Bush urges Mukasey
for attorney general
President Bush continues to support Michael Mukasey's nomination for attorney general despite Mukasey's refusal to say whether the torture technique known as waterboarding is "unconditionally wrong."
Waterboarding is a form of torture that imitates drowning. Many are criticizing Mukasey for not saying he believes it should be illegal.
Bush urged that the Senate approve Mukasey soon.
"It is not good for the country" to be without an attorney general during the war on terror, Bush warned. Mukasey's nomination, though, has become more controversial in the past two weeks.
Bush doesn't think Mukasey should have to take a stand on the issue, or that the government's stand should be made known.
"It doesn't make any sense to tell the enemy whether we use those techniques or not," he said. But Bush insists that the government's interrogation techniques are legal.
Republican Sen. John Warner of Virginia is one Senate opponent of waterboarding. Democratic Sens. Joe Biden of Delaware and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island have already said they will vote against Mukasey's confirmation.
Produced by Washington and Lee journalism students.
Lead supervisor: Prof. Brian Richardson
Reporting supervisors:
Technical supervisor: Michael Todd