Alberto Gonzales in the Hot Seat
Who is the publicist for Alberto Gonzales? Shouldn’t this person have warned the former attorney general about the perils of being interviewed by Deborah Solomon, the snarky, cranky, exceedingly direct interviewer for the New York Times Magazine? She’s not known for tossing softballs at her subjects.
To his credit, Gonzales didn’t shy away from the challenge. Read about the interview from yesterday’s Times, after the jump.
The interview started innocently enough. Solomon asked Gonzales about Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Gonzales said: “This is obviously a proud and historic moment for all Hispanics.”
It was a safe, savvy response. Gonzales is one wise Latino.
But Solomon quickly turned to tougher stuff:
Some 70 professors at Texas Tech have signed a petition that protests your appointment and cites your “ethical failings,” including misleading Congress abut the firing of nine federal prosecutors. What will you tell your students about that?All the inspector-general investigations, they’re now over with. They found that I had not engaged in any criminal wrongdoing.
I am not a crook. It’s not the most reassuring answer ever, but it’s accurate. At least for now:
Isn’t there still an ongoing investigation by a special prosecutor who was appointed last year to look into the removal of the attorneys?I wish I could comment on that, but because it’s an ongoing investigation, I cannot.
We’re sure it pained Gonzales not to talk about that ongoing investigation. This was probably around the time he started wondering why he agreed to do this interview.
Would you agree that your reputation was damaged by your service as attorney general?It has had an effect, a negative effect, no question about it, and at times it makes me angry because it is undeserved. But I don’t want to sound like I am whining. At the end of the day, I’ve been the attorney general of the United States. It’s a remarkable privilege, and I stand behind my service.
Deborah Solomon was not pulling her punches. Gonzales gave as good a response as possible, one that harks back to that memorable line from his AG resignation speech: “Even my worst days as Attorney General have been better than my father’s best days.”
Then the discussion shifted towards Alberto Gonzales’s job prospects (a subject we’ve covered closely):
Has any law firm offered you a job since you left the White House?Listen, I’ve had some interest and I’ve had some discussions, but there has been no offer made. In a tough economic climate, I can understand why a company or a firm would want to make sure that the investigations are complete and there is no finding of wrongdoing before they make a hiring decision.
At this point the reader starts to feel bad for Gonzales (who is more of a Biglaw client than partner these days). And then:
Have you asked Bush or Cheney to help defray your legal bills?I have not asked them personally.
I think you should ask them. They got you into this pickle. Shouldn’t they help get you out?
Listen, I have a group of supporters that are helping me fund-raise. They’re making decisions about how to do this successfully.
We agree with Solomon. Judge Gonzales, talk to Dick Cheney. He still has all those Halliburton millions, which make whatever you saved from your days as a Vinson & Elkins partner look like a pittance.
Why, exactly, did you suddenly resign as attorney general?I’m in the process of writing a book, and I’ll get into greater detail on some of those reasons.
Nice try, Debbie. Did you really expect AlGo to break down mid-interview and tell you all his dirty deeds? Sorry — he’s saving it for his book (which has not yet found a publisher).
Solomon and Gonzales closed the interview on a strangely poignant note:
Do you still talk to President Bush?I have not spoken with the president since he left office.
Have you ever been tempted to pick up the phone and say hi to him?
I do, of course, think about our time together, and there are times when I think about doing that. But listen, I know that he has his life to live. I’ve got challenges and my life to live as well.
If you come across this interview, Mr. President, please pick up the phone and give your old friend Al a call. He’s already publicly stated that he won’t hit you up for help with his legal bills — and he could clearly use a friend right now.
The Counselor [New York Times Magazine]
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Comments
first
1 - You mean, FIRST Hispanic Attorney General.
She also asked him "What kind of syllabus have you put together?" His response: "You mean what am I going to be teaching?" Ha.
Wow, what shitty, obnoxious interview questions.
Just as evasive and uninformative as usual. Pity the people in his classes.
4 - I agree. The man is the former Attorney General of the United States. The interviewer should at least have respect for the office.
I feel bad for him. AGAG was a fall guy for others (e.g., Cheney, Rove).
Why does he keep saying "listen" when he has nothing to say? Or is that the reason?
The New York TTTimes Magazine suckssss!
8 - I think he was probably pissed off at her questions (i.e. "Listen, bitch.")
8 - he says 'listen' just like all the pundits on TV say "look" when about to make a point.
Were you unethical?
