The Senate confirmed Mukasey minutes before midnight Thursday by a 53-40 vote — which critics noted marked the narrowest margin to confirm an attorney general in more than 50 years. His confirmation briefly stalled over his refusal to say whether he considers an interrogation tactic known as waterboarding a form of illegal torture.

参议院在星期四午夜前数分钟以53票对40票通过了对Mukasey的任命－评论家们评论说：这是５０多年有记录以来最微弱多数任命的一位司法部长。对Mukasey的任命曾因他拒绝明确说出他是否认为一种被称为水刑的审讯手段是一种非法酷刑而被暂时推迟。
waterboarding=水刑。是一种将犯人头朝下绑着，用毛巾或布盖住犯人的脸，然后往上浇水,这会使犯人产生一种窒息或溺毙的感觉。美国对这种审讯手段是明令禁止的。