President Bush nominated retired federal judge Michael Mukasey on Monday to replace Alberto Gonzales as the nation’s 81st attorney general.

President Bush: “Judge Mukasey is clear-eyed about the threat our nation faces. As a judge and a private lawyer, he’s written on matters of constitutional law and national security. He knows what it takes to fight this war effectively, and he knows how to do it in a manner that is consistent with our laws and our Constitution.”

President Bush made the announcement in the Rose Garden while standing next to Michael Mukasey.

Michael Mukasey: “The task of helping to protect our security, which the Justice Department shares with the rest of our government, is not the only task before us. The Justice Department must also protect the safety of our children, the commerce that assures our prosperity, and the rights and liberties that define us as a nation. I look forward to meeting with members of Congress in the days ahead and, if confirmed, to working with Congress to meet our nation’s challenges.”

President Bush called on the Senate to confirm Mukasey by October 8th. Democratic Senators Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Charles Schumer of New York have vowed to delay the confirmation unless the White House turns over documents about the firing of nine U.S. attorneys and the Bush administration’s secret domestic wiretapping program.