Reuters reports that the top 3 Democrtic candidates all do not support the nomination of Michael Mukasey for US Attorney General because of his nuanced stance on waterboarding as torture.
The three leading Democratic White House contenders on Tuesday opposed President George W. Bush's nomination of Michael Mukasey to be attorney general, citing concerns about how the retired judge views torture.
Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois, along with former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, said they were troubled by Mukasey's refusal to denounce as torture an internationally criticized interrogation method known as waterboarding, simulated drowning.
Critics have accused the United States of torturing suspects in the war on terrorism, with the CIA reportedly using waterboarding shortly after the September 11 attacks.
Despite Bush's assurances that he prohibits torture, it's unclear how detainees are treated since he has refused to disclose interrogation techniques.
Clinton, Obama and Edwards, rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination in the November, 2008 election, also said they were concerned about what they characterized as Mukasey's excessively expansive view of presidential powers.
The retired federal judge and former U.S. prosecutor from New York may still likely be confirmed as attorney general by the 100-member, Democratic-led Senate, party aides said.
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