Living the American Dream: The Alberto Gonzales Quiz

1) In a 2002 memo, what words did Alberto Gonzales use to describe sections of the Geneva Conventions prohibiting torture?

a) "Cute" and "outdated."
b) "Endearing" and "archaic."
c) "Quaint" and "obsolete."

2) True or false? Four days after Alberto Gonzales gave one of the most disastrous performances in the history of testimony before the Senate judiciary committee, replete with evasions and prevarications, George W. Bush announced that his confidence in him had "dropped precipitately."

Who said what about Alberto Gonzales?

3) Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
4) Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
5) Rep. David Obey (D-WI)
a) "He tells the half truth, the partial truth and everything but the truth."
b) "He has lost the moral authority to lead."
c) "He's one sneaky, lying S.O.B., to put it bluntly."

6) Two of these statements were made by Alberto Gonzales in 2006. Which one was uttered this year?
a) When it comes to torture, "It's difficult to decide what is appropriate and what is allowed under law."
b) The Constitution provides "no express grant" of habeas corpus, but merely a "prohibition against taking it away."
c) Though Al Qaeda operatives must assume that their phone calls are being tapped, a New York Times report confirming the practice was so harmful to U.S. security that the paper might be prosecuted for publishing it because "if they're not reminded about it all the time in newspapers and in stories, they sometimes forget."

7) What was Alberto Gonzales not suspected of lying to the Senate judiciary committee about in 2007?

a) George W. Bush's warrantless spying program and his efforts to bully bed-ridden John Ashcroft into signing off on it.
b) The politically motivated firings of eight U.S. attorneys.
c) His cavalier recommendations to then-Texas governor George W. Bush against clemency for every death row inmate regardless of any extenuating circumstances, of which there were many, and his helping to get Bush out of jury duty in 1996 in order to keep his drunk-driving arrests secret.

8) Of which previous attorney general who resigned in disgrace did the Washington Post write, "[He] leaves a smudge wherever he goes"?
a) Nixon's Richard Kleindienst
b) Reagan's Ed Meese
c) Nixon's John Mitchell

9) What did Washington Post reporter Dana Milbank say was the reason Gonzales quit?
a) "He wanted to leave while Jon Stewart was on vacation."
b) "His departure while Congress is not in session allows Bush to name anyone he wants as attorney general in a recess appointment with no Senate approval required."
c) "He wanted to spend more time spying on his own family."

ANSWERS:
1) c
2) False, he said his confidence had "increased"
3) b
4) a
5) c
6) b
7) c
8) b
9) c

Comments

[redford]

When Fredo made the comment about habeas corpus wasn't granted, etc., that was a defining moment for Specter. Specter's eyes got big and it looked like his whole body tensed in disbelief. I really thought Specter wanted to call Gonzo an SOB and kick his ass. It was a great moment on C-Span and I'll always remember it.

From that moment on, Specter had nothing good to say about Fredo. It reminded me of the Seinfeld episode where Jerry tells Elaine that "War and Peace" was originally named, "War, What is it Good For?" Someone had to put that habeas corpus comment in Fredo's ear and he believed it.

[TexasDem0]

redford, "Someone had to put that habeas corpus comment in Fredo's ear and he believed it."

That"s a big part of the problem. Neither GONE-zo, nor Dubya is a deep thinker. Both of them are puppets. They"re just mindless minions of the evil puppet masters.

[Libsrule]

Yes I missed one as well.

BUT what surprises me is how Gonzo was not laughed out of office by everyone sitting in on the hearings.

What a creep.

[Robt]

If I missed just one question, do I pass?

Am I in sad shape or what, missing only one Alberto qurstion.

That question was #9 of the Washington post's Dana Milbank. So I must not be that mush of a Gonzo trivia freak.

[maddog5150]

He went to Harvard? I figured he got his degree on-line for $14.95 (without the frame). I think I read someplace he was a property lawyer before he hooked up with the frat boy.

[yellowdogSC]

md,

He sent a check for the frame, but it bounced.

Still is.

[DICKERSON3870]

b) The Constitution provides "no express grant" of habeas corpus, but merely a "prohibition against taking it away."

BECAUSE IT IS PART OF 'THE COMMON LAW' WE INHERITED FROM ENGLAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT THEN WHY SHOULD OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL KNOW THAT (HARVARD LAW DEGREE NOTWITHSTANDING)!

[WIpatriot]

Amendment IX: "The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

[InFRAUDweTRUST]

What took them so long?

[ADVOCATE4ZPG]

Part of his legacy: One of EIGHT children born in the U.S. to an ILLEGAL ALIEN.... Is it credible to believe that he was a product of 'affirmative action'?

[PAFirefighter]

I got 8 outta 9!!

Missed only question #8, which wasn't about Gonzales anyway.

May that slimey bastard rot in Hell.

PA Firefighter

[WIpatriot]

The first time I got 'em all on one of these quizes...yeah!

Meese was a real piece of work. I remember his big pornography commission trying to get Playboy off the shelves, then he was "outed" for having a subscription.....er, research, yeah, that's it. He was instrumental in sheilding Reagan from the Iran-Contra mess, too.

What's with all the slimeball AGs??

[texasdave]

I thought there was supposed to be a revolving door between the administration and K Street. Why are all these bozos coming back to Texas? First Karl and now Fredo. We don't want them. Of course, the worst of it will be in 510 days (yes, I'm counting) when W his own damn self slinks back. Would someone point his sorry ass toward Kennebunkport for all of us? Pleeease?

[WIpatriot]

Don't be too concerned, Dave. He has that 100,000 acre ranch in Paraguay.