney General. Though retired, he is active with the Heritage Foundation and would undoubtedly agree to serve his country again for a 17-month interim term.

Ted Olson, U.S. Solicitor General 2001-2004. Assistant Attorney General in the Reagan administration. Successfully litigated Bush v. Gore. Wife Barbara K. Olson was passenger on hijacked airplane on 9/11.

Priscilla Owen, federal judge on U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Previously a justice on the Texas Supreme Court.

Charles W. Pickering, Sr., appointed by President George H. W. Bush to U.S. District Court for Southern District of Mississippi. In 1976, he chaired the subcommittee of the Republican Platform Committee that called for a constitutional amendment to overturn Roe v. Wade.

William H. Pryor Jr., Alabama Attorney General from 1997 to 2004. Presently a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

Rick Santorum, former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, where he was chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.

I would add Bob McDonnell to the list, too. The difficulty here will be getting any qualified Conservative past the rabidly partisan Democrat-controlled Senate. We shall see.