John Ashcroft, Don Evans Resign

Attorney General John Ashcroft, a favorite of conservatives, and Commerce Secretary Don Evans, one of President Bush's closest friends, resigned Tuesday, the first members of the Cabinet to leave as Bush heads from re-election into his second term. Both Ashcroft and Evans have served in Bush's Cabinet from the start of the administration.

Opinions on Ashcroft vary from 'the most underappreciated, most maligned, most ridiculed, and most demonized member of the Bush cabinet' to 'right wing lunatic'. Unsurprising that an AG serving in the wake of 9/11 would ruffle a few feathers.

Opinions from both ends of the spectrum here, here, here and here.