Lacking Resolve

"It is the sense of the Senate that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales no longer holds the confidence of the Senate and of the American people." - text of the resolution
What does it mean when the Senate can only come up with fifty three votes of no-confidence for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales? Does it mean that we have a little confidence, or are those thirty-eight votes a sign of some mild confidence, but not certainty? Seven more yes votes would have tipped the scales and there would have been a legitimate symbolic gesture of discontent.
How bad is it? Here's what President Pinhead had to say: "They can have their votes of no confidence, but it's not going to make the determination about who serves in my government." Interesting choice of words, since I've always been kind of fond of a government " of the people, by the people, and for the people. " Even before the controversy over fired prosecutors, lawmakers of both parties complained that Gonzales allowed Justice to violate civil liberties on a variety of ways, such as implementing Pinhead's warrantless wiretapping program. Still, the vote was enough to get seven Republicans to scoot across the aisle and vote with the Democrats, including Senator Susan Collins from Maine. For the first time publicly declared she had lost confidence in Gonzales. "I think his continued tenure does not benefit the department or our country," she said.
In the meanwhile, you can still get your bets in to win a year's supply of Ben and Jerry's ice cream by correctly identifying the date and time when Alberto will finally succumb to all the debate and withering criticism. Good luck and Godspeed.