WSJ: General Gonzales

Wall Street Journal ^ | November 11, 2004 | Editorial

[OESY]

...Mr. Gonzales has many things going for him, not least his relationship with the President, whom he has served for more than a decade starting in Texas. These personal ties -- much like those between Californians Ed Meese and Ronald Reagan -- will give him a stronger influence in the Cabinet than Mr. Ashcroft had.

But his job will nonetheless be to build on the Ashcroft legacy. That includes moving ahead with terror cases, riding hard on the FBI as it reshapes itself to fight terrorists, and working for the renewal of the Patriot Act, portions of which expire next year. On the latter, Mr. Gonzales may well be a better public spokesman than the polarizing Mr. Ashcroft.

The sticking point in what is otherwise likely to be an easy confirmation battle will be the "torture memos" bearing Mr. Gonzales's signature. In the heat of the Presidential campaign, the media connected this legitimate internal legal discussion on the Geneva Convention to the abuses that took place at Abu Ghraib. The ACLU, People For the American Way and other liberal interest groups are already hitting this allegedly "troubling" record and gearing up for a fight. The Center for American Progress, financed in part by George Soros, says it has "grave doubts" about his nomination.

But Democrats may not have the same appetite for renewed combat. Senator Charles Schumer said yesterday "he's a better candidate than John Ashcroft," which for him is an act of bipartisanship. Senate conservatives who distrust Mr. Gonzales on core social issues will support him as AG as a better destination than the Supreme Court....

[OESY]

One final thought on the Ashcroft era. It's difficult to recall now, but Mr. Ashcroft inherited a Justice Department that was damaged -- some thought permanently -- after eight years of Janet Reno, conflicts with the FBI, and loose-with-the-law Clinton appointees. Above all, he deserves credit for restoring credibility to his department and integrity to his office.

[t2buckeye]

i want to see the Democrats go after the first Hispanic AG. Maybe they'll lose another 20% of the Hispanic vote

[El Oviedo]

We hope that the new appointed Attorney General will "hopefully" implement our immigration laws in way that will both benefit the anti- and con- immigration segments of our country.

The President's guest program is acceptable provided that only those who are gainfully employed with jobs will remain. The rest returned to their home country or sent somewhere to work.

I am sure France would need addtional "grape pickers" which could help their wine more price competative.

[RockinRight]

The Center for American Progress, financed in part by George Soros, says it has "grave doubts" about his nomination.

Well, if Soros doesn't like him, he's OK by me!

[the invisib1e hand]

he's getting some pretty good headlines on the radio around here...or was, anyway.

[Prost1]

For a closing Act, I would like to see AG Ashcroft order the indictment and arrest of Sandy Berger!

Arresting a few other abusers of power wouldn't hurt either!

[alessandrofiaschi]

Soros in this sense is a litmus test: if he disapproves anybody, this one is perfect for that role.

[Defiant]

working for the renewal of the Patriot Act, portions of which expire next year. On the latter, Mr. Gonzales may well be a better public spokesman than the polarizing Mr. Ashcroft

I understand that the Patriot Act simply gave law enforcement the same powers for terror cases that it already had with organized crime and drug cases. Why don't we write the legislation so that it expires when Congress repeals those drug laws? Tie them together, so people understand this is not something unprecedented or unlawful. It's just that Dems support terrorists more than mobsters.

[george wythe]

Ashcroft had his faults. Sometimes I criticize him. Nevertheless, Ashcroft was a huge improvement over the previous holder.

Janet Reno is a murderer. She burned to death dozens of civilians, including women and children, in Waco, instead of using common sense to deal with the Davidians. Koresh went to the local convenience store several times a month, plus he jogged with the undercover cops around his property; he could have been apprehended outside his house.

Even worse, after the Waco siege started, Reno had no reason to send tanks to attack American citizens. She could have waited Koresh out, since the Davidians were already in self-imposed prison.

Then I'm reminded that we have child custody disputes in Florida all the time, and no SWAT teams are sent to solve child custody cases. Of course, Reno had to break new ground; she decided to "rescue" Elian by traumatizing the little boy for the rest of his life.

Whether Elian should have been sent back to Cuba or not, the fact remains that Reno mishandled the affair from the beginning. She sabotaged any attempt to solve the crisis through negotiations between the families; she took Castro's side, and she refused to compromise at even small points.

Reno was out of control. She lied to all her friends in South Florida, including the president of the University of Miami, a liberal Democrat who put his reputation on the line to negotiate in good faith a compromise in the Elian affair. Reno betrayed her longtime friends in order to lick Castro's boots. No wonder she lost the primary elections for governor. Not even Democrats can stomach her.

Now you will seldom read any of the above facts about Reno in the liberal press. The small Ashcroft's flaws will be highlighted, over and over again.

Janet Reno's incompetence, authoritarian abuse of power, and homicidal negligence will be swept under the rug.

[TERMINATTOR]

A signed picture from the White House, presented to Alberto Gonzales and the Hispanic Achievers.

To: Hispanic Achievers

Thank you for your support. Together we can build a single nation of justice and opportunity.

Warmest regards,
George W. Bush

La Raza endorsement

[CWOJackson]

"...i want to see the Democrats go after the first Hispanic AG."

Log off now, a lot of FR "conservatives" are unhappy with him and are attacking this nomination (and Spectre, and the latest amnesty rumors, and...). I'm not one of them.

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

That's a major part of this.

[t2buckeye]

I'm as conservative as any of them..but I think we should realize what it is about Bush that most of us admire. He will follow his convictions..and he will LEAD. Besides, if Soros doesn't like this nomination, I'm all for it.

[TERMINATTOR]

Harvard Law School address by White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales, 06/05/2002 (Real Audio)