four reasons why Bush can't afford to let Gonzales go: replacement would be required to agree to an independent investigation of Gonzales' tenure

Why Bush Won't Ax Gonzales | Thursday, Aug. 02, 2007 By MASSIMO CALABRESI
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So why the extraordinary support for Gonzales in the face of a protracted meltdown at the Department of Justice (DOJ)? Here are four reasons why Bush can't afford to let Gonzales go:

1. Gonzales is all that stands between the White House and special prosecutors. As dicey as things are for Bush right now, his advisers know that they could get much worse. In private, Democrats say that if Gonzales did step down, his replacement would be required to agree to an independent investigation of Gonzales' tenure in order to be confirmed by the Senate. ...

2. A post-Gonzales DOJ would be in the hands of a nonpartisan, tough prosecutor, not a political hand. ...

3. .... Republicans are loath to hand Democrats some high-profile casualties to use in the 2008 campaign. Stonewalling, they believe, is their best way to avoid another election focused on corruption issues.

4. Nobody at the White House wants the legal bills and headaches that come with being a target of investigations. ...