Jacob Weisberg: Ashcroft Deconstructed : ‘As someone who was actually prepared to listen to Attorney General John Ashcroft’s defense of military tribunals and other security measures, I have to say that I was completely disgusted by his appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday. It was an arrogant, bullying performance that went a long way to substantiating the views of his harshest critics. Ashcroft declined to be drawn into any kind of substantive discussion of military tribunals or anything else. To fair question after fair question, his answer was essentially, “Don’t you realize there are people trying to kill us?” He haughtily dismissed those of his former colleagues who dared to suggest they had some kind of standing to participate in a discussion with him. With his slurs against “Miranda rights,” “flamboyant” defense attorneys, and “Osama TV,” the country’s top lawyer suggested that our entire system of criminal justice is an unworkable sham. Sen. Chuck Schumer was right to point out that the only part of the Constitution that seems to excite his sympathy is the Second Amendment.’ Slate