Alberto Gonzales on ‘truth.’
By on Feb 19th, 2008 at 9:56 am
Alberto Gonzales on ‘truth.’
Today, former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will be speaking at Washington University. In advance, he answered a few questions from the school’s student paper:
SL: If you could redo your tenure as Attorney General, what would you have done differently?
AG: When asked how I believe history may judge my tenure at the Justice Department, I say that such matters are out of my control. Life is not about yesterday. With so much work to do for our country, I intend to look forward. It will take years for the entire story to be told. … I take comfort in the fact that I have always told the truth, worked hard as my father did, stayed true to my values by doing my best, and having stepped into the arena, I have served my country.
View Most Popular
Advertisement
What We're About
What We're Fighting For
What We're Fighting Against
Featured
Subscribe to the Progress Report
Topic CloudView topics sorted by popularity
Boehner
Bush
Bush Legacy
Cheney
Civil Rights
Congress
Corporate Ethics
DADT
Economy
Energy
Environment
Ethics
Fox News
Gingrich
Global Warming
Guantanamo
Hannity
Health Care
International Relations
Iran
Iraq
Justice
LGBT
Limbaugh
Liz Cheney
McCain
Media
Military
O'Reilly
Obama
Palin
Pelosi
Race
Radical Right
Religion
Rove
Sanford
Sotomayor
Steele
Supreme Court
Terrorism
ThinkProgress
Tiller
Torture
Women's Rights
Visit Our Affiliated Sites
Reports
In-depth studies on select topics
Got a hot tip?
Have a hot news tip? We'd love to hear from you. Use the form below to send us the latest.
ArchivesBlog Roll
wow, you dad must have been a piece of crap too!
February 19th, 2008 at 10:00 amIt is a pathology, this delusional belief in ones moral fidelity. I've seen it clinically. It is a common disorder in fundamentalists of all stripes -- religious, political, liberal, conservative.
It is, however, a disorder.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:00 amThis squirt wouldn't know 'truth' if it bit him on the ass.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:01 amThe liar's dilemma. Two men are standing in front of two doors, one goes to Heaven the other to Hell. One man always tells's the truth and the other always lies.
How can you find out which one is Gonzalez with only one question?
Of course the little shit says he has always told the truth, that's just another bald faced lie!
February 19th, 2008 at 10:01 amNotice how he didn't answer the question of what he would have done differently? Still at it, duck, dodge, weave and distract.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:02 amRight out of the BushitCo playbook.
Is he too old to volunteer for Iraq? He could, actually serve his country. In a humvee.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:03 amImmediately after the EX-AG quit talking, a law enforcement official stepped up and attempted to administer a breath-a-lizer test...
February 19th, 2008 at 10:03 amGod especially hates people who lie about their truth telling. Poor guy gonna burn!
February 19th, 2008 at 10:03 amDemocrat: "You Republicans, in the short time you controlled all three branches of government, obliterated a federal surplus, lied in order to get the world's most powerful military bogged down in a foolish war of choice in a foreign land that was no threat to us, took our international reputation on a nose-dive, decimated the middle class, brought our economy to the brink of a depression, urinated on the constitution, and STILL made us no safer than we were on Sept. 10, 2001."
Republican: "Why do you guys insist on living in the past? We're focused on the future!"
February 19th, 2008 at 10:03 amGood call, RU. You're right. He ducked the question.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:04 amSL: If you could redo your tenure as Attorney General, what would you have done differently?
AG: Told a different set of lies, ones that are less subject to verification.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:05 amRepublican: “Why do you guys insist on living in the past? We’re focused on the future!â€
Comment by ralph the wonder llama — February 19, 2008 @ 10:03 am
Get used to it, Ralph. We're gonna be hearing that line a LOT from here on in. Over and over and over again. I wonder, does "the future" have lots and lots of orange jumpsuits in it?
February 19th, 2008 at 10:07 amralph, well said at #9.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:07 amNotice how he didn’t answer the question of what he would have done differently? Still at it, duck, dodge, weave and distract.
Right out of the BushitCo playbook.
Comment by RUCerious — February 19, 2008 @ 10:02 am
Exactly my first reaction. Does this piece of subhuman scum ever answer ANY question put to him? The answer is telling, though, just not telling the truth.
Some things never change.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:08 amRalph,
GOP: We will relive the glory days of Ronald Reagan as soon as those Democrats stop living in the past.
-GSD
February 19th, 2008 at 10:08 amRemember, these guys are following the example of their exalted leader and waiting for 'history' to judge them....
And when the giant irradiated cockroaches review the history of the former dominion of man, I'm sure they'll look fondly at the Bush Regime....
