It's infectious and spreading like wildfire:

The White House on Friday backed off its earlier contention that then-White House Counsel Harriet Miers first raised the idea of firing U.S. attorneys — an act that led to a firestorm of criticism of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

“It has been described as her idea but … I don’t want to try to vouch for origination,” said White House press secretary Tony Snow, who previously had asserted Miers was the person who came up with the idea. “At this juncture, people have hazy memories.” […]

Asked if Bush himself might have suggested the firings, Snow said, “Anything’s possible … but I don’t think so.” He said Bush “certainly has no recollection of any such thing. I can’t speak for the attorney general. I want you to be clear here: don’t be dropping it at the president’s door,” Snow said.

Please. PLEASE. Vaccinate your children now against this dreaded disease which can infect an individual with altzheimers-like symptoms!

Seriously. The political strategy to try and get Democrats, and the firings later, were a White House directed operation implemented through Abu Gonzales. Given his new set of shining tools thanks to the Patriot Act, Rover started a political operation of targeting Democrats for investigation and (hopefully) indictment via U.S. Federal prosecutors. Some prosecutors refused to play ball. Rover discussed it with the team, including Bush, and they decided to do what Bush does, conduct a purge to get rid of those who wouldn't follow the script due to, you know, ethics. With the "bad apple prosecutors" gone, new loyal operatives could be put in their place without Senate approval. This is a classic Rovian/Bushian/GOP political operation. Anyone thinking otherwise is, now after over a decade of this kinda crap happening, willfully naive.

Once again, the big question that remains for me is will any real accountability occur? Abu might get thrown under the bus as yet another firewall. Will the press and/or Congress be willing to do the real work of investigation and accountability? Again, if history is a guide, I'm skeptical.

Update: Just as a reminder. I believe that during the time in question, Karl Rove did not serve as in a political position, but rather had been elevated to a Sr. White House advisor .... a government position.