Paul Kiel August 27, 2007, 4:42 PM

Why did Alberto Gonzales resign this weekend? He just did and that’s all there is to it, says the White House.

Witness, for example, this perfectly absurd exchange from this morning’s press gaggle with spokesman Scott Stanzel:

Question: The resignation, is this an admission that his critics were right, that after all this time that he would no longer be effective as Attorney General?

Stanzel: No, I think this is a recognition by the Attorney General that it was in the department’s best interest for him to move on.

Take a second to wrap your head around that one.

The other telling exchange from the gaggle:

Question: Did the President try to talk him out of resigning?

Stanzel: He did not. He respects the Attorney General’s judgments and he knew that the Attorney General had given this thoughtful consideration and had come to the conclusion that it was in the best interest of the Department of Justice for him to step down.

Question: If the President is so insistent that there was no wrongdoing, then why would he accept his resignation?

Stanzel: Well, like I said, he does respect the Attorney General’s judgment.

Any more questions?

Alberto Gonzales, U.S. Attorneys