Right Wing ‘Deflated,’ Concerned Over Bush’s Attorney General Nominee
Right Wing ‘Deflated,’ Concerned Over Bush’s Attorney General Nominee
Earlier today, President Bush officially nominated retired federal judge Michael Mukasey to replace Alberto Gonzales as the nation’s Attorney General. Fearing an outcry on the right, the Bush administration first leaked word of Mukasey’s nomination to necon ally Bill Kristol, who cautioned conservatives to “hold their fire” and “support the president.”
Though most are “holding their fire,” some prominent voices in the conservative movement are vocally expressing skepticism about Bush’s choice:
- “Michael B. Mukasey: The Second Coming of Harriet Miers?,” said a headline on the Jawa Report today.
- “It also isn’t obvious that he has the management or political skills to run an institution as big and unwieldy as DoJ - the same shortcoming that arguably led to Judge Gonzales’ difficulties,” a conservative lawyer told the National Review’s Kathryn Jean Lopez.
- Kathy at HangRightPolitics wrote “I feel somewhat deflated over the choice. Why is it that every time I see the word consensus used by a liberal I read ’surrender?’”
- “I am not prepared to delude myself into believing that Mukasey was the best choice,” wrote the Corner’s Mark Levin today.
- A right-wing Catholic group, Fidelis, “voiced serious concerns” about Mukasey, citing his “1994 denial of asylum for a Chinese man who said his wife had been forced to have an abortion under that country’s one-child law, which they say indicates he’s weak on pro-life issues.”
- The AP reports that “some legal conservatives and Republicans have expressed reservations about Mukasey’s legal record and past endorsements and said some groups have been drafting a strategy to oppose him.”
The extreme right appears concerned that Mukasey may not be as willing to tow the Bush administration line as Alberto Gonzales or perhaps Ted Olson. Given the the urgent need to repair a disheveled Department of Justice in the wake of Gonzales’ departure, Mukasey is a sound pick that should engender bipartisan support.
Progressives, however, should press hard to demand that Mukasey practice true independence at the Justice Department. During his confirmation hearing, his opinions on torture, wiretapping, and the role of politics at the DoJ should all be put under serious scrutiny. A central question must be would he have said “NO” where Alberto Gonzales said yes?
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45 Responses to “Right Wing ‘Deflated,’ Concerned Over Bush’s Attorney General Nominee”
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We thought Roberts sounded good too, but look how he turned out.
Perhaps Congress should not just confirm the first nominee Bush puts up.
Congress has the power and they can refuse to confirm him.
September 17th, 2007 at 12:51 pm*
NO CONFIRMATION HEARING UNTIL
THOSE PAPERS AND PHONE RECORDS
ARE TURNED OVER.
…
PRESS HARD ON THAT.
September 17th, 2007 at 12:54 pm.
Is anyone more corrupt than George Bush’s family?
Why Is Bush’s Kid Brother Neil Getting Federal Funding?
September 17th, 2007 at 12:57 pmBy Liliana Segura
Alternet
Thursday 13 September 2007
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/091407H.shtml
So here’s a tidy little racket: After being installed president thanks to a voting fracas in a state conveniently governed by your brother, cook up a national educational curriculum and place at its center the standardized test. Give the curriculum a name with a wink and a nudge, like, oh, “No Child Left Behind.” Then, funnel taxpayer money to equipping schools with a gimmicky learning device focused on standardized tests and sold by your other brother, the sadly anonymous one, whose only (fading) claim to fame is a role in the Savings and Loan scandal of the late 80s.
Despite having no experience in education, Neil Bush is the founder of a Texas-based company called Ignite! Learning, which, since 1999 has peddled strange little devices called “Curriculums on Wheels” (COWs) to schools state and nationwide.
Recently, a three-month investigation by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) revealed that schools are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, including No Child Left Behind funds, on Neil Bush’s COWs. “It is astonishing that taxpayer dollars are being spent on unproven educational products to the financial benefit of the president’s brother,” CREW’s executive director, Melanie Sloan, said in a press release.
Not sure how astonishing it is, really. And although I guess I’m with her when she says that the Education Department’s Inspector General “should investigate whether children’s educations are being sacrificed so that Neil Bush can rake in federal funds,” considering that Neil Bush was also on the receiving end a couple years back of cash donated by his mother, Barbara, to a Hurricane Katrina relief fund co-operated by his father, George H.W. - cash specifically earmarked for purchase of his COWs for storm ravaged schools - I’m gonna go ahead and say the answer is yes.
Matt - stop antagonizing the right and just say he is a sound pick. Otherwise, you are injecting HATE into politics.
