FRANK SESNO, CNN ANCHOR: And back then to our story at hand here, which is the Senate confirmation hearing of John Ashcroft, as the attorney general of the United States of America. On Capitol Hill, Bob Franken has been listening along with us. Bob, what we heard from both sides of the aisle, a very predictable rundown of what is ahead. Many Democrats questioning whether the zeal and ideology and even the religious beliefs of John Ashcroft put him outside the mainstream, so that he would be capable of enforcing the law, fairly and equitably, on the Republican side. Some, such as Senator Smith, saying he can think of no one who is better qualified to be a role model in the job, or for his own children.</s>BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And as a matter of fact, John Ashcroft will make the same point when he finally gets to testify -- as you know, these things take awhile. In his prepared text obtained by CNN, he says, and for instance, on the matter of abortion: "I am personally opposed to abortion, but as I have explained this afternoon, I well understand that the role of the attorney general is to enforce the law as it is, not as I would have it," and goes on to say, "I accept Roe and Casey as the settled law of the land," and he goes on to say that he will support those abortion laws. Now, his opponents say that it's not just a matter of his saying that; that it's a matter of emphasis, it's a matter of where he would place his priorities, and they're going to say, that because he is so outspoken and beliefs of opposed various laws, that he can't be trusted, they argue, to uphold to enforce the laws that the attorney general should be expected to support. On the other side, the Republicans are saying that this is really about ideology, and his opponents are really upset that their ideology will no longer be represented in the Justice Department.</s>SESNO: Bob Franken, thank you very much.
Ashcroft Vows to Uphold Law of the Land