Mr. Holder takes a stand

Holy Jeebus, the media have such a jones for Obama vs. Clinton drama-crack! I don’t think I’ve seen them do so little to overcome an addiction since they failed to quit OJ for nearly 15 years. As per usual, they ignore real stories in an effort to analyze Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton’s facial expressions with all the subtlety and perceptiveness of a PUMA divining the coming revolution from the color of a pantsuit.

For instance, I’ve seen precious little hoopla around this bit from Attorney General-designate Eric Holder during today’s national security presser:

Holder: It is incumbent upon those of us who lead the department to ensure not only that our nation is safe, but that ours laws and traditions are respected. There’s not a tension between those two. We can and we must ensure that the American people remain secure and that the great constitutional guarantees that define us as a nation are truly valued. For example, working with both Republicans and Democrats to structure policies that are protective and consistent with who we are as a nation.

[Rough transcript]

In other words, the executive power grabs, countenancing of torture in the name of security, Constitution-shredding and the inexcusable politicizing of the Department of Justice that were the shameful hallmark of George W. Bush’s DOJ operation will end on January 20.

I don’t expect the chorus of naysayers who are already prophesying doom to recognize the significance of Holder’s statement. And the mainstream media are too fixated on creating a Clinton hoohah to notice—even though what Holder said implied heaps of disdain upon the current administration, which is maybe kinda newsworthy. But it made me happy.

PS: If anyone is interested in the outcome of the Six Random Things thingie from last week, my answers (and list of prospective victims) are here.

UPDATE [via Kevin K.]: Video below the fold…

Posted by Betty Cracker on 12/01/08 at 02:59 PM • Permalink

Categories: Messylaneous • News • Politics • Election '08 • Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton • Our Stupid Media •

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Oh, c’mon, Betty! He hasn’t ended torture, hasn’t revived the Economy, hasn’t pulled the troops out of Iraq… Hell, he hasn’t even taken the god damned Oath of Office, yet!

What the Hell is he waiting for?!?

Oh, he also shamed Hillary with his offensive, misogynist offer to be Secretary of State. Secretary??? Chauvinist bastard!!!

Comment by Ripley on 12/01/08 at 03:31 PM

I am really happy with the choice of Eric Holder for A.G. As you said, he’s telling us things are going to be run a little differently at Justice from now on. I think the bitch who was basing hiring decisions on the level of a person’s support for Prez Shrub is already gone which is too bad. It would have been great to see her be the first one to get fired.

Comment by marindenver on 12/01/08 at 04:11 PM

It makes sense to see Holder’s comment as implying that some “laws and traditions” have not been wholly respected during the Bush administration, and that he and his cohort intend to alter that course. He does not cite any specifics, however. “The inexcusable politicizing of the Justice Department… will end on November 20”? Where’s he say anything about that?

“In other words,” you’re reading a hell of a lot into this that just isn’t there, Betty. No, it’s not going to garner all that much attention, because it doesn’t mean all you say it does.

Mind you, I’m not criticizing Holder’s statement.

Comment by pete on 12/01/08 at 04:13 PM

Pete, which part of “policies that are protective and consistent with who we are as a nation” do you not understand? That’s a complete repudiation of DOJ policy under Bush, which trashed this country’s reputation worldwide and turned the key federal investigation and enforcement agency into a snake pit of incompetent, malevolent hacks. I think that’s kind of a big deal.

Of course Holder didn’t outline his entire agenda complete with detailed policy in the 90-seconds or so allotted to him—and I only excerpted a snippet of what he did say. But he said enough to indicate the DOJ operations will be very different after 1/20/09. Hallelujah, I say.

Comment by Betty Cracker on 12/01/08 at 04:28 PM

It is very consistent with the speech he gave to the American Constitutional Society in June and which was posted on by Digby and a few others at the time. I think Betty and I were both referencing back to that as well as his remarks this morning.

Comment by marindenver on 12/01/08 at 04:36 PM

Oh, he also shamed Hillary with his offensive, misogynist offer to be Secretary of State. Secretary??? Chauvinist bastard!!!

Shouldn’t it be Executive Assistant of State?
It is just more of the same from Barry if you ask me. Next thing you know he’ll be calling her “sweetie”!!!!

Comment by iceberg wedge on 12/01/08 at 05:21 PM

Hey the media around here (print, radio, and TV) have said a bunch about Holder and what he said, or maybe I happened to catch it at just the right moment. Also been hearing a lot about Susan Rice and Janet Napolitano. It’s not all Hillary, all the time, even in and around NYC. : )

And thanks again for tagging me, Betty. ; )

Comment by J. on 12/01/08 at 06:54 PM

I agree, we need get back to the real issues.

What do you think of Hillary’s hair style?

[Ducks]

Comment by Hunger Tallest Palin on 12/01/08 at 11:34 PM

Hey Betty-

Not to change the subject or anything but I was having lunch at a café today that happened to have CNN on, and who do I see as one of the guests for Rick Sanchez but Larry “Whitey Tape” Johnson!!! He was on to comment about the Mumbai incident. Larry Frickin Johnson?!?!?

To my knowledge, Larry the Loser has never issued any type of retraction or apology about the “Whitey Tape”. His site, NoQuarterUSA served as a one-stop shop for every Obama smear, rumor, and flat-out lie. Whitey Tape. Check. Fake Birth Certificate. Check. Obama gay limo sex. Check! NQ was and is a magnet for closet racists, tin-foil conspiracists, and certifiable wackos! And Larry led the parade…

Now I’m all for turning the other cheeks and letting campaign bygones be campaign bygones… BUT this guy has NEVER , EVER apologized for one thing he said or posted. Now I did stop by NQ after a several month hiatus (I was banned of course) and it does look like some of the rhetoric has been toned down. But how can I take anything the man says seriously?

I fired off a WTF e-mail to CNN today. Anyone else catch Larry on CNN?

Comment by Francis on 12/02/08 at 03:11 AM

Kill Whitey!

Wait, what?

Comment by Ripley on 12/02/08 at 03:37 AM

I fired off a WTF e-mail to CNN today.

Good for you. I missed the show. But you’re right—Johnson squandered whatever credibility he originally had by running the PUMA version of St0rmfront.

Comment by Betty Cracker on 12/02/08 at 06:46 AM

Isn’t Sanchez second on the CNN idiot totem pole now that Beck’s fled for Fox?

Comment by Doug H. (Fausto no more) on 12/02/08 at 08:51 AM

Not to change the subject or anything but I was having lunch at a café today that happened to have CNN on, and who do I see as one of the guests for Rick Sanchez but Larry “Whitey Tape” Johnson!!! He was on to comment about the Mumbai incident. Larry Frickin Johnson?!?!?

Among the reasons I just never bother to remember to turn on CNN anymore. I have my blood pressure to think of.