Understatement of the Century

Reticent? They might as well have been talking to the wall. Gonzales was downright uncooperative.

In Quizzing a Reticent Gonzales, Senators Encounter a Power Shortage

...Gonzales offered the legislative branch little deference yesterday, and certainly no apology for the administration's decision not to seek congressional approval for its surveillance program. "The short answer is that we didn't think we needed to, quite frankly," he declared in a typical exchange.

When did the administration decide it had the authority? "I'm not going to give an exact date," he said.

What does the administration do with the information it collects? "I can't talk about specifics."

Is the information used to obtain search warrants? "I am uncomfortable talking in great detail."

More interesting than what the attorney general said was what he would not say. Has President Bush, invoking his "inherent powers" under the Constitution, also authorized warrantless eavesdropping on domestic calls, opening of Americans' mail and e-mail, and searches of their homes and offices?

"I am not comfortable going down the road of saying yes or no as to what the president has or has not authorized," Gonzales, shifting frequently in his chair, informed the senators.

Just 13 months ago, at his confirmation hearing, Gonzales vowed that he would "no longer represent only the White House," instead representing "the United States of America and its people." Yesterday, however, he relapsed, referring to Bush at one point as "the client."

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