Former U.S. District Court Judge Michael B. Mukasey is emerging as President Bush's possible nominee to replace Alberton Gonzales, The Times reports. The Politico goes farther:

White House officials signaled to influential conservatives this weekend that Michael B. Mukasey, a nominee of President Ronald Reagan who is the former chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, is the likely choice to replace Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, several Republicans close to the process told The Politico.

"It came down to confirmability," said a former Justice Department official close to the conversations.

The anticipated move was originally reported last night by The Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol, in what looks like a preemptive attempt to mollify disgruntled conservatives: the piece was titled, "Michael Mukasey to be Attorney General . . . And conservatives should be happy."