i had a hard time understanding given the circumstances, the general ashcroft approved this for 21/2 ears, to review the legal issues, a time of high threat reporting, renew for 5 days, general ashcroft would be covered and it would be easy to accept general ashcroft's view given he authorized this for 21/2 years, hard to understand what was motivating the deputy attorney general. i have every reason to believe -- i was hard on him, i tried to be as factual as i could. >> host: i was thinking there was a passage when you discussed his testimony before the senate judiciary committee. >> guest: i was going to address that. you are going to testify about something from previous service particularly on an sensitive subject like the high school visit, you have a high-ranking official like the attorney general you notify the department of justice or the white house and it was disappointing. disappointing to me that he wouldn't have the courtesy to do that. i read newspaper accounts, the concern was we try to do something to stop him. why would we try to stop him? to me that was foolish and