Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Ask The Reader Another Question: Worst Hire Ever?

So, Texas Tech, my previous job, is apparently hiring Alberto Gonzalez, the Disgraced Attorney General of the Bush Administration to teach a course in the Political Science department. This should not be that surprising, given that TTU hired Bobby Knight, who had been fired for abusing his athletes at Indiana University. Of course, Knight proved to be a good bet, as he ended up bringing lots of money to the university, even if the basketball program never made it to the Final Four.

Of course, the other key difference is that Knight had a winning record before coming to TTU, while everything that Gonzalez touched turned to crap. Indeed, I am still shocked and appalled tha the Democrats let him become AG after already making a mistake in allowing Ashcroft to get that job. Indeed, events in the Bush Administration actually allowed Ashcroft look like a voice of reason, at least for a moment or two.

What could Gonzalez possibly teach? How to justify torture? How to extend presidential power beyond what the Constitution can allow? How self-deception can sustain an administration for eight years? For a potential syllabus, see here.

Again, this should not be surprising. The Sports Guy at ESPN has a concept called the Tyson Zone--that nothing that Michael Tyson might do is that surprising because of his past behavior. If I had any doubts before, TTU inhabits the same universe as Tyson.

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