After heavy debate, Bush's controversial Attorney General nominee was confirmed by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.
Ashcroft's committee confirmation was largely split along partisan lines, likely foreshadowing the upcoming Senate vote, expected either today or Friday.
All but one Democrat -- Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin -- voted against Ashcroft, many citing his notably conservative voting record during his tenure as a Senator.
Feingold, however, defended his support of Ashcroft, claiming that "the Senate owes the president substantial deference in the selection of a Cabinet" and went on to praise the nominee's work on the Judiciary Committee's hearings on racial profiling last year, in an article on MSNBC.
Unlike many Democrats on the Judiciary Committee, Feingold said he lent his support as an "olive branch" to the new president, in the hopes that Bush would reciprocate by re-nominating Ronnie White for a U.S. judgeship.
White's nomination to the bench failed because of a campaign spearheaded by Ashcroft.
The White campaign, however, is not seen as a trading chip by the other Democrats; rather it is just one item on a long list of Ashcroft's actions and beliefs that party members find objectionable.
Committee Democrats voiced doubts about Ashcroft's ability to act in an unbiased manner, a widely heard complaint among Democrats in and out of the Committee.
Ashcroft "will not be the people's lawyer," said Sen. Herbert Kohl D " Wis. in the same article.
He "will push and prod the law to confirm to his own strongly held beliefs. Because I believe his views are far out of the mainstream of American life, my vote will be no," Kohl continued.
Thusfar, only five Democratic Senators have announced their support for Ashcroft's nomination.
Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle revealed his stringent opposition to Ashcroft in a harsh denunciation of the former Senator's views on women's and workers' rights, civil rights and separation of church and state.
"Because of his enormous authority and discretion, the attorney general, more than any other Cabinet member, has the power to protect or erode decades of progress on civil rights in America," Daschle said.
"John Ashcroft has shown a pattern of insensitivity throughout his career," the Democratic leader insisted.
Senator Edward Kennedy's D -- Mass. disagreement with the nomination is so intense that he has even threatened to filibuster in the Senate.
Two other Bush nominees were confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday.
Interior Secretary Gale Norton, an advocate of state's and property rights, mustered enough support for her confirmation.
The 75-24 vote reflected the influence of an advertising campaign launched by outraged environmental groups.
Christine Todd Whitman, the former New Jersey Governor, was also confirmed as the head of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Compared to the campaign mounted against Norton's conformation, opposition to Whitman was relatively scarce, despite initial criticism for her environmental history in New Jersey.
Bush proposes new tax cut
President Bush and Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill expressed their confidence that Congress will approve a massive tax cut, which is the lynchpin of the administration's new economic program.
The Congressional Budget Office announced that they were raising their surplus estimate from the $2.17 trillion envisioned in July to $3.12 trillion over the next decade.
This tremendous increase leaves little room for the Democrats to argue that the Government lacks the money for Bush's proposals.
Bush plans to push a $1.6 trillion, 10-year tax reduction through Congress as soon as possible. The tax cut is attached to the president's blueprint for new interest-rate reductions.
Aides, however, have cautioned Bush against making the tax cut his top priority, advocating flexibility instead.
"The path it takes after we submit [Bush's economic plan] to the Congress will be largely decided by Congressional leaders," said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.
