Phillip Carter writes in Slate that the Senate should question Alberto Gonzales closely about his skills and ability as a lawyer; seems he has a history of giving George W. Bush, first as governor and then as president, shoddy legal advice in order to give Bush the leeway he needed to justify his positions. Carter gives several examples of how, throughout his career, Gonzales has put loyalty to Bush's policies above integrity in presenting thoroughly researched and honestly written legal opinions on issues ranging from the death penalty in Texas to the Bush administration's decision to ignore the Geneva Conventions and authorize the use of torture on detainees suspected of terrorism.

Gonzales may be an inspiring example of the American Dream in action and he may be less rigidly ideological than his predecessor, John Ashcroft (certainly he is less personally weird, since presumably Gonzales does not anoint himself with cooking oil or think calico cats are signs of the devil) -- but his willingness to set aside an honest and objective and complete review of the law in favor of giving his client the legal support he needs to do what he wants to do, does not bode well for what he might do if confirmed as attorney-general.