Holder to stay on as AG “for about a year”
posted at 10:01 am on November 20, 2012 by Ed Morrissey
As the New York Post predicted last week, Attorney General Eric Holder will not leave the Obama administration at the start of Barack Obama’s second term — but he won’t be sticking around too much longer than that. The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday and Fox News confirmed last night that Holder will stay “about a year” in order to provide Obama with some continuity for his Cabinet in the transition to his second term. The list has already begun for Holder’s successor, however:
Attorney General Eric Holder will honor President Obama’s request to stay into the second term and but will remain on the job only “for about a year,” Fox News confirmed Monday.
A senior administration official told Fox News that Obama does not want a mass exodus at the start of his second term, especially with his national security team going through major changes. And Secretary of State Hillary Clinton already has said she will leave soon.
Who has made the short list to run the Department of Justice so far? With one exception, it’s not a terribly controversial list. Fox’s report puts Deval Patrick’s name most prominently, followed by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Richard Blumenthal. They also include Janet Napolitano, who has almost zero chance of getting past Republicans in a confirmation fight after her four years at Homeland Security. That might create more controversy than nominating Susan Rice for Secretary of State after her shameful performance in the aftermath of the Benghazi terrorist attack.
Deval Patrick’s name has come up before, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense. Patrick has won two terms as governor in Massachusetts, and might harbor presidential aspirations in 2016. Getting tied to a Cabinet position will spell the end of his upward ascent in electoral politics. Both Amy Klobuchar and Richard Blumenthal would get an easy ride in the Senate, and both come from states with safe Democratic environments — and Democratic governors to appoint their successors.
The safest choice would be Klobuchar, where no strong Republican candidate for Senator is on the horizon, and no self-funders seem interested in trying out for the job. Obama would have the opportunity to appoint another woman to his Cabinet, and Klobuchar would have a low risk for embarrassment to the administration, unlike Blumenthal, whose false claims of combat service would almost certainly get mentioned in a confirmation hearing. If Obama hopes for a more collegial environment and a de-escalation of hostility over decisions at the DoJ, Klobuchar is probably the smart choice.
Related Posts:
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
I don’t need the WaPo to tell me that Eric Holder lied thoughout his testimony to Issa’s committee and many times before that…We have thugs at the helm of our govenment and they are in bed with the American media.
d1carter on May 17, 2013 at 1:24 PM
i wasn’t even there that day, i calle din sick. That would have been a better line to use.
phatfawzi on May 17, 2013 at 1:30 PM
Carnac the Magnificent holds the envelope to his head:
“What will phatfawzi write in his comment?”
The Rogue Tomato on May 17, 2013 at 1:31 PM
Well, shoot, they fixed it.
The Rogue Tomato on May 17, 2013 at 1:32 PM
with all the shaking of my head that I did this week, just can’t wait to see what Friday’s document dump is going to be!!
CoffeeLover on May 17, 2013 at 1:33 PM
Is it still America?
Schadenfreude on May 17, 2013 at 1:35 PM
Is it still America?
Schadenfreude on May 17, 2013 at 1:35 PM
What’s in a name? Is it still the Constitution? Not according to the liberal liars that abuse it however they see fit. And their voters keep stepping up for more…That’s the problem with America. I no longer blame the Tyrants in charge, I blame everyone that voted for them. Low-Information or not.
kirkill on May 17, 2013 at 1:47 PM
in other words, “They are who we thought they were!”
kirkill on May 17, 2013 at 1:48 PM
On topic, on all threads.
Schadenfreude on May 17, 2013 at 1:50 PM
Of course Eric lied. His lips were moving.
GarandFan on May 17, 2013 at 1:52 PM
That’s the question isn’t it?
I was in the last years of the cold war.. and while I’m always going to be proud of my tiny microscopic contribution to that struggle.. The question in my mind, did I enlist, then lose half my hearing and an eye injury (which still plaques me) resulting in a Honorable medical discharge,…
for this?
To be considered an enemy of the State by the government I enlisted to protect?
and what of the wounded vets who gave up so very much more and fall into the “thought crime” category? What’s going through their heads right now..
“thank you for your service.. now SHUT UP, up against the wall repuglican”…
Obama has turned any trust left in the fairness of ANY agency to sh*t, and all in one fell swoop…
mark81150 on May 17, 2013 at 2:02 PM
Holder: I don’t feel like prosecuting myself, so I won’t. And since I’m the Attorney General and deserve respect, I won’t let anyone else prosecute me either! So there!!! (Sticks out tongue, Bronx cheer)
Steve Z on May 17, 2013 at 2:09 PM
Ok. That’s it. Head exploded near last paragraph. Sorry for the mess.
Tsar of Earth on May 17, 2013 at 2:26 PM
mark81150,
I come from a long family of military.
I’m struggling with advice to my son who is entering HS. I really can’t see recommnding serving this regime or the next one Hillary.
I won’t denigrate the service but I sure won’t sugggest or prod him toward that path.
I figure he will serve his country enough paying back the $17,000,000,000,000 bill run up by DC.
acyl72 on May 17, 2013 at 2:27 PM
Ed,
Loudly, clearly, on every occasion: To attack Syria to bump the investigations from headlines = huge flagrant abuse of power.
Must be in advance, repeatedly, where Americans can hear it. That fox channel doesn’t count. Afterward is too late.
kunegetikos on May 17, 2013 at 2:33 PM
My son is 11,.. and already asking about my service time a lot, and while I won’t push him either way, let him come to his own choice as you are..
I know exactly what you’re saying..
There isn’t a military family in America that hasn’t known the terrible price of service, My wife’s family sent 4 young men, cousins to Iraq, and Afghansitan, one young man had his head taken off by an RPG.. I’ had three friends, one in the 4th Infantry, met him while he was a recruiter, he made it through his first tour..
and I found out a few weeks ago, he didn’t retire as he told me he would..
He didn’t make it..
and I still feel sick over it.
So what do we tell our sons, daughters?
Serve,.. but expect to return to a two class system, one for the favored THINK, the other,.. those…… people..
I have always have and still love my country.. .
but a national divorce seems less awful than it used to.
mark81150 on May 17, 2013 at 2:36 PM
The repetition of “I dunno” makes me think of this. It’s brain damage!
GWB on May 17, 2013 at 2:38 PM
So… Holder doesn’t know anything and recused himself from an investigation because he “had knowledge”. ‘kay….
ghostwalker1 on May 17, 2013 at 2:58 PM
Give Holder’s deputy, Mr. Machen, a break. After all, who wants to be called a racist for prosecuting a black guy?
BigAlSouth on May 17, 2013 at 3:03 PM
If Holder can’t make a decision for his own Department then what good is he? The direction of delegation is not down unless that is how Congress tells you to do it… it goes in the other direction by the person who had the power to put you in that position. Responsibility flows up via accountability.
Holder is trying to deny both and that is a FAIL.
Attacking the First Amendment rights of citizens, which is the freedom of speech and against unwarranted searches and seizures, is unconstitutional. Not that these fine fuhrers think much of that document to which they swear an oath. Nor about their oath’s, apparently.
Oathbreakers.
Tyrants.
Despots.
Welcome to the Obama Administration.
ajacksonian on May 17, 2013 at 3:16 PM
Race card laminated with Teflon.
hillsoftx on May 17, 2013 at 3:18 PM