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Skriven 2004-11-10 23:33:48 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0411108) for Wed, 2004 Nov 10
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President Nominates Judge Al Gonzales as Next Attorney General
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 10, 2004

President Nominates Judge Al Gonzales as Next Attorney General
Remarks by the President and Attorney General Nominee Judge Alberto
Gonzales
The Roosevelt Room

President's Remarks
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3:40 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon. I'm pleased to announce my nomination of
Judge Al Gonzales to be the Attorney General of the United States. This is
the fifth time I have asked Judge Gonzales to serve his fellow citizens,
and I am very grateful he keeps saying "yes."

A decade ago, when I was elected governor of Texas, I asked Al to be my
general counsel. He went on to distinguished service as Texas's Secretary
of State and as a justice of the Texas Supreme Court.

Since I arrived in Washington four years ago, he has served with skill and
integrity in the White House as Counsel to the President. I have counted on
Al Gonzales to help select the best nominees for the federal courts, one of
the President's most important responsibilities.

His sharp intellect and sound judgment have helped shape our policies in
the war on terror -- policies designed to protect the security of all
Americans, while protecting the rights of all Americans. As the top legal
official on the White House staff, he has led a superb team of lawyers and
has upheld the highest standards of government ethics. My confidence in Al
was high to begin with; it has only grown with time.

Over the past decade, I've also come to know the character of this man. He
always gives me his frank opinion. He is a calm and steady voice in times
of crisis. He has an unwavering principle, a respect for the law, and he
and Becky are dear friends of Laura and my -- of me, and I'm also very
friendly with Graham and Gabriel Gonzales.

My newest Cabinet nominee grew up in a two-bedroom house in Texas with his
parents and seven siblings. Al's mother and dad, Pablo and Maria, were
migrant workers who never finished elementary school, but they worked hard
to educate their children and to instill the values of reverence and
integrity and personal responsibility. These good people lived to see their
son, Al, study at Rice University and Harvard Law School. Maria still lives
in humble Texas in the house her husband built, and I can only imagine how
proud she is today of her son, Al.

Serving as Attorney General is one of the most challenging duties in our
government. As the nation's chief law enforcement officer, Al will continue
our administration's great progress in fighting crime, in strengthening the
FBI, in improving our domestic efforts in the war on terror. As a steward
of civil rights laws, he will ensure that Americans are protected from
discrimination so that each person has the opportunity to live the American
Dream, as Al himself has done.

With the Senate's approval, Judge Gonzales will succeed another superb
public servant, Attorney General John Ashcroft. Attorney General Ashcroft
has served with excellence during a demanding time. In four years, he's
reorganized the Department of Justice to meet the new threat of terrorism.
He's fairly and forcefully applied the Patriot Act and helped to dismantle
terror cells inside the United States. During his watch, violent crime has
dropped to a 30-year low, and prosecutions of crimes committed with guns
have reached an all-time high. Drug use amongst our students is down.
Confidence in the financial markets has been restored because the Attorney
General aggressively prosecuted corporate fraud. And thanks to John
Ashcroft's leadership, America has stepped up its efforts to prosecute the
cruel exploitation of children by Internet pornographers. The nation is
safer and more just today because John Ashcroft has served our country so
well.

I'm committed to strong, principled leadership at the Department of
Justice, and Judge Al Gonzales will be that kind of leader as America's
80th Attorney General. I urge the Senate to act promptly on this important
nomination. I look forward to welcoming my great friend to the Cabinet.

Congratulations. (Applause.)

JUDGE GONZALES: Thank you, Mr. President. I am joined today, as the
President said, by my beautiful wife, Rebecca, and two of our three sons,
Graham and Gabriel. And on behalf of my family, including my mom, Maria,
and our other son, Jared, thank you, Mr. President, for this extraordinary
opportunity.

This has been a day of conflicting emotions for me -- obviously, great
humility and gratitude, but also some sadness, that, if confirmed, I will
no longer drive to work every day to the White House, nor interact as
closely with this remarkable White House staff, including my great team in
the Counsel's Office, all led ably by my friend and inspiration, Chief of
Staff Andy Card.

But I do look forward, if confirmed, to continuing to work with my friends
and colleagues in the White House in a different capacity on behalf of our
President, as we move forward to make America better, safer and stronger.

As a former judge, I know well that some government positions require a
special level of trust and integrity. The American people expect and
deserve a Department of Justice guided by the rule of law, and there should
be no question regarding the Department's commitment to justice for every
American. On this principle, there can be no compromise.

I am indebted to General Ashcroft, who, as the President just acknowledged,
has served well during an historic time for our country. I appreciate John
Ashcroft's courage and friendship, and I will work hard to build upon his
record.

Finally, to our President, when I talk to people around the country I
sometimes tell them that within the Hispanic community there is a shared
hope for an opportunity to succeed. "Just give me a chance to prove myself"
-- that is a common prayer for those in my community. Mr. President, thank
you for that chance. With the consent of the Senate, God's help and the
support of my family, I will do my best to fulfill the confidence and trust
reflected in this nomination. Thank you, sir. (Applause.)

END 3:47 P.M. EST
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