Bush Defends Gonzales, Dismisses 'no Confidence' Votes As 'political Theater'

During a press appearance today with NATO Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer, President Bush again defended Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, and he criticized efforts by Democrats in both the House and Senate to hold "no confidence" votes on Gonzales as "political theater."

"Now, you asked about Alberto Gonzales. He has got my confidence. He has done nothing wrong," Bush told reporters during a brief "press availability" with Scheffer at his Crawford, Texas ranch. "There's been enormous amount of attention on him -- that there's been no wrongdoing on his part. He has testified in front of Congress. And I, frankly, view what's taking place in Washington today as pure political theater. And it is this kind of political theater that has caused the American people to lose confidence in how Washington operates."