Democrats Warn of Fight over Ashcroft

Jan. 7 -- Democratic senators criticized their former colleague John Ashcrofttoday as a “divisive” pick for attorney general, warning of a tough confirmation hearing for President-elect Bush’s most controversial Cabinet choice.

Among Ashcroft’s most vocal critics today wasSen. John Kerry, D-Mass., who said it was “a divisive not unifyingnomination” even though Bush “has specifically said he is aunifier, not a divider.”

Kerry appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, said that Ashcroft has been “on the fringe of a number of different issues that reallychallenge the … minority community that the president-elect isgoing to have to bring together.”

Democratic Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware said Ashcroft, who lost his re-electionbid in November, must convince the Senate he “will vigorouslypursue the civil rights laws that he has — with good reason, fromhis perspective — argued against for the past 20 years.”

Added Biden: “There’s only two places race can be resolved — the courts and the justice system. I may oppose his nomination.”

Republicans Show Support

Sen. Orrin Hatch, who resumes his post as Judiciary Committeechairman once Bush is sworn in, said Ashcroft is “a man of highquality.”

“I would personally resent any votes against him. I reallythink that it’s ridiculous, and I think we’ve gone way too far inthis country just because you differ with somebody on abortion …or because you find some fault one side or the other and try tomake a racial issue out of something that is not,” Hatch, R-Utah,said on Fox News Sunday. “And I get a little sick and tired ofthat.”

Sen. John Kyl, R-Ariz., said the attacks on Ashcroft were“outrageous,” and would ruin a bipartisan spirit Congress istrying to build.

“It’s appropriate to ask the attorney general nominee, ‘Willyou enforce the laws properly?’ … But to create innuendo orinsinuate that there are reasons to believe he won’t, I think, isinappropriate,” Kyl said on NBC.