145;Man of integrity, principles146;

President George W Bush on Monday lashed out at critics of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who resigned from the top law enforcement post, for unfair treatment and dragging his name 8220;through the mud.8221;

Bush, before leaving Texas to attend Republican fund-raisers, called Gonzales a man of integrity, decency and principle, and said he had reluctantly accepted the resignation, which came 8220;after months of unfair treatment that has created a harmful distraction at the Justice Department.8221; 8220;It8217;s sad that we live in a time when a talented and honourable person like Alberto Gonzales is impeded from doing important work because his good name was dragged through the mud for political reasons,8221; he added.