September 17th, 2007 at 12:58 pmHe’s a legal advisor to Giuliani’s campaign for crying out loud!
Sure hope we don’t need any key re-counts if ‘08 comes down to Hil and Rudy!
September 17th, 2007 at 12:59 pmSo questioning the admin’s nomination is equivalent to HATE?
September 17th, 2007 at 1:04 pmWe’ll keep that in mind for you when a Dem is in the White House. But I’m sure you’ll keep your mouth shut, won’t you?
Im all for Judge Judy
September 17th, 2007 at 1:05 pmI’m gonna go ahead and say the answer is yes.
Comment by flash — September 17, 2007 @ 12:57 pm
what was the question???
this is OFF TOPIC so please post your answer, AND this comment AGAIN,
on the OPEN thread titled ThinkFast…
thanks.
September 17th, 2007 at 1:06 pmI miss Mills Lane
September 17th, 2007 at 1:06 pmMatt - stop antagonizing the right and just say he is a sound pick. Otherwise, you are injecting HATE into politics.
Comment by TP = Al Qaeda’s Girlfriend — September 17, 2007 @ 12:58 pm
No hate in your post, or your nick, though! what a tool-fool! Bush has campaigned on hate since his first run as failed governor of Texas.
September 17th, 2007 at 1:10 pmGreat site and always fresh news.Thanks a lot !
September 17th, 2007 at 1:10 pmMatt - stop antagonizing the right and just say he is a sound pick. Otherwise, you are injecting HATE into politics.
Comment by TP = Al Qaeda’s Girlfriend — September 17, 2007 @ 12:58 pm
So you post an antagonizing, arrogant and demanding rant rife with HATE, and you accuse others of injecting HATE? ROTFLMAO!!! More Wingnut UNDER THE BATHROOM STALL ANTICS - yet AGAIN!!!
September 17th, 2007 at 1:12 pmWhy aren’t we speaking of the recent injustices to O.J.? Why isn’t TP covering this?
Why?
Comment by Anti-Treason — September 17, 2007 @ 1:11 pm
Same reason the site isn’t covering Brangelina - that’s more in line with FOX and the OTHER TABLOID SOURCES.
September 17th, 2007 at 1:13 pmThough I’m not quick to endorse Mukasey, I can’t help but be concerned of a deliberate “bait & switch” here, putting out one name so everyone wastes time digging up dirt on Mukasey, then suddenly springing someone else on us at the last minute that no one has had time to fully investigate.
Or am I just paranoid?
September 17th, 2007 at 1:15 pmGlenn Greenwald has a great piece on this guy over at salon.com
September 17th, 2007 at 1:16 pmI, for one, am still a bit surprised by this choice, but so far the evidence indicates this man is no Harriet Miers, and I mean that in a good way.
September 17th, 2007 at 1:17 pmOr am I just paranoid?
Comment by Mugsy — September 17, 2007 @ 1:15 pm
Not after 6 & 1/2 yrs of BushCo…
September 17th, 2007 at 1:18 pm#8 - No worries. Hillary will be soundly trounced by Rudy.
She will be swift-boated by multiple organizations, but it will be her perceived hatred of the military that disgust most.
September 17th, 2007 at 1:19 pmSeem’s to me no matter who or what bull shit bush pick’s we all know it’s a bad deal for us and the world but a good deal for the evil decider and his handler’s….I don’t get to make a choice, neither does any one else here posting..Untill we get this happy bunch of warmonger’s out it’s a waste of our time to even comment…Blessings
September 17th, 2007 at 1:26 pmIt’s injustice against a black man. Call it “tabloid news†again and I’ll have you banned for being a nefarious right-wing troll.
Comment by Anti-Treason
Get me banned too, then (if you can, idiot ), because OJ commiting armed robbery then getting arrested is not “an injustice against a black man”.
It is not political news either, hence TP did not post about it.
September 17th, 2007 at 1:27 pmComment by Anti-Treason — September 17, 2007 @ 1:23 pm
Hang it up, P. As soon as Admin cathces ya, yer gone again.
September 17th, 2007 at 1:27 pmAnyone who is comfortable with this nominee (or any other nominee Bush puts forward) for AG has forgetten the last 6.5 years and in particular Bush’s Trojan Horse SCOTUS nominees. Anything he says at his confirmation hearings, including his name, should be assumed to be a lie.
September 17th, 2007 at 1:28 pmMugsy sez:
After all this administration has subjected us to, the question you should be asking is: Am I paranoid enough?
September 17th, 2007 at 1:36 pmShe will be swift-boated by multiple organizations, but it will be her perceived hatred of the military that disgust most.