February 19th, 2008 at 10:08 amI think that Gonzales and my ex-dear leader Tony Blair must have gone to the same school as they both have the same idea of what the true is, and that can be summed up as 'sod the constitution or the law lets do anything and say anything we like as long as we get the job done, badlly'
February 19th, 2008 at 10:09 amGonzo and Bush still haven't owned up to their belief that they have a right to fire people mid term. So Gonzo repeatedly lied. This is what happened. No more no less.
And now, Mukasey says the Justice Department is one big happy hard working family.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:09 amepm: Disorder personified - Gonzo, The Liar
February 19th, 2008 at 10:10 am#18 We've seen Mukasey lie now as well and cite Gonzo's questionable/illegal rulings. Two lies rolled into one.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:11 amComment by GSD — February 19, 2008 @ 10:08 am
Shi-ite, if I'm not mistaken, McPander has gone back even farther and is now attempting to channel T Roosevelt.
Who's next, Lincoln?
February 19th, 2008 at 10:11 amYou got it ralph. The Repugs are like the drunk driver who just ran a red light and crashed into a van full of kids. The drunk stumbles out and says we need to put the past behind us, focus on tomorrow, spilt milk and cows out of the barn and such.......
I want to see some reckoning, some blame assigned for this mess we are in, and yes missmolly, revenge is in there somewhere too.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:12 amYeah, these people are so honest that they never want to testify under oath....
February 19th, 2008 at 10:12 amI personally believe that Bush/Cheney were correct and that they had a right to fire these lawyers.
But it really says something about their character that they wouldn't stand by their own ideas. It still does not make any sense. This is just one of a million reasons Americans don't trust Republicans anymore.
There is absolutely no reason for turning your back on your ideas, and letting character assassination of the fired people stand.
Republicans are cowards.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:13 amI.DO.NOT.RECALL.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:14 amComment by nanlichi — February 19, 2008 @ 10:12 am
Sometimes, RETRIBUTION is a good thing...
And this might be one of them...
February 19th, 2008 at 10:16 amBasic "conservative" logic:
1. Up is down.
2. Black is white.
3. Slavery is freedom.
4. Lies are truth.
See? Life is so much easier when it's always "Opposite Day".
February 19th, 2008 at 10:21 amIncorrigible liar.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:22 amI personally believe that Bush/Cheney were correct and that they had a right to fire these lawyers.
Comment by Guido OBGYN Lover
I don't think so if the firings were politically motivated and that's the problem.....they were political....and the bushies were afraid that that fact would be undcovered.....they never expected to be challenged on this.
my opinion
February 19th, 2008 at 10:22 am'I take comfort in the fact that I have always told the truth."
Must be the impending Easter season, but I flashed on Pontius Pilate having that critical discussion w/JC before his crucifixion in which Pilate asked sardonically, "What is Truth?" Just sayin', Fredo- truth, not necessarily as subjective as what the liar wants it to be...
And Gonzo's remark about not living in the past is pretty funny, too. Bet the fired US Attorneys think it's a howler...
February 19th, 2008 at 10:24 amComment by The Republic of Stupidity — February 19, 2008 @ 10:16 am
I don't see it as revenge or retribution. I think it is RESTITUTION and RESTORATION. We need to restore true law and order, not the campaign slogan type that the Republicans offer. We need to restore the Constitution. Putting the blame for the past 7 years where it belongs is restitution that is part of the restoration of our country.
"Restore Our America" = that's the kind of change I want. That's the campaign message I want Clinton or Obama to run on.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:25 ammy opinion
Comment by Fred — February 19, 2008 @ 10:22 am
What's amazing and frustrating here is how they managed to muddy the water so badly that we never did find out who actually ordered the firings.
Just like w/ Scooter Libby and the Plame leak, and who the hell actually ordered the water boarding. We know who did the water boarding, we know who formulated the bogus legal opinions that said it was okay, we know who destroyed the tapes, but we've never found out WHO actually said, Do it.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:26 amAs Bill Maher noted this past weekend, Bush could have done the right thing on many issues, but instead decided to bring in Dr. Evil (Cheney) & a Mexican mall lawyer, (Gonzales).
Does Gonzo, like KKKarl, also block all media from recording his words during these events?
February 19th, 2008 at 10:26 amAG sez: Life is not about yesterday.
9-11???
February 19th, 2008 at 10:26 amnasty little weasel
February 19th, 2008 at 10:27 amI personally believe that Bush/Cheney were correct and that they had a right to fire these lawyers.
