Clement is in the Solicitor General's position (where his main job is vetting the Government's appellate arguments for (1) consistency and (2) adherence to policy) for one reason - fealty to Bushism.

Too many people get distracted by the memory of a special prosecutor, a snarl in his voice and blood dripping from his fangs, chasing Willie through the jungles of Arkansas and Paula Jones' stories to find the grail of a stained blue dress.  Remember, too, that Starr had been for a long time  - like 10 years previous to his witchhunt - a favorite of those making "short lists" of potential Repug Supreme Court nominees.  He was selected by the very partisan Repug judges on the D.C. Circuit, to carry out the duties of the "independent counsel".  

Nooo.  If Clement appoints a special prosecutor, he'll be a Repug lapdog who will find nothing ever wrong at all here, sometime in March 2009.

Specter was throwing Gonzo and his Repug buddies a lifeline today by suggesting a special prosecutor.  Believe it.