Word: ashcrofts
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Never far beneath all the gentlemanly back-patting and hand-shaking, a deep vein of hostility surfaced on the first afternoon of John Ashcroft's confirmation hearing...
...Ashcroft, President-elect Bush's controversial nominee for attorney general, faced his former colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday afternoon for what pundits predicted could be the most contentious - and partisan - confirmation battle in a decade. Ashcroft holds staunchly conservative views on many of the nation's most divisive topics, including abortion and gay rights. As the committee members made their opening statements, an unintelligible protester shouted briefly before being carted off by Capitol police, and it looked like fireworks weren't too far off. P> They even threatened to explode once or twice as committee chairman Patrick Leahy...
...senators' comments to Ashcroft fluctuated wildly between invective and praise: Senator Edward Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, declared, "I find Senator Ashcroft's record to be extremely troubling," while South Carolina Republican Strom Thurmond croaked out his support. Jeff Sessions, Republican of Alabama, told Ashcroft, "I think you are perfect for this job," and was seconded by New Hampshire Republican Bob Smith...
...Again and again, committee members were warned against rejecting Ashcroft simply on the basis of his ideology - and several Republicans defending the former senator even made the case that Ashcroft's strong religious and moral beliefs would make him more likely to uphold the laws he'd be sworn to protect as attorney general. Ashcroft himself, in brief but impassioned opening remarks, concurred, attempting to dissuade those who fear his appointment would threaten existing abortion and civil rights laws: "I know the difference between enacting and enforcing the law. I know the post of attorney general means advancing the national...
...Ashcroft completed his statement with a flourish ("I will uphold those laws, so... help... me... God"), someone on the committee bench muttered, "Boy, that was a powerful statement...