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The 'One-Mistake Rule'
November 28, 2008 3:35 PM
In an interview with Bloomberg News, Obama Transition Team co-chair John Podesta was asked about President-elect Obama’s nominee to be attorney general, Eric Holder, and his role in the Marc Rich pardon.
"In my judgment, it was a mistake," said Podesta, who as White House chief of staff at the time opposed the pardon.
That said, Podesta was quick to say, "if you look at the depth and breadth of Mr. Holder’s career, he's had a tremendous career in public service as a prosecutor, as a deputy attorney general, as a line prosecutor."
Added Podesta, "if we"re all held up to a one-mistake rule, I think probably no one would be serving in government."
The Republican National Committee, however, says Holder's tenure raises questions of more than one mistake, citing the former deputy Attorney General's "role in the FALN Clemency Decision, the Elian Gonzalez seizure, the commuted sentences of two Weather Underground members" (which Mr. Obama himself raised against Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, during a Democratic debate) as well as his 2002 lobbying on behalf of Global Crossing, which went through one of the largest bankruptcies in history.
-- jpt
November 28, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (48)
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The Department of Justice is filled to the brim with right wing insurgents, thanks to 8 years of people like Monica Goodling running personnel affairs and management.
The Department of Justice NEEDS a "bad $$$" like Eric Holder to clean up the mess left behind by the GOP and Bush/Cheney/Addington/Yoo/Gonzalez and get it back on track again.
Posted by: Wim Prange | Nov 29, 2008 10:59:28 AM
Letting Holder run Justice Dept. is like letting the criminals run the prison!
Posted by: ralph | Nov 29, 2008 10:42:50 AM
What about the proven discrimination against white males who were applying to be immigration judges? Durnford v. Reno! The Clinton Justice Dept.was responsible!
What role did Holder play?
Posted by: Jon Wong | Nov 29, 2008 9:41:51 AM
Rich - how has history proven they were right to seize Elian Gonzalez? I'd say it's still a matter of opinion and that you could make a case either way.
Posted by: ellsbells930 | Nov 29, 2008 8:20:25 AM
Obamaco
Posted by: JamesJ | Nov 29, 2008 8:12:52 AM
I like how the liberals who comment here call a man who helped pardon a Clintonite tax fraud who was involved in illegal deals with Iran during the hostage crisis(and fled to Switzerland), and the illegal kidnapping a child away from his family at the point of a machine gun, "fine" and "constitutional". What an honorable choice, Barack! This kind of "change" we don't need.
Posted by: Mihan | Nov 29, 2008 7:34:22 AM
History has proven that they were right to seize Elian Gonzalez.>>
No. History has proven that they were HARD LEFT to seize Elian Gonzalez, a now brainwashed martyr to eternal, gibbering Democrat spinelessness in the face of a genocidal commie regime whose government we should have Iraq'ed into extinction decades ago.
And if you think Elian is so happy, posters, why don't YOU go to Cuba yourselves?
Posted by: B. Sabakovic | Nov 29, 2008 1:48:34 AM
History has proven that they were right to seize Elian Gonzalez.
As for the RNC's comments about Holder, anyone who didn't oppose the incompetent crony, Alberto Gonzalez, should really just just shut up.
Posted by: Rich | Nov 28, 2008 11:58:16 PM
certainly holder can match reno in killing citizens....that will surely endear him to all the obama voters...after all, that is what they voted for, right?
Posted by: rollinson | Nov 28, 2008 10:20:35 PM
Obama has been doing great with his appointments. DON'T SCREW IT UP by appointing Holder, who has a ton of baggage (regardless of whether it's justified or not). It is stupid to justify his appt by comparing him to recent Rep AG's - who cares about this. Obama is starting a new fresh admin, and it would be nice to start CLEAN. There are plenty of other great people. I want to see Obama succeed. DON'T make this an issue!
Posted by: Antonio | Nov 28, 2008 9:49:33 PM
After Gonzales and Goodling turned the AG's office into a national embarrassment, the RNC has the nerve to talk about attorney generals??
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
(Wait until I get up off the floor; this is killing me!"
Posted by: Yvonne | Nov 28, 2008 8:48:04 PM
Better Elian Gonzales than ALBERTO GONZALES.
TALK ABOUT A MISTAKE!!!
THE RNC CAN SHUT UP.
Posted by: R Mutt | Nov 28, 2008 7:27:08 PM
A PRESIDENT HAS THE POWER TO PARDON AT HIS DISCRETION!
Blame the Founders or amend the US Constitution!
The pardon of lucky Rich is fine, is Constitutional, is no harm to the nation.
STOP BEING SO FILLED WITH SPITE!
Posted by: Patriot | Nov 28, 2008 6:47:54 PM
well jpt,
elian g. case was not a mistake.
he should have been returned to his father.
Posted by: sugar | Nov 28, 2008 6:06:31 PM
Let's forget about all the other hyperventilating...what is it about the Elian Gonzalez case? didn't the government return a son to his father? Isn't that...you know...the right thing to do?
Posted by: TRW | Nov 28, 2008 6:01:09 PM
I'll take the Democratic Eric Holder over the Republican Alberto Gonzales any day.
Republicans are a disgrace!
Posted by: Robert | Nov 28, 2008 5:39:09 PM
PEBO....Bryson? :-)
Posted by: MBNA Joe | Nov 28, 2008 5:36:57 PM
The republican party is a mistake. Hopefully, one that can be remedied.
Posted by: JR | Nov 28, 2008 5:10:23 PM
The Republican party caused Katrina? Wow, what power they must have. Here's hoping the DNC doesn't have the power to cause such storms.
Posted by: Steve | Nov 28, 2008 5:02:29 PM
...and the RNC's credibility stems from...where?
Posted by: 12_angry_men | Nov 28, 2008 4:57:20 PM
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