Politics / Michael Mukasey Mukasey Is No Gonzales Independent AG nominee, a 'serious judge,' could prove a thorn for Bush By Katherine Thompson, Newser Staff Posted Sep 23, 2007 12:05 PM CDT Copied Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., right, walks with Attorney General-designate Michael Mukasey, left, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2007. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook) (Associated Press) Michael Mukasey, President Bush's candidate to succeed embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, has an independent streak that could end up changing the way the Justice Department is run. This could make things sticky for Bush in dealing with the congressional probes into activities under the previous AG's reign, suggests the Los Angeles Times. Although Mukasey's politics are a fair match with Bush's on matters of national security and immigration, he is not expected to bend to the White House's desires if he doesn't consider them to be strictly legal. "He is not going to be pushed around," a law-school classmate of Mukasey cautions. "He's very much a serious judge. The administration cannot afford to antagonize him." (More Michael Mukasey stories.) Report an error