Secretary of Homeland Security,Michael Chertoff was at one time a prosecutor under Rudy Giuliani -- now his former boss is hinting that the cabinet officer would make a good replacement for outgoing Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, according to an Associated Press report.
Addressing a fundraiser in Detroit, Giuliani had moderate praise for the embattled Gonzales:
"I think Judge Gonzales has given service with his contribution both at the White House and as attorney general," the former New York mayor and federal prosecutor said. "He made his choice. I know he's lived through a lot of fire in many areas."
Giuliani added that his hope was that Bush "select a really great attorney general" who has the trust of both Republicans and Democrats. "I believe that the attorney general is one of the two or three most demanding jobs in U.S. government. Everything we do now involves very difficult legal questions."
"You need a great lawyer ... with a great legal mind to be attorney general," Giuliani concluded.
Giuliani hired Chertoff as an assistant in the 1980s, and Chertoff prosecuted high profile organized crime cases. The first President Bush named Chertoff U.S. attorney for New Jersey, and President Clinton retained him.
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