Edward Kennedy on Gonzales

Edward Kennedy's remarks

Democratic senators have been lambasting President Bush's nominee for attorney general, White House Counsel Alberto R. Gonzales, for his role in developing aggressive administration policies for the detention and interrogation of suspected terrorists. But most have said they would vote to confirm him anyway. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) broke with his colleagues yesterday and said on television that he is "leaning against" supporting Gonzales at the moment.

Kennedy said on CBS's "Face the Nation" that he had not been satisfied with the nominee's answers at his Jan. 6 confirmation hearing, where Gonzales said the administration will not tolerate torture but defended his conclusion that the protections of the Geneva Conventions do not apply to alleged terrorists.

"He had conversations with the Justice Department; he couldn't remember those," Kennedy said. "He couldn't remember many different kinds of facts... This nominee is the principal architect, it appears, for the development of the changes in the Geneva Convention, and torture. And he has an opportunity in response to these questions to explain it. I don't think he did."

SPEAK UP, SENATOR EVAN BAYH AND EVERYONE ELSE.