    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book II)]
    [November 14, 2007]
    [Pages 1470-1472]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at a Swearing-In Ceremony for Michael B. Mukasey as Attorney General
    November 14, 2007

        Thank you all very much. Good morning. I'm pleased to be back here
    at the Department of Justice and to join you for the swearing-in of
    Judge Michael Mukasey as the 81st Attorney General of the United States.
    We welcome Michael's wife Susan and their
    children Marc and Jessica, their son-in-law Corey,
    their grandchildren William and
    Benjamin, and other members of the Mukasey
    family. We share their pride in Michael on this important day. And I
    appreciate you all coming to witness it.
        I particularly want to thank the Chief Justice of the United States,
    John Roberts, who is here to swear-in
    the General. I want to thank members of my Cabinet who have taken time
    off to come and welcome a new Cabinet member. I appreciate very much
    that Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania,
    the ranking member on the Senate Judici
    ary Committee, has joined us, along with Sam Brownback and Senator Lindsey Graham.
    Thank you all for coming. And thank you for making sure this good man
    not only made it to the floor of the Senate, but was confirmed.
        I want to thank former Attorney General John Ashcroft, and welcome John as well as former Attorney General
    Dick Thornburgh. Thank you all for
    coming.
        The job of the Attorney General is one of the most important in our
    Nation's Government. The Attorney General must run the world's largest
    law firm and the central Agency for enforcement of our Federal laws. He
    must aggressively prosecute gun criminals and drug dealers, hold
    corporate wrongdoers to account, protect victims of child abuse and
    domestic violence, and uphold the civil rights of every American.

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        In this time of war, the job of the Attorney General is also vital
    to America's national security. The Attorney General is responsible for
    our law enforcement community's efforts to detect, prevent, and disrupt
    terrorist attacks here at home. He must make certain that our
    intelligence and law enforcement communities work hand in hand to
    protect the American people from terrorist threats. He must ensure that
    we do everything within the law to defend the security of all Americans,
    while at the same time protecting the liberty of all Americans.
        Judge Michael Mukasey is the right man to take on these vital
    challenges. Michael understands the law from both sides of the bench. He
    served for more than 18 years as a U.S. District Court judge in New
    York, including 6 years as the chief judge. He was a lawyer in private
    practice. He served as an assistant United States attorney in Manhattan,
    where he headed the Official Corruption Unit.
        Judge Mukasey also understands the challenges facing our Nation in
    this time of war. He has written wisely on matters of constitutional law
    and national security. He knows what it takes to fight the war on terror
    effectively, and he knows how to do it in a matter that is consistent
    with our laws and our Constitution. He will bring clear purpose and
    resolve to the job of Attorney General. I look forward to working with
    him as a member of my Cabinet and a key player on our national security
    team.
        Our new Attorney General--as our new Attorney General, Michael
    Mukasey follows in the footsteps of a fine man and a fine American, Al
    Gonzales. I have known Al since our days
    working together in the State of Texas. As White House Counsel and as
    Attorney General in my administration, Al Gonzales worked tirelessly to
    make this country safer and to ensure that all Americans received equal
    justice before the law. Over many years, I have witnessed his integrity,
    his decency, and his deep dedication to the cause of justice. I am
    grateful for his friendship. I thank him for his service to our Nation.
    And Laura and I wish him and his wife
    Becky and their children
    Jared, Graham,
    and Gabe, all the very best.
        I also thank Peter Keisler, who has
    served as Acting Attorney General during Judge Mukasey's confirmation
    process. Peter delayed his plans to leave the Justice Department in
    order to ensure that the Department had strong leadership during these
    past months. I appreciate the job you've done.
        With his departure, many of the most senior positions at the
    Department of Justice will now be vacant. In a time of war, it's vital
    that these positions be filled quickly. So in consultation with the
    Attorney General, I will announce tomorrow my nominations for several of
    these senior leadership positions. And I look forward to working with
    the Senate to fill these important positions at the Justice Department
    so that America has the strongest, most capable national security team
    in place.
        As he embarks on his new responsibilities, Michael Mukasey has my
    complete trust and confidence. And he's going to have the trust and
    confidence of the men and women of the Department of Justice. The people
    here are good people, hard-working Americans. From the headquarters to
    U.S. attorneys offices to remote posts overseas, these fine Americans,
    judge, are working to keep the American people safe. They work every day
    to fulfill the most important function of the Federal Government, and
    that's to protect the American people from harm. Their efforts are
    essential to the security of America. The people who work for Justice
    deserve the very best leadership, and you're going to have it with Judge
    Michael Mukasey.
        You'll find out what I found out. Judge Mukasey is a decent man, an
    outstanding lawyer, and a strong leader, and I am really looking forward
    to his wise counsel in the months ahead. Judge, I want to thank you for
    agreeing to serve our country once again, and congratulations.

    [[Page 1472]]

        And now I ask Chief Justice John Roberts to administer the oath of office.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:12 a.m. in the Great Hall at the
    Department of Justice. The transcript released by the Office of the
    Press Secretary also included the remarks of Attorney General Mukasey.