Presidents have the duty of nominating members of their cabinet, and they have the right to seek to appoint people they believe will act in accordance with their administration’s policies and political goals.

But presidents don’t have the right to act surprised when a truly unsuitable name is put forward and the move is met with almost universal condemnation or at best skepticism.

This holds true especially when the nominee would step into one of the most powerful, important posts in the federal government.

But that is precisely the situation President-elect Donald Trump finds himself in with his choice of the eccentric, unqualified former Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida as the attorney general of the United States of America.

Never in modern times has there been such outcry from both sides of the aisle about an AG nomination. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine said she was “shocked” by the pick. The more circumspect Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, asked about Gaetz’s chances for confirmation, said: “I don’t know — we’ll find out.” And Gaetz’s GOP House colleague Max Miller of Ohio said the best thing he could say about the nomination is that Congress would work better, absent Gaetz.

It is true that Gaetz is, nominally, an attorney, if an almost entirely inexperienced one, having worked for a very short time as a lawyer in private practice after law school.

He has zero management experience — and the Justice Department the president wants him to manage has 115,00 employees and 40 departments. Gaetz’s entire career has been serving in elected office in the Florida legislature and the House of Representatives.

But worse, even, than his lack of qualifications is that what Cornyn referred to as Gaetz’s “public persona” is that of a bullying buffoon. He’s in the wingnut fringe of his party, allied with Georgia’s Marjorie Taylor Greene, with whom he went on a barnstorming tour of the country. The only reason a House ethics probe of his bad conduct, including his alleged frequent consorting with prostitutes, including, allegedly a 17-year-old girl, was dropped was that he quit the House.

The time to cancel the Gaetz nomination is now, while the getting is good. Senate Republicans say they “absolutely” want to see the on-hold House Ethics Committee report on Gaetz’s conduct as part of their confirmation process. That report is unlikely to show Gaetz in a favorable light. Mr. President-elect, move on to a more suitable nominee.