Gonzales Losing GOP Support

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the U.S. Capitol in Washington Thursday, April 19, 2007 about the controversial dismissal of eight U.S. attorneys. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (Susan Walsh - AP)

Calling most of Gonzales' explanations for the firings "a stretch," Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham asked whether the dismissals simply came down to personality disagreements the Justice Department and White House had with the former prosecutors.

"You said something that struck me _ that sometimes it just came down to these were not the right people at the right time," said Graham, R-S.C. "If I applied that standard to you, what would you say?"

Ignoring hoots of laughter from the protesters, Gonzales responded: "I believe that I continue to be effective as the attorney general of the United States. We've done some great things."

A number of Democrats have called for Gonzales to resign or be fired, but until Thursday John Sununu of New Hampshire was the only Republican senator to say so.

Bush spokesman Tony Fratto said at the White House that Gonzales "can be effective going forward."

"It's understandable that the senators have been frustrated by the way this decision was communicated and we fully expected that they would take this opportunity to express this frustration," Fratto said.

Gonzales also scrapped with Democrats, most notably committee chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Charles E. Schumer of New York. Even soft-spoken Sen. Herb Kohl of Wisconsin chastised Gonzales for having "severely shaken the confidence of the American people."

"Would you explain to the American people why it is so important that you should remain in this office?" Kohl asked.

"The moment I believe I can no longer be effective, I will resign as attorney general," Gonzales responded, making it clear he had not reached that point.

Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, top Republican on the panel, stopped short of calling for Gonzales to resign _ a modest lifeline for the attorney general _ even while questioning his credibility.

Specter said the attorney general's answers "did not stick together."

Senators ticked off evidence _ based on department documents and testimony from two former senior Justice officials _ that Gonzales participated in discussions about at least three of the fired prosecutors: Carol Lam in San Diego, Bud Cummins in Little Rock, Ark., and David Iglesias in New Mexico.