[Ashcroft vowed to] spare no effort to preserve the rights of all our citizens to pledge allegiance to the American flag.

What we learned on September 11 is that the unthinkable is now thinkable in the world

We have to think outside the box, inside the Constitution, find ways to do things that will elevate our security, reduce the risk of the incidence of terrorist attack

The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved.

This view of the text comports with the all but unanimous understanding of the Founding Fathers.

We're going to protect and honor the Constitution, and I don't have the authority to set it aside.... If I had the authority to set it aside, this would be a dangerous government, and I wouldn't respect it.

People who commit crimes should be responsible for those crimes. It doesn't matter whether they're priests or ministers or atheists.