Michael J Gerson, THE big shot for heavy handed historical-sounding speeches, will be leaving the White House in the next few weeks for, “writing and other opportunities.” I don't know he has in mind, but whatever it is must be easier than covering the President's ass 24-7.

But this guy was no mere speech writer. He had over the years become one of Bush's closest aids. According to the Washington Post he has been called, “One of the best speechwriters of his age, the conscience of the White House and the embodiment of Bush's vision of “compassionate conservatism.”

While I find it alarming that Bush has felt the need to farm out his conscience to his chief speech writer, you have to give Gerson one thing: He may have been the only person in the building truly concerned with policy. The article continues:

He was one of the architects of the Bush doctrine making the spread of democracy the fundamental goal of U.S. foreign policy. He led a personal crusade within the administration to make unprecedented multibillion-dollar investments in fighting AIDS, malaria and poverty around the globe. He became one of the lone voices pressing for more action to stop the genocide in Darfur.

So it sounds like, aside from a little lip service about “spreading democracy” and the truly profane BUSH DOCTRINE, every thing that the president has ever said that didn't make me want to immediately throw up can be sourced to Gerson. I guess if any of these evil soulless ass-clowns are to be missed, this guy might be it.

I am not the only person feeling this way. Brand new Chief of Staff Josh Bolten said, “He's one of the few people who is irreplaceable.”

Irreplaceable. That's reassuring.

Bush did not immediately make a comment on Gerson's resignation, probably because there's no one to write it for him.