On the other side of the aisle, Republican presidential candidates are a little more conflicted in airing their views. Their subdued comments may signal the difficulties the candidates are having in navigating their relationship with a beleaguered Bush administration in the run-up to primary season. Run toward Bush, and they risk appearing out of step with public opinion polls that show the country growing weary of its lame-duck president. Run away from him, and they risk alienating the GOP base. Stand up for Gonzales, and they get linked to an array of messy investigations still running their course. Stand aside, and they appear disloyal to one of the president’s closest and oldest political friends—not to mention the country’s first Hispanic attorney general.
Republican strategist Charlie Black, chairman of government relations consultants BKSH & Associates, points out that although the president is unpopular with independents, his job approval among Republicans who vote in primaries remains high. He urges candidates to simply say what they think, arguing that voters are seeking authenticity and a forward-looking president, not one wrapped up in the past. “I support Senator McCain, and he said a long time ago Gonzales should go. So he doesn’t have to say anything today,” says Black. “The others should try to be graceful about it. The guy has been treated very badly by Democrats in Congress, so they shouldn’t be piling on him.”
A rundown of who said what among 2008 contenders on the day Gonzales said goodbye, culled from press statements, candidates’ websites, and interviews:
Rudy Giuliani “Judge Gonzales served his nation honorably, and I wish him well in the next phase of his career.”
Mike Huckabee “Attorney General Gonzales took one for the team. The situation surrounding Gonzales was clearly creating a problem for the president, and one he didn’t need. Now it’s time to find a replacement and move on.”
Duncan Hunter “I wish to thank Attorney General Alberto Gonzales for his service to our country during some very difficult times. History will remember him honorably for his contributions to this country during our global war on terrorism against those whose aim was to destroy our nation.”
John McCain No comment.
Ron Paul No comment
Mitt Romney “Attorney General Gonzales should be recognized for his many years of public service to the state of Texas and to the people of the United States at both the White House and the Department of Justice. I believe the attorney general made the right decision to step aside. The resignation is an opportunity for President Bush to renew the nation’s commitment to the law enforcement officers and personnel who are dedicated to enforcing the rule of law and protecting the American people from the threat of terrorism around the globe.”
Tom Tancredo “As one who called for Mr. Gonzales’s resignation months ago, I’m not shedding any tears over news of his departure. I hope that President Bush will take this opportunity to replace Mr. Gonzales with someone who will actually demonstrate a commitment to enforcing our laws.”
Joseph Biden “As I’ve said before, Attorney General Gonzales has lost the confidence of the vast majority of the American people and the Congress. His resignation is long overdue. When I voted against Attorney General Gonzales’s confirmation, I voiced concern about his ability to go from being the president’s lawyer to the people’s lawyer. I expressed doubts then about his judgment in light of his track record, and his role as an architect of policies attempting to place the president above the law.
“My skepticism was confirmed by his conduct, and his failure to put protecting the American people over protecting the president. The next attorney general should not make the same mistake.”
Hillary Clinton “Attorney General Alberto Gonzales took an oath to uphold our Constitution and respect the rule of law, but time and time again he demonstrated that his loyalties lie with the president and his political agenda, not the American people or the evenhanded and impartial enforcement of our laws. In his actions and inaction, from warrantless wiretaps to the firing of U.S. attorneys, his loyalty was to the president, not the American people.
“The Department’s hardworking lawyers, law enforcement officers, and staff are trusted to defend our Constitution, not one administration or political party. That trust is central to the sanctity of the rule of law and the vitality of our democracy. Because he betrayed his obligations and the trust of the American people, I welcome today’s announcement that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has resigned his post as attorney general of the United States.”
Chris Dodd “Mr. Gonzales’s Justice Department became a political wing of the Bush administration, and his resignation is long overdue. I will only vote to confirm a nominee for attorney general who is truly independent and who will guarantee reforms that restore and uphold the Constitution.”
John Edwards “Better late than never.”
Mike Gravel “This resignation is another example of rampant government corruption. We need a return to moral leadership in the White House.”
Dennis Kucinich “The attorney general may be gone, but the Bush administration’s policies of warrantless wiretapping, electronic eavesdropping, and domestic spying—all in violation of the U.S. Constitution—will remain in place and are certain to be expanded unless the U.S. Congress exhibits some backbone and repeals the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
“While some may applaud the resignation as some sort of victory, the underlying abuses of Americans’ constitutional rights and civil liberties authorized by the Congress through the so-called Patriot Act and the recently approved amendments to FISA will continue unabated. Until we address those abuses and challenge those laws, it doesn’t really matter who the attorney general is.”
Barack Obama “I have long believed that Alberto Gonzales subverted justice to promote a political agenda, and so I am pleased that he has finally resigned today. The president needs to nominate an attorney general who will be the people’s lawyer, not the president’s lawyer, and in an Obama administration that person will first and foremost defend and promote the rights and liberties enshrined in our Constitution.”
Bill Richardson “The resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is long overdue. The president must nominate an attorney general who is a lawyer for the American people, not a political arm of the White House.”
