WASHINGTON (CNN) - White House hopeful Barack Obama is out with a statement Monday reacting to Alberto Gonzales' resignation:
"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," he said. "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."
Related: Gonzales resigns: Richardson reacts
Related: Edwards first '08 hopeful in with Gonzales reaction
Once again Obama shows that he doesn't understand the way our government is setup in the Constituation.
Now THAT'S what I call a real response !
Thank you Barack Obama.
Russ Feingold for AG 2009!
Is the big cover-up on.Gonzales spends the weekend at the ranch,gets the story straight.Then Bush flys out to New Mexico to pass along the info face to face with Dominichi.Good job Pelosi you,ve got them cornered.
Barack Obama/Ron Paul '08
I agree with Senator Obama. Until the Attorney General becomes a truly independent individual who is not subject to the President's desire to cover up everything that's said and done under the name of "presidential advice", this office will forever be viewed as political. The way to eliminate this triviality is to give the House and Senate Judiciary Committees power to appoint special prosecutors in matters involving the White House. This person would have just as much power and authority as the Attorney General. That special prosecutor and the sitting Attorney General would present their arguments before the Supreme Court. That's how you get the Attorney General, the White House, and those who have a tight lip because they are easily intimidated by the President to cooperate. And that's how you restore objectivity, dignity,and focus to the office.
Having been a Constitutional Law Professor, I think we can take Obama at his word on this one.
Amen to that Barack'08
While I'm not a fan of Obama, I do agree with his assessment of the outgoing Attorney General.
Ashcroft left after illness and apparent disagreement with the Administration on the subject of domestic spying.
Gonzalez is leaving (I am sure) because there is too much attention being paid to anything he does now, so it's harder for the Bush Administration to be as sneaky as they have been.
They're hoping that Chertoff will be a good fit for the Dirty Tricks Committee. Let us all hope that Congress laughs this man to the door.
Look at the statements by Dodd, Richardson and Edwards. What do they have in common? They all talk about or imply what the role of the Attorney General should be. Now look at this statement by Obama: He's using the Gonzales resignation to promote his own presidential aspirations. I wonder if statements like this are what prompt people to call him the candidate of change?
The people's lawyer appointed by the people's president. A very good and solid notion.
Obama '08
I'm reading through all the responses from politicians who are reacting to Gonzalez' resignation and they all seem to suggest Gonzalez and others are "protecting the president" vs. working for the people and upholding the constitution. If this is such common knowledge and a widely held belief, why aren't we impeaching "W"?! IMPEACH NOW and MAYBE (BIG MAYBE!) we can get this country back on the right track
Obama/Rice 08