I believe that the point Gonzales was trying to make is that the letter of the law needs to be addressed; this is because all sorts of "rights" are being made up by liberals. I hope this discussion goes into MSM land and starts some interest.
That would be a good thing. Many of the liberals I talk to have no idea of Article I, Section 9.
Hey liberals: READ the Constitution!
Was it Alexander Hamilton who didn't want a bill of rights because it would lead people into making up rights?
I'm sorry, but since the Bush Adminstration claimed they had the power to declare an American citizen to be an enemy combatant with no recourse for the accused to confront the evidence used to make that declaration, I am not inclined to give Gonzales the benefit of a doubt on his views here - that he was being simply technical in his reading. That kind of technical reading, when done with bad intent, is how clearly-defined aspects of the Constitution are circumvented.