Probes have found that I engaged in no criminal wrongdoing.
But were you unethical?
We bombed women and children. We stifled dissent. We went after Diplomats, Federal Prosecutors, War protesters, and we listened in on the phone calls of millions. We bankrupted education. We blew all our money on bombs while our own bridges collapsed and our pipes burst. We ensured that a tiny elite made billions while the purchasing power of the average American went into the shitter. We sold out 99% of the American people while ignoring human rights and any sense of decency. Was I ethical? Probes have shown that I engaged in no criminal wrongdoing.
I doubt bush will come across this interview. He's retired and thus has beeter things to do than figure out what squiggles on a page mean.
12 - Alberto Gonzales is not the whole Bush administration, relax. You voted for change and you got it. Enjoy the debt!
14- the coffee- now, and hurry.
- not 12, but you do know who.
"Why, exactly, did you suddenly resign as attorney general?"
-Because I wrote horrible, miscontrued, and patently false memo's because Cheney told me he would take me hunting
12,
It's pretty clear that he broke the law by misleading Congress. There hasn't been a probe. But that one's the cut and dry case.
As for the other things, I'm not sure it's illegal to be a complete political hack, as an AG.
Ask him why Latham is hiding Obama's birth certificate next time!!!
Didn't he graduate from the Michigan State College of Law? Greeting!
8--nice catch. I think "Listen" is just the new "you know." Seems an especially popular pause phrase on the east coast. West coasters prefer "Dude,...."
7 - this should go without saying but since you seem to be about as bright as Al, respect for the office means not appointing a dullard to it in the first place, or not serving if appointed, and respect is a two-way street.
Sorry 7, I meant 6. 21
Can we please stop with this abbreviation ("AlGo") nonsense and just stick with Gonzo?
20 - I think it's a sign that he knows he's being dissed and is his way of saying "fuck you." Academics have to be careful with language after the Ward Churchill affair and Gonzales can't afford to lose the Texas Tech job. It was hard enough to get it. I agree about the east coast/west coast point though. 8
Basically no law firm will ever touch him again.
Republican here who voted twice for W and twice for Bush Sr. They both are guilty of selecting loyal friends over the best and brightest advisers (think Dan Quayle and Harriet Miers). I guess insecurity and the need for sycophants run in the Bush family.
By contrast, Reagan selected many of his intra-party enemies like Bush and Baker for influential postions. At least W got his two court picks right (eventually).
The problem with the Bush approach is you get jackasses like Gonzalez and Miers.
I consider that anyone who has sympathy for Gonzo may be an idiot. The guy was Counselor to the President and Attorney General, and he has almost no respect at all for the Constitution. If you recall the Constitution includes the Bill of Rights. Those are amendments to the constitution that include things like the 1st, fourth, fifth and sixth amendments.
Gonzo was willing to be a political shill, ignore uncounted laws, and then have the gall to tell Congress, over and over, "I don't remember." We are so lucky he screwed the pooch on ever being a Supreme Court justice.
"AlGo" is stupid, especially considering the potential confusion with Al Gore. Or a delicious dog food.
Gonzo it is, Gonzo it must remain. (However, "wise latino" is quite good)
I like he basically implies, if it's not illegal, it's totally ethical. Remind me to use that one day.
I wonder if there will be a lawsuit over his book from the attorneys he fired. He shouldn't profit from his wrong. I'm not a lawyer. Could that happen?
Evasive and uninformative answers. He'll be a perfect law professor!
Fact is when your answer to every question is: "I dunno. Who are you again?" you are pretty much prepared for any interview style. No sweat
30 - he hasn't been offered a job as a law professor. He's been offered to teach a class on political science. Not even the law department would take him.
If you care about our rule of law and Constiution
Please, work to get Gonzales investigated and prosecuted. The abuses must stop.
Only Prosecution deters Federal crimes, only Prosecution deters Abuse of our Constitution
The only effective way we the voters can stop this from happening is to fight for Prosecution of all of those in public office who violate Federal Laws (especially Torture ) and abuse our Constitution and rights.
We need to start with Bush, Cheney and their Torture Advocating appointees Lawyers.
We have to make an example of the Bush criminals or it will happen again and again until we lose our most cherished freedoms.
SIGN THE PETITIONS
Demanding
both a Commission of Inquiry
and a Special Prosecutor
For All Their Crimes
at ANGRYVOTERS.ORG
http://ANGRYVOTERS.ORG