REACT: Does U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald have a future in Illinois?

The headline poses the key question. Because the crusading prosecutor is making waves of tsunami proportions in the local and national political structures, there is speculation that he may be shown the door by President Bush. After all, he is investigating that pesky CIA leak that seems to be coming from upstairs, where top presidential confidante Karl Rove lives.

More importantly, Fitzgerald is destroying both the Democrat "machine" in Chicago, and its component GOP "gizmo." -- that the only true bipartisanship in Illinois is the mutual agreement between party leaders to secure personal power at all costs and to plunder the public treasury for self and friends.

As a supporter of the President. I have one bit of advice. DO NOT REPLACE PATRICK FITZGERALD!!! Keep him on the job as long as he will agree to send the corrupt to jail. I feel compelled to tell the President.

Firing or not re-appointing Fitzgerald is a deal breaker. If you do not keep him on the job, this fan will see you as one bad dude from Texas. And ... I am not alone.

We should also recognize that there is an interesting connection between the Rove issue and Illinois. Among Rove's closest pals is Illinois Republican National Committeeman Robert Kjellander. Bob is not one of the good guys, however. Though not in the crosshairs of the law, as far as we know, he is a product and supporter of the old corrupt system. He is compromised by taking big consulting fees form insider Democrats. He is part of the problem, not the solution. (Mr. President, I humbly suggest that you NOT take any advice from Karl Rove on the matter of the U.S. Attorney. But, I suspect you already know that.) Make no mistake, the old guard of both parties, are trying to figure out how to get rid of Firzgerald. This seems to include our own Denny Hastert, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. It is my hope, however, that Fitzgerald is "fireproof" by virtue of enormous public support. His departure would leave political blood on the hands of everyone involved. It is time for President Bush to state loud and clear their desire and intention to keep our superhero U.S. Attorney fighting for "truth, justice and the American way."