Prepared Remarks of Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales at the American Enterprise Institute, Washington, D.C., January 17, 2007: “…A strong and independent Judiciary is necessary for our republic to remain strong, for our democracy to survive, and for the rule of law to flourish. To understand what I mean by independence, let me first clarify what independence is not. Judicial independence does not mean complete freedom from scrutiny or criticism. Judges’ decisions may be criticized, and the nature of the job virtually guarantees it. After all, in every court case there will be a loser. Judges must resist the temptation to craft their opinions to avoid criticism or to seek approval, whether from the press, the public, the academy, or Congress…Under our Constitution, the President has the prerogative to nominate judges who agree with this philosophy. [see this related posting, FOIA Request for Records on Judicial Nominee Blocked by White House.]”