Comment by Guido OBGYN Lover — February 19, 2008 @ 10:13 am
Guido, in a limited way, you are right. But BushCo fired none of them, as far as I could tell, for cause. And more than one appeared to have been fired for political reasons, such as not filing enough cases against Democrats. That is illegal.
You put a bunch of them together and it looks an awful lot like an updated "Saturday Night Massacre".
THAT'S why Gonzo and his minions could not stand up in defense of their right to fire the attorneys. Because their reasons were indefensible.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:27 amYa know, PLC, "Restore Our America" has a great ring to it.
And, I simply like the idea of firin' up the Spankin' Machine and runnin' the GOOPers thru it, over and over again.
How else will they learn? Sure hope the Spakertronic 5000 is still under warranty. It's got its work cut out fer it!
February 19th, 2008 at 10:28 am"I take comfort in the fact that I have always told the truth, worked hard as my father did, stayed true to my values by doing my best, and having stepped into the arena, I have served my country."
He knows his kids will be hearing or reading his words, and this reads just like a parental lecture on responsibility.
Too bad his kids will learn in history class that he was lying, and that he put partisan concerns ahead of the country's welfare, whenever pressured to make a legal decision.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:30 amSure hope the Spankertronic 5000 is still under warranty. It’s got its work cut out fer it!
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — February 19, 2008 @ 10:28 am
I think I just heard a chorus of female voices from the Castle Anthrax: "A spanking! A spanking!"
February 19th, 2008 at 10:31 amNo kidding, RoS @ #32- Fredo's water muddying Mission Accomplished.
Except so many people in DC know it was Rove, w/GWB signing off like the lazy so-what POTUS we've all come to know & loath. Rove ain't off the hook- too many people know where that particular body is buried. Mills of the gods etc...
February 19th, 2008 at 10:32 amIt's a dirty business, Ralph, but SOMEBODY has to do it.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:36 amWell yeah that's why normal administrations fire people all at once at the beginning of their term. To avoid the appearance of breaking the law.
But you know, policial retribution and strong arming lawyers to pursue politically motivated cases at election time are a part of the game. Let's face it, they're all criminals every last one of them. It's just a shame that in all likeliness this brief interlude with Republican rule -born of fear- was a fluke, and a lot of innocent people got hurt.
This is Gonzo's legacy. Worse than lying.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:38 amTRoS, I have a large supply of extra wide paddles that fit the Spankertronic 5000, just in case yours wear out or break.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:39 amLet's see -- Gonzo obviously doesn't want to talk about his time as AG, yet he wants to make money with speaking engagements.
What does he think people want to hire him to talk about? His helpful household hints?
February 19th, 2008 at 10:39 amMissmolly, do ya spose Gonzo'd do a spanking engagement after his welcome wears out on the speaking circuit?
February 19th, 2008 at 10:40 ampolicial retribution and strong arming lawyers to pursue politically motivated cases at election time are a part of the game.
Comment by Guido OBGYN Lover — February 19, 2008 @ 10:38 am
I completely disagree. The moment we accept that the administration of Justice is "part of the game" of politics, we've lost.
And we've come perilously close to that point under this administration.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:42 amWhat’s amazing and frustrating here is how they managed to muddy the water so badly that we never did find out who actually ordered the firings.
Just like w/ Scooter Libby and the Plame leak, and who the hell actually ordered the water boarding. We know who did the water boarding, we know who formulated the bogus legal opinions that said it was okay, we know who destroyed the tapes, but we’ve never found out WHO actually said, Do it.
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — February 19, 2008 @ 10:26 am
And the SAME in whisking the Bin Ladens out of the country, torture, etc. Make it NAMELESS and FACELESS and then say:
"'mistakes' were made. By WHOM? Golly, gee, we don't KNOW!"
February 19th, 2008 at 10:44 amLet’s see — Gonzo obviously doesn’t want to talk about his time as AG, yet he wants to make money with speaking engagements.
What does he think people want to hire him to talk about? His helpful household hints?
Comment by missmolly — February 19, 2008 @ 10:39 am
It's obvious, missmolly -- he wants to talk about "The Future"!
It only makes sense, since he can't recall a thing about his time as AG. I doubt if he can even remember where his office was.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:44 amWouldn't it be hi-freaking-larious, though, if ultimately it was the USA firings that brought BushCo to justice, after all the other merde that is deflected & teflons off of them.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:44 am“‘mistakes’ were made. By WHOM? Golly, gee, we don’t KNOW!â€
Comment by Arn Gunnutes — February 19, 2008 @ 10:44 am
And then add the spectacular windmill dunk to finish the play: "and anyone who wants to find out is on a partisan with-huntâ„¢!"
