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U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft Resigns

Posted by timothy on from the cautious-phrasing dept.

andyring writes "In a move that will undoubtedly make many /. readers jump for joy (although perhaps not myself), Attorney General John Ashcroft announced he will resign, according to multiple news sources. While many here dislike him, others have more favorable opinions of him. He became the point man on the USA Patriot Act, which typically ignites harsh opinions on both sides of the aisle." Reader cnsc1rtr , referring to the AP's version of the story, writes "He gave Bush a five-page, handwritten letter in which he stated, 'The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.'"

3 of 1,275 comments (clear)

  1. Successor? by cnsc1rtr · · Score: 5, Informative
    from The Yahoo News/AP story:
    Speculation about a successor to Ashcroft has centered on his former deputy, Larry Thompson, who recently took a job as general counsel at PepsiCo. If appointed, Thompson would be the nation's first black attorney general. Others prominently mentioned include Bush's 2004 campaign chairman, former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot, and White House general counsel Alberto Gonzales.
    [...]
    Washington continued to buzz with speculation about the futures of Secretary of State Colin Powell and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.
    [...]
    Condoleezza Rice, the president's national security adviser, is considered a possible successor for either Rumsfeld or Powell. She has let it be known that she does not want to remain in her current role in the second term, and officials say her path is up or out. Rice said a year ago she wasn't interested in getting enmeshed in the bureaucracy at the State Department, but aides don't rule that out now, particularly with prospects for change in the Middle East.

  2. Re:SAFE! by NaDrew · · Score: 5, Informative
    If you say enough factually wrong soundbites, people will dismis you AND the people who are after you. Those who don't dismis you will think you are amazing.
    It's called The Big Lie and it's a technique with quite a lot of history.
    --
    Vista:XPSP2::ME:98SE
  3. Re:Stalking horse by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Ashcroft may have suppored the USAPA, but he didn't enact it.

    Again, HE WROTE IT.

    Over 90% of the words in the act are directly from his office and most of that directly from his hand.

    Yeah, he also "supported it" by scaremongering congress into enacting it without even reading it.

    In any rational examination that makes him PRIMARILY responsible. All the others are just contributory infringers. They may have abrogated their power to him, but he did not turn it down and still brags of his actions today.