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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Bush nominee faces Senate panel | Bush nominee faces Senate panel |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Confirmation hearings are due to begin in the Senate for President George W Bush's nominee for Attorney General, Michael Mukasey. | Confirmation hearings are due to begin in the Senate for President George W Bush's nominee for Attorney General, Michael Mukasey. |
| A retired federal judge, Mr Mukasey, 66, has presided over a number of high-profile terror trials and is seen as an independent-minded conservative. | A retired federal judge, Mr Mukasey, 66, has presided over a number of high-profile terror trials and is seen as an independent-minded conservative. |
| He is expected to tell the Senate Judiciary Committee that he would act independently of the White House. | He is expected to tell the Senate Judiciary Committee that he would act independently of the White House. |
| If confirmed, he will replace Alberto Gonzales, who resigned in August. | If confirmed, he will replace Alberto Gonzales, who resigned in August. |
| With Democratic and Republican members of the committee giving him pre-hearing endorsements, his confirmation seems all but assured, says the BBC's Jamie Coomarasamy in Washington. | With Democratic and Republican members of the committee giving him pre-hearing endorsements, his confirmation seems all but assured, says the BBC's Jamie Coomarasamy in Washington. |
| 'Clear-eyed' | 'Clear-eyed' |
| Mr Mukasey's on-the-record answers to questions about interrogation techniques, phone tapping and other controversial issues will be closely scrutinised during the hearing. | Mr Mukasey's on-the-record answers to questions about interrogation techniques, phone tapping and other controversial issues will be closely scrutinised during the hearing. |
| Profile: Michael Mukasey | Profile: Michael Mukasey |
| A copy of his prepared remarks, obtained by the Associated Press news agency, suggests he will say that protecting civil liberties is as much a part of protecting national security as is as gathering intelligence "to defend us from those who believe it is their duty to make war on us". | A copy of his prepared remarks, obtained by the Associated Press news agency, suggests he will say that protecting civil liberties is as much a part of protecting national security as is as gathering intelligence "to defend us from those who believe it is their duty to make war on us". |
| "We have to succeed at both," he is expected to say. | "We have to succeed at both," he is expected to say. |
| At the time of Mr Mukasey's nomination, Mr Bush said he had the right qualifications for the job and was "clear-eyed about the threat our nation faces". | At the time of Mr Mukasey's nomination, Mr Bush said he had the right qualifications for the job and was "clear-eyed about the threat our nation faces". |
| Democratic Senator Charles Schumer of New York, a member of the committee and a persistent critic of Alberto Gonzales, said at the time that he saw Mr Mukasey as someone with whom he could do business. | Democratic Senator Charles Schumer of New York, a member of the committee and a persistent critic of Alberto Gonzales, said at the time that he saw Mr Mukasey as someone with whom he could do business. |
| Mr Gonzales resigned after months of pressure over his role in the firing of federal prosecutors. |