Well, that didn't take long at all.

Alberto Gonzales gave another interview to the Washington Times September 3, in which he rushed to backtrack on his support for Holder's investigation expressed September 1.

To be fair, he did draw a very (very) fine distinction in semantics: he said, "I do respect the role of the attorney general to make this decision based upon his judgment of the facts, I just respectfully disagree with the decision. "

If only he had left it at that. Or even started with that, instead of finally becoming articulate at the tail-end of the interview. Instead, the interview is a fascinating exercise in avoid-dance-avoid-avoid.

This is somehow eerily reminiscent of his "I don't recall" refrain (said 72 times) during the 2007 Senate hearings that resulted in his resignation from the office of Attorney General. In fact, that was such a memorable performance that it has actually been turned into a performance. Melissa Dunphy has composed the Gonzales Cantata, playing at the Philadelphia Fringe Festival this weekend, but happily with outtakes and the full libretto posted online for anyone who cares to sample it. It is a delightful work, made up of songs like "I Don't Recall", "You Don't Recall," and "This Is Not About Alberto Gonzales."

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Dunphy said of the work, "This is not a partisan piece...It's about a man who made some mistakes and is facing the music. It's also an exploration of how a man could so brazenly politicize the Department of Justice without really standing up for the reasons he went into politics in the first place."

That seems to be a stance Gonzales continues to be familiar with. He pretzel-twists himself around direct questions about the CIA investigation, or the past investigation conducted on his watch, and splits fine hairs indeed to ensure he is still seen as a party loyalist. His logical arguments are just as weak: tacitly admitting that a small percentage of interrogators exceeded the guidelines (and ergo committed what could be criminal acts), he likens his past decision not to prosecute to the discretionary exercise of a cop deciding whether or not to pull someone over for a speeding ticket.

In discussing the Gonzales Cantata, Dunphy said, "I see Gonzales as a tragic figure who's also simultaneously irredeemable."

Sadly, that seems to be spot-on.

The Gonzales Cantata can be purchased and downloaded here. Music samples and trailers here.

This post first appeared at Cogitations: Questioning the Nexus Between Fear, Security, and Power.