Specter: AG pick was news to me

Posted: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 5:19 PM by Carrie Dann
Filed Under: Congress

From NBC's Ken Strickland
If aides to President-elect Barack Obama reached out to Senate Republicans to garner support for Eric Holder as a possible Attorney General, they forgot to call Sen. Arlen Specter.

"There has been no outreach," said the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee. "I saw a news release on it a few minutes ago."

Specter said he's familiar with Holder from his work in the Clinton Administration, but added it's "too soon for me to say" whether Holder would get Specter's support. "I'd have to take a much closer look at his record and talk to him and think about it," he said.

Part of that record includes Holder's role in the 2001 pardon of fugitive Marc Rich at the end of Clinton's presidency. The Pennsylvania senator said that the Rich case “would be a factor to consider," but added, "I wouldn't want to articulate it among the top items."

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Comments

Lots of things are news to Specter. Another in a long line of senators and congressmen/women way past their prime.

Pittsburgh Pete (Sent Tuesday, November 18, 2008 5:30 PM)

This is why Holder had a "generally favorable review" from the Capital Hill. The Obama camp only asked Democrats for their opinion. Then they tried to spin it like it was bi-partisan.

Off to a rough start there Barack.

Lilly Burke, MA (Sent Tuesday, November 18, 2008 5:32 PM)

OBAMA'S WELL-OILED MACHINE GRINDS ITS GEARS, ALREADY.

OBAMA AND HIS TEAM ARE AMATEURS AND IT WILL BECOME MORE AND MORE APPARENT.

YOU CAN FOOL SOME OF THE PEOPLE, BUT NOT ALL ... (Sent Tuesday, November 18, 2008 5:42 PM)

Senator Specter...avoiding your messages so you can claim you didnt know isnt quite the same.

DV, CA (Sent Tuesday, November 18, 2008 6:02 PM)

That's fair, and responsible

Sen. Spector is one of the few 'reasonable' Republican Senators around

Hopefully, Holder comes through with flying colors

MSierra, SF (Sent Tuesday, November 18, 2008 6:03 PM)

Arlen--they called and checked it out with Chris Matthews, why did they need you?

Michael Greenwich, CT (Sent Tuesday, November 18, 2008 6:20 PM)

Arlen Specter's a great guy. As usual and as expected, the Obama goofs forgot all about him. So much for the class and priorities of the Obama administration.

A taste of things to come?

Little Nardi (Sent Tuesday, November 18, 2008 6:45 PM)

This pick was a political mistake in so many ways!! Holder is not to be trusted with issues concerning the law. The whole Marc Rich pardon was "above the law." The only thing to do now is see how Holder behaves as Attorney General. Rich is a criminal, and should never have been pardoned! The reputation of Holder of giving political favors for legal breaks is not good. This is change?? How many political/legal favors will he give to Bush-Cheney?? This position should have gone to Hillary!

Rock,Janesville,Wisconsin (Sent Tuesday, November 18, 2008 6:45 PM)

What does it matter? Obama , Hillary , (Bill) , Palosi ,Reed, What more do they need to turn this country upside down?

Free American Tehachapi Ca. (Sent Tuesday, November 18, 2008 7:17 PM)

That's pretty rich coming from Specter who always raises his eyebrows and says 'we need to look into these matters more deeply' then backs off and plays partisan politics and was a major Bush enabler. He never once investigated anything Bush did wrong and always seemed to straddle the fence, which is why he has lasted as long as he does and has punk'd the people of PA for so long. As if he is owed a preview of the new AG!! Get real.

Doc, Va (Sent Tuesday, November 18, 2008 7:41 PM)

Holder, a great pick.

Hopefully, he will get after all the crooks in the Bush administration, including Mukasey!

Ed, San antonio (Sent Tuesday, November 18, 2008 7:47 PM)

Specter, that crazy hair guy that killed that actress?
I kid, anyway, is other repubs too busy killing each other and no one else available for comments?

Joe, CA (Sent Tuesday, November 18, 2008 8:11 PM)

So Spector hasn't been told. Big Deal. I don't recall his being a member of the Party doing the choosing. Although I respect Spector, he should come to the realization that his opinion on matters Judicial is of little consquence. If I were him and really wamted some impact I would switch parties. If he chooses not to he will just drift into obscurity in the next few years.

Ron, Anna,I|l. (Sent Tuesday, November 18, 2008 9:13 PM)

Get over it, Specter! For God's sake, will some republican - ANY republican - start showing some class and act like a grownup for once? All they're showing the world is that they're great whiners.

Full Moon (Sent Wednesday, November 19, 2008 8:09 AM)

Oh please... If Arlen's little feeling are hurt, maybe Arlen needs to retire...

If your intent in writing this 'FR' is to make Specter look small, mission accomplished...

Lyn, KCMO (Sent Wednesday, November 19, 2008 9:31 AM)

If it were a straight vote, then it would be a close win for Holder. This is assuming that all Democrats vote for Holder. FR stated earlier that all confirmations that Holder had previously had gone through without problem. He has appologized for not doing a full look at the Mark Rich pardon. If that is his only mistake, then it would be hard to deny him without being a complete partisan (and hater of the Clintons not Obama).

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ (Sent Wednesday, November 19, 2008 9:51 AM)

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