WASHINGTON – President Bush, seeking to avert a possible confirmation fight over a more partisan candidate, chose retired federal judge Michael B. Mukasey Monday to replace Attorney General Gonzales. “Judge Mukasey is clear-eyed about the threat our nation faces,” Mr. Bush said.

If confirmed by the Senate, Judge Mukasey, who has handled terrorism cases for more than a decade, would become Mr. Bush’s third attorney general. Mr. Bush said that as chief judge of the busy Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge Mukasey presided over high-profile national security cases.

“He knows what it takes to fight this war effectively and he knows how to do it in a manner consistent with our laws and our Constitution,” Mr. Bush said, standing next Judge Mukasey in the Rose Garden.

Mr. Bush urged the Senate to quickly confirm Judge Mukasey.

If Judge Mukasey gets a nod from the Senate, he would take charge of a Justice Department where morale is low following months of investigations into the firings of nine federal prosecutors and Mr. Gonzales’ sworn testimony on the Bush administration’s terrorist surveillance program.

Judge Mukasey said he was honored to be Mr. Bush’s nominee to take the helm of the department.

“My finest hope and prayer at this time is that if confirmed I can give them the support and the leadership they deserve,” he said.

“I look forward to meeting with members of Congress in the days ahead and, if confirmed, to working with Congress to meeting our nation’s challenges,”

Judge Mukasey said, just before shaking the president’s hand and walking back with him into the Oval Office.

There had been rampant speculation that Mr. Bush might turn to former Solicitor General Ted Olson for the job, but key Democrats on Capitol Hill said they believed Mr. Olson too partisan a figure and indicated they would fight his nomination.