Comment by TP = Al Qaeda’s Girlfriend — September 17, 2007 @ 1:19 pm
Joke Of The Day! Rudely will once again be crushed by Clinton, should the Rightards be stupid enough to nominate a cross-dressing lying showboat of an adulterer. She already drove him out of one race, this will be a repeat performance.
September 17th, 2007 at 1:39 pmBe logical. If Bush has nominated him, he is obviously a Bush ass-kisser. Bush is batting 400 in that regard.
I’ll wait for the hearings, always assuming the Democrats have the guts to ask the right questions, but I’d be very wary of anybody that Bush is ok with.
September 17th, 2007 at 1:49 pmI love the smell of panicky wingnuts in the morning. And afternoon.
September 17th, 2007 at 1:50 pmMichael is my go to guy now, hehe, he signed the Bush Loyality Oath, hehe, so now he’s gonna be all justicified and do justicified type stuff for me. You should have seen Barny humping his leg while he kissed my right, it was cool, I love being all cocky and stuff, cockifing stuff and decidering that’s for me. Gi’me a bag of prettzels Babs, I’m feeling all cockified tonight….oh’s there’s that red button with Iran writen on it….Uncie Dick, can I push the Iran button today? Not today, darn, I’m feeling all cockified too…
Pull my finger…hehehe
September 17th, 2007 at 1:53 pm…while he kissed my ring.*
September 17th, 2007 at 1:54 pmBe logical. If Bush has nominated him, he is obviously a Bush ass-kisser. Bush is batting 400 in that regard.
Comment by Abby — September 17, 2007 @ 1:49 pm
Yeah, I think he should nominate a liberal Democrat for the position. Maybe one of Barny Franks “friends” or even one of Bernie Sanders Communist buddies….ya think?
September 17th, 2007 at 1:56 pmMukasey is a consensus choice. Our esteemed Prez is a conservative and is expected to select a conservative.
Mukasey has integrity which all agree is needed now. Is the path of least resistance selection. Has a deep respect for the rule of law and will not put politics before the law. Is not a white house crony. All would be deferred to the Judiciary Select hearings.
Chuck Schumer is “open-minded and hopeful”. I agree.
Me.. an extension of my casting “illusion” thesis is viz:
Look in the following thread at comment#78 or thereabouts for “LORDS OF ILLUSION”:
http://thinkprogress.org/ 2007/ 09/ 16/ lantos-agrees-with-greenspan-iraq-war-was-largely-about-oil/
(Let me know BTW, if an explanation of any portion of the poem is required)
Remember, the first illusion is riddling the country with talks of demands for reduction of troops while extracting more money for the war.
Illusion #2
Fire Gonzo
Subsume the Senate in another confirmation hearing
Seem as if working toward a “consensus” as a distraction while engaged in who knows what else..Iran??? We will probably find out when the next “act” of our esteemed Prez is being used as another illusion for a further “act”. Based on principles of open government, Congress needs to “act” on their own to catch up with our esteemed Prez. He’s wayy ahead.
This Thread is viz: http://thinkprogress.org/ 2007/ 09/ 17/ mukasey-right-wing/ #comments
September 17th, 2007 at 1:59 pmBernie Sanders Communist buddies….ya think?
Comment by boogerBOO! — September 17, 2007 @ 1:56 pm
Communist buddies? Break down and buy some new GOP talking points.
September 17th, 2007 at 2:40 pmIs this Harriet Miers in drag??
September 17th, 2007 at 3:05 pmYou’re all right - Bush doesn’t have anyone near him who is not a major ass-kisser so expect the worst of anyone nominated by Bush.
IMPEACH THE CHIMP NOW BEFORE HE DAMAGES THIS COUNTRY EVEN MORE.
September 17th, 2007 at 3:06 pmBush destroyed the Office of Attorney General by his rampant politicization. The rule of law in this country as well as the Constitution is out the window, thanks to the fascist Bush regime.
September 17th, 2007 at 3:07 pmGod almighty, this guy is freaker looking that Chertoff!!! And to advise Rudy, he’d HAVE to either be corrupt or stupid. I guess that means the Dems will be all OVER themselves to confirm him. Another facist nail in the coffin of America.
September 17th, 2007 at 3:20 pmAtty. Gen. appointment is a “good enough” conservative with
September 17th, 2007 at 3:27 pmsome moderate philosophy and should please both sides in the
partisan debate for approval. However, his term is considered a
“lame duck” term with elections coming up, thus his term will probably
not be able to produce too much results. This is a good candidate
and will probably get the appointment, unless he decides he does not want get involved and take a beating by the media and liberals.
unless he decides he does not want get involved and take a beating by the media and liberals.