February 19th, 2008 at 10:46 am49 How can you pin them if you can't get them to testify under oath?
February 19th, 2008 at 10:47 amSorry, that should have been "partisan witch-huntâ„¢".
February 19th, 2008 at 10:47 amSociopath.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:49 amAlberto Gonzales will be remembered as one of our worst attorney generals. His appointment was due to cronyism rather than credentials. He ran the office not on behalf of the American people, but on behalf of his friends in the administration.
In the future when someone from the President's inner circle is nominated to the post people will warn that it's going to be like Gonzales all over again and the country will give a collective shudder. Though that's true of most of Bush's appointees.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:49 amRevenge was maybe not the best word, I like restoration, retribution and restitution.
I saw the planes fly into the WTC and wanted retaliation. I watched Bushco do even more damage to my country than Osama and I want the bastards to face the consequences.
We have to pursue investigations into their actions and if criminal activity is found, file charges. We absolutely need to send the message to all administrations that follow that this kind of BS won't be tolerated. But I would be lying if I said there's no motivation for retaliation and revenge. I want to see that smirk wiped from the petulant punk's face by cross exam.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:50 amTruth: What does that mean ?
- Pontius Pilate
Should be interesting to follow the threads of "Clinton did it first" versus "Partisan Witchhunt" in the near future.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:51 amRove, Miers, & Bolten w/never testify, MMW. But major leakage by folks in JD who are retiring/leaving & have had more than enough could be an interesting thing, & the subsequent forced MSM coverage equally interesting in this regard...
February 19th, 2008 at 10:52 amSorry, 57 was a response to Fred @ 51.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:54 amI take comfort in the fact that I have always told the truth...
It takes a very sick person to lie to an entire audience who know you are lying.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:59 amThey're such history buffs... do they WANT to be the Nazis or Stalin Communists, etc.? Perfect them, right...
February 19th, 2008 at 11:00 amYou know, psychopaths and sociopaths are both incapable and unwilling to judge their own deceit. In his mind, he didn't lie. Although, in his mind he thought it was wise to tell everyone upon leaving the office of Attorney General that and i quote "I take great comfort in knowing that each one of my days was better than each one of my fathers."
The absurdity of this administration is much like a Monty Python sketch. You really have no idea what's going on in the minds of these people.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:00 amComment by ralph the wonder llama — February 19, 2008 @ 10:42 am
I totally agree. But 2 things would remedy this.
First, don't let them get anything on you if you find it impossible to obey the law.
Second, if a crooked judge allows a politically motivated case, remove and punish the judge.
Both of these are seperate issues from firing attorneys for philosophical reasons.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:03 amI always thought that the role of a Justice Department was to keep an even keel in society was to go back in history and seek retributions as needed to keep that keel or country even in the water.
Am I wrong or should Alfredo have paid more attention to what others think of him or as someone else suggested is he just a scoiopath.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:03 am49 How can you pin them if you can’t get them to testify under oath?
Comment by Fred
Congress should vote Inherent Contempt of Congress. With an Inherent Contempt charge, Nancy Pelosi can instruct the Sergeant in Arms of Congress to arrest Miers and Bolton, and drag them to the House floor in shackles.
Inherent Contempt of Congress
In 1795, Congress used the power of contempt for the first time when it arrested, tried, and punished a man accused of bribing members of the House of Representatives. Then Congress acted on its own authority—subsequently called the Self-Help power, which grants Congress the right to compel testimony and punish disobedience without the involvement of a court or other government body if the individual’s actions obstruct the legislative process. By 1821, the Supreme Court recognized Congress’s power to arrest and punish individuals for contempt.
Contact your congressperson and tell them to vote Inherent Contempt of Congress against these criminals.
http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/
February 19th, 2008 at 11:04 am… I take comfort in the fact that I have always told the truth, worked hard as my father did, stayed true to my values by doing my best, and having stepped into the arena, I have served my country.
Apparently Gonzo is the only one in the US who doesn't know that he is a liar.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:16 amTRoS, I have a large supply of extra wide paddles that fit the Spankertronic 5000, just in case yours wear out or break.
Comment by RUCerious — February 19, 2008 @ 10:39 am
Oh I was hoping the Spankertronic used steel rods.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:17 amBoth of these are seperate issues from firing attorneys for philosophical reasons.
Comment by Guido OBGYN Lover — February 19, 2008 @ 11:03 am
but you've moved the goalposts here. I never said "philosophical" reasons. I would think that philosophical reasons would emerge in the initial hiring process. Legal philosophies tend not to change that radically over a four-year span.
"Philosophical reasons" are different from "political reasons". Phiosophical reasons would include fundamental disagreements on the reading, interpretation and application of law.
Political reasons would include things like firing an attorney in order to open a slot to reward a political friend (Arkansas), or in retaliation for an attorney refusing to file a weak lawsuit just before an election to help the Republican candidate (New Mexico) or for aggressively pursuing cases against Republicans (California), or just for not pursuing cases that were politically valuable to the Party (Wisconsin, Washington, Arizona).
I'm talkig about the use of the tools of the DoJ for partisan ends rather than forthe administration of justice. Until this administration, that was unacceptable. BushCo, however, saw it as convenient tool rather than a sacred trust.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:20 amA lie to the liar is the truth.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:21 amWhy are these institutions spending money on the likes of Gonzo and Rove to speak to students. Public funds or private tuition dollars are being used for these lying pieces of crap who will claim they can't remember any difficult questions they are unable to lie their way through.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:22 amOh I was hoping the Spankertronic used steel rods.
Comment by Shayne — February 19, 2008 @ 11:17 am
Sold separately.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:29 amHe sounds like a Bush clone! And look at how he avoided the question. Nobody asked him how history would judge, he was asked how he would judge his own career. And he won't even try. Truly, this administration has demonstrated the Peter Principle: people rise to their level of incompetence.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:30 amComment by Shayne — February 19, 2008 @ 11:22 am
I would not be surprised if the RNC is actually paying. Gotta catapult the propoganda to the next generation of voters.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:31 amGonzo sez: "there is no constitutional right to truth."
February 19th, 2008 at 11:34 amHe's disgraced himself, his family and all those who supported his rise to high office. Que lastima!
February 19th, 2008 at 11:34 amAfter you've seen and heard all that this administration has done (and it fills books), can you still continue to believe that our own government wasn't at least complicit in 9-11?
February 19th, 2008 at 11:39 am"I can't find any mention of Habeus Corpus in the Constitution" a-la Gonzo.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:50 amOh I was hoping the Spankertronic used steel rods.
Comment by Shayne — February 19, 2008 @ 11:17 am
Actually, the Spankertronic 5000 is built to be adaptable. We offer an entire range of paddles, rods, etc, to fit all your punishment needs.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:52 amTRoS ~ Action figures sold separately!
February 19th, 2008 at 12:05 pm"I don't recall" him telling the truth.
February 19th, 2008 at 12:07 pmTruly, this administration has demonstrated the Peter Principle: people rise to their level of incompetence.
Comment by Viking — February 19, 2008 @ 11:30 am
I think this is one area where BushCo has exceeded its own modest aims: the incompetence of people in BushCo generally far outstrips the positions to which they rise. And when you're talking about positions like the Attorney General, the Secretary of War and the President of the United States, that takes A LOT of incompetence.
February 19th, 2008 at 12:23 pmGonzo reminds me of a line from the original muppet, Ralph, the dog, on the old Jimmy Dean variety show.
Jimmy had just done a stupid card trick involving tearing the entire deck into confetti, then tossing it in the air.
Ralph's comment:
"The man has NO shame."
February 19th, 2008 at 12:25 pmOoh, I'd like to pitch in for the upgrade to the overheated steel rods for the Spankertronic.
February 19th, 2008 at 12:27 pmI take comfort in the fact that I have always told the truth, worked hard as my father did, stayed true to my values by doing my best, and having stepped into the arena, I have served my country.
And just miliseconds after uttering these words, Gonzo imploded into flames.
February 19th, 2008 at 12:38 pmWhat an absolute liar. I'm surprised his nose is not three miles long, ala pinocchio.
February 19th, 2008 at 12:46 pmAfter such a patriotic sounding crock of shit he should have finished off by blowing his own brains out right there on stage - as a true traitor who did a disservice to himself and his country.
February 19th, 2008 at 1:07 pmStep away when Gonzalez speaks for the lightening will strike.
February 19th, 2008 at 2:07 pmI don't RECALL Gonzo ever telling the truth!
February 19th, 2008 at 2:38 pmHe only led the Justice Department, how could he judge his career?
Besides, the two weeks he can recall is a lot of time to look over.
February 19th, 2008 at 3:23 pm...and then milk shot out everyone's noses.
February 19th, 2008 at 4:06 pm["Seedy" Gonzales]: I take comfort in the fact that I have always told the truth, worked hard as my father did, stayed true to my values by doing my best, and having stepped into the arena, I have served my country.
Oh. So he still hasn't stopped lying. In other news, dog bites man.
Cheers,
February 19th, 2008 at 8:58 pm