ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINATION Gonzales to face questions about civil liberties

Rumor had been that Alberto Gonzales was in line for a Supreme Court post.
DALLAS MORNING NEWS
WASHINGTON -- Alberto Gonzales is poised to become the nation's first Hispanic attorney general, thanks to friendship with President Bush and legal work against terrorism -- though the latter could prove troublesome at confirmation.
Facing tough questions from Senate Democrats over memos on prisoner torture and other civil liberties issues, the White House counsel vowed Wednesday to wage war while protecting civil liberties.
"The American people expect and deserve a Department of Justice guided by the rule of law," the former Texas Supreme Court justice said during a brief nominating ceremony at the White House.
In announcing his pick, Bush emphasized Gonzales' "sharp intellect and sound judgment," as well as other personal qualities: "He is a calm and steady voice in times of crisis."
With Senate confirmation considered likely, the son of migrant workers would replace Attorney General John Ashcroft, whose outspoken conservative views made him a frequent target of Democrats and civil libertarians.
Gonzales, as White House counsel, became ensnared in similar disputes likely to surface during confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
In addition to prisoner torture, they include another memo in which Gonzales questioned the relevance of the Geneva Conventions, his advocacy of the Patriot Act, his promotion of conservative judicial nominees and his legal opinions in favor of what critics call the administration's penchant for secrecy.
What's expected
"These confirmation hearings will be a rare opportunity for the Senate and the public to finally get some answers on several issues for which the administration has resisted accountability," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, the committee's top Democrat.
Outside analysts said Gonzales, 49, will probably take tough questioning, but, barring some surprise revelation, has an excellent shot at confirmation.
After all, with only 44 Democrats in the Senate, the minority party would be loath to filibuster the first Hispanic nominee to lead the Justice Department.
"They've got to pick their battles," said Norman Ornstein, who studies executive-congressional relations for the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington-based think tank. "I don't think this is a battle they want to pick."
Gonzales cited his heritage during brief remarks in the Roosevelt Room, speaking of a "shared hope for an opportunity to succeed."
"'Just give me a chance to prove myself' -- that is the common prayer for those in my community," he said. " President, thank you for that chance."
If he is confirmed as attorney general, Gonzales faces many challenges.
What's ahead
In addition to helping protect the homeland from attack, the Justice Department is in the midst of ongoing terrorism prosecutions.
The next attorney general must also lobby Congress to renew certain contested provisions of the Patriot Act set to expire at the end of 2005.
And the Justice Department must defend the administration in a variety of cases, including anti-terrorism policies being reviewed by the Supreme Court and lower tribunals.
Nicknamed "the judge" by some White House officials, Gonzales had been rumored to be in line for a Supreme Court opening, speculation that had intensified with the illness of Chief Justice William Rehnquist.
The talk angered some anti-abortion conservatives who criticized Gonzales' interpretation of a parental notification law while a member of the Texas Supreme Court.
Some conservatives also blamed Gonzales for what they saw as Bush's tepid response to a Supreme Court case on affirmative action.