Comment by Monty O. Weddell — September 17, 2007 @ 3:27 pm
On top of the beating he’s already taking from the conservatives?
September 17th, 2007 at 3:59 pmw00t!
No rush for Mukasey confirmation hearing, say Dems
By Elana Schor
September 17, 2007
President Bush’s choice of Michael Mukasey as the next attorney general won early praise Monday, but Democrats appeared ready to take their time on a confirmation hearing until the administration plays ball on subpoenaed documents that it continues to withhold.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said the White House’s willingness to comply with outstanding subpoenas on its program of eavesdropping on suspected terrorists, as well as the recent U.S. attorney firings, would have a direct impact on the timeframe for a Mukasey confirmation.
“Our focus now will be on securing the relevant information we need so we can proceed to schedule fair and thorough hearings,†Leahy said in a statement.
[…]
http://thehill.com/ leading-the-news/ no-rush-for-mukasey-confirmation-hearing-say-dems-2007-09-17.html
…
fingers crossed!
September 17th, 2007 at 4:05 pmAdvisor to Girliani??? He is disqualified then!!!! His son, Marc works for the Girliani law firm.
September 17th, 2007 at 4:17 pm#
Be logical. If Bush has nominated him, he is obviously a Bush ass-kisser. Bush is batting 400 in that regard.
Comment by Abby — September 17, 2007 @ 1:49 pm
Yeah, I think he should nominate a liberal Democrat for the position. Maybe one of Barny Franks “friends†or even one of Bernie Sanders Communist buddies….ya think?
Comment by boogerBOO! — September 17, 2007 @ 1:56 pm
Go buy a brain you freaking moron. The answer to a Bush ass-kisser is not a rabid Leftie.
It’s the Justice Dept. You have to have an apolitical appointee.
September 17th, 2007 at 5:06 pmWe have already had a Gonzales. He sucked.
We want an Attorney General, not another Bushco drone.
Mukasey and his son are two out of twenty full-fledged neocon/Federalist society goons in Giuliani’s Neocon Star Chamber, along with Ted Olson, Michael Estrada, Calabresi (co-founder of Federalist Society), Larry Thompson (worked for Gonzales), Carol Dinkins (worked with Gonzales in Texas), Maureen Mahoney (â€the female John Robertsâ€), Doug Cox (litigator in Bush v. Gore), and others.
Guiliani’s Star Chamber:
http://thegiulianipapers.typepad.com/ the_giuliani_papers/ 2007/ 07/ index.html
Out of TWENTY full-fledged Bushco co-conspirators and Federalist Society goons, TWO Mukaseys.
H’yeah, our saviours.
Mukasey? GONZALES. Next.
Another good review of how Giuliani is Italian for GW Bush.
September 17th, 2007 at 9:14 pmShe will be swift-boated by multiple organizations, but it will be her perceived hatred of the military that disgust most.
Comment by TP = Al Qaeda’s Girlfriend — September 17, 2007 @ 1:19 pm
I thought Bush nominated a man for AG.
September 17th, 2007 at 11:34 pmComment by Anti-Treason
“Why aren’t we speaking of the recent injustices to O.J.? Why isn’t TP covering this?”
When I first read this, I thought you were being droll/facetious. A little dry humor maybe. Reading a bit further, I realized you were serious. Discrimination against a black man? Well, there is indeed an unconscionable amount of that going on these days, but OJ’s latest caper isn’t an example of it.
O.J. did this to himself, because he is obviously retarded. And, nobody really CARES to talk about this, because it isn’t about us. It’s between Fred Goldman and O.J. O.J. is the dummy, because he should have found a quiet island on the other side of the world, and fled to it over 10 years ago. It was his only chance, after he slipped though the slopes on a technicality.
But, he’s a moron, so his troubles are primarily of his own making at this point, and besides, he’s not “in the loop†in Florida politics. (why the hell would he go THERE of all places?) He was just whistling past the graveyard if ya ask me.
Thanks Flash. (#4). I guess it was off-topic, but I appreciated the piece. Read the one about Neil too. Aren’t they all just really “something”?
They’ve been at it for YEARS too!!
Meantime, I’ve never heard of Mukasey before now, but I think Erwin Chemerinsky would be the best pick!! And he’s available, since the politically compromised/bullied Chancellor at UCI just took his job back, before he could even move his computer to the new office.
So, he would be the best. Now of course I hope that puts the fear of God in any of Donald Bren’s West Coast Neo-Con Crowd. (it won’t, but it’s fun to think about it).
September 18th, 2007 at 2:49 amThese wingers don’t even pretend to put country before party anymore.
September 18th, 2007 at 9:54 amtest.
September 18th, 2007 at 6:49 pm