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Politics

Support for Gonzales dwindling

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published April 21, 2007

WASHINGTON - Desperate for support among fellow Republicans, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales faced grim prospects Friday after a bruising Senate hearing that produced a call for resignation and a fistful of invitations and hints to quit.

One GOP member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, John Cornyn of Texas, predicted Gonzales would weather the furor and said he should. "Frankly, I don't think the Democrats are going to be satisfied with the resignation by Al Gonzales," he said.

Gonzales has been struggling to explain last winter's firings of eight federal prosecutors. He and other administration officials had hoped his appearance Thursday before the Judiciary Committee would produce a groundswell of support among Republicans.

Gonzales testified that he had done nothing improper in firing the eight prosecutors, but conceded the case had been badly handled.

On Friday, Gonzales gave no indication that he was leaving.

"Please know that as you continue your work, I am by your side," he said at a meeting with supporters of crime victims' rights.

Gonzales also called several GOP senators, including Cornyn and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, an aide said.

Specter said Gonzales sounded "in good spirits."

"He was just checking with senators to see how the hearing went," Specter said Friday. "I told him, 'Everything I had to say about the hearing I've already said.' "

Specter also said he sent a letter to Bush about Gonzales, who Specter had said a day earlier had emerged from the hearing with his credibility tarnished. Specter would not reveal the contents of the letter.

During their phone conversation, Cornyn told Gonzales that if nothing newly embarrassing comes out, the worst was behind him and he should stay, said Brian Walsh, Coryn's spokesman.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said President Bush had spoken with Gonzales after Thursday's hearing, and she added, "The attorney general continues to have the president's full confidence."

There was little other evidence of support for Gonzales, and there were fresh calls from Democrats for him to step down.

"The president should restore credibility to the office of the attorney general. Alberto Gonzales must resign," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said.

[Last modified April 21, 2007, 02:39:37]