Conservative activists last week said they feared Gonzales might not add a truly conservative voice to the high court when it came to issues such as abortion and affirmative action.
This is an important decision, and I understand there's a lot of pent-up anticipation," Gonzales said in an interview after meeting with Justice Department officials in Denver. "People have been waiting for 11 years, and so people have very strong views about this. This is America, and people have the right to speak their mind. It's all part of the process, as far as I'm concerned."
"I've been asked since 2001 whether or not I'd consider going on the court, and I've consistently said, 'I'm not a candidate for the Supreme Court' - and that remains true today," Gonzales said. "I love being attorney general. My job, currently, is to help the president make this decision."
The opening conservative salvo against Gonzales is sure to be followed by intense volleys from all sides in the coming months, said University of Virginia political science professor Larry Sabato.
Bush is not expected to announce his nominee for some time. But activists already have begun efforts to influence the nomination process, Sabato said. The campaign-style fight could cost between $50 million and $100 million, he said.
"It's hard to imagine that this one won't be nasty," he said.
The conservatives jumped first because they believe it's their seat to lose with a Republican with strong ties to the party base as president, Sabato said.
Liberals also have their complaints about Gonzales, mostly concerning his work as chief White House counsel involving policies for conducting the war on terrorism. Many of those concerns were aired during Gonzales' Senate confirmation hearings to become attorney general this year.
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