RELAXED ASHCROFT OUTLINES PRIORITIES ON `LARRY KING'

WASHINGTON -- In his first interview since being confirmed as attorney
general, John Ashcroft called Wednesday for a new war on drugs and the
aggressive prosecution of gun crimes and civil rights violations.

"These fundamental things are the kinds of protections...that individual
citizens have a right to expect of government, and I want to make the
Justice Department the place where they get it," Ashcroft said.

Appearing relaxed and sometimes cracking jokes, Ashcroft said on CNN's
"Larry King Live" that he was not angry at senators who had raised doubts
that he could set aside his conservative views and evenly enforce all laws.

"We ought to err on side of being tough in questioning, not easy," Ashcroft
said. But he said his nomination drew more public attention than he had
expected, including his appearing on covers of national magazines.

Ashcroft was sworn in last Thursday after being confirmed on a 58-42 Senate
vote, the most opposition to an attorney general nominee in 76 years.

The former U.S. senator, Missouri governor and Missouri attorney general
said he believes in "99.99 percent" of the laws on the books and that his
faith and principles will dictate that he enforce them whether he likes them
or not.

Ashcroft said one of his priorities would be cracking down on drug crimes.
Another is reversing what he said is a disturbing rise in drug use. One way
to do that is to involve parents in the problem of drug abuse by youths, he
said.

"I want to escalate the war on drugs," Ashcroft said. "We haven't done what
we have to do. The war on drugs requires leadership."

He confirmed reports from his office Tuesday that he also wanted to get
tougher on gun crimes. And he singled out discrimination cases and violence
against women as matters he would emphasize.

Ashcroft agreed with King's assertion that he got "a bum rap" on racial
issues, and he cited numerous black judges he had appointed as governor.

Perhaps the sharpest criticism aimed at Ashcroft during the confirmation
process involved his derailing in the Senate of the nomination of Missouri
Supreme Court Judge Ronnie White to a federal judgeship in 1999.

"I think we came to the right conclusion on Judge White," Ashcroft said. He
had called White soft on the death penalty, an assessment White and his
supporters disputed.

Ashcroft said he was evaluating two major pending cases. One is the
antitrust action against Microsoft and the other is a lawsuit seeking
health-related damages from tobacco firms.

Ashcroft, appearing on part of the show with his wife, Janet, said he could
understand why some people were concerned about whether he could separate
his religious beliefs from his public responsibilities.

But his faith, he said, is partly what makes him committed to doing a fair
and impartial job as attorney general.