"He had conversations with the Justice Department; he couldn't remember those," Kennedy said. "He couldn't remember many different kinds of facts. ... This nominee is the principal architect, it appears, for the development of the changes in the Geneva Convention, and torture. And he has an opportunity in response to these questions to explain it. I don't think he did."

An aide to the Senate Democratic leadership told the Post that Democrats are considering invoking a committee rule to postpone consideration of the Gonzales nomination for a week because they have not yet received answers to follow-up questions they have submitted to him.

The aide, however, added that although the Democrats have policy differences with Gonzales, they have found nothing that would automatically disqualify him, and that Gonzales would still eventually be confirmed.

Editor's note: