Bush: Gonzales’ Performance ‘Fantastic’

A spokeswoman for U.S. President George W. Bush said Friday the president thinks Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has done a fantastic job.

Dana Perino made the remarks to reporters aboard Air Force One as Bush flew to Michigan, a day after Gonzales conceded to the Senate Judiciary Committee in a five-hour hearing the firings of eight U.S. attorneys last year could have been handled better.

Gonzales met with Bush after the Capitol Hill testimony and Perino said Bush was unwavering in his support for Gonzales.

He has done a fantastic job at the Department of Justice, Perino said. He’s our No. 1 crime fighter.

Democrats claim the firings were politically motivated and want Gonzales to step down. Some Republicans on the committee have also expressed dissatisfaction with his testimony and conservative Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., called on him to resign.