Specter Knocks Leahy For Predicting Holder Confirmation Despite His Own Similar Conduct On Ashcroft
Specter Knocks Leahy For Predicting Holder Confirmation Despite His Own Similar Conduct On Ashcroft
This morning, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) took to right-wing talk radio to continue his politically-motivated crusade against President-elect Obama’s Attorney General designate Eric Holder. Appearing on Bill Bennett’s Morning In America, Specter complained that Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) had declared his support for Holder’s appointment before the confirmation hearings had even begun. Additionally, Specter took issue with Leahy’s recent prediction that Holder would be confirmed:
BENNETT: Do you have confidence that the Democrats on your committee will look at [Holder's record] honestly? [...]
SPECTER: I think they will be strongly inclined to confirm him regardless. … Sen Leahy has said that he “guarantees” the confirmation of Holder.
BENNETT: Well, how can you say that ahead of time?
SPECTER: Well I can’t say that ahead of time. I wouldn’t and haven’t.
Specter said further, “I think it’s very important for people in my position to deal on a factual basis and a professional basis and not to make up my mind in advance. That is what a hearing is for.” Listen here:
Specter’s dismay at Leahy’s prediction is ironic, considering his past statements. On December 24, 2000, two days after then President-elect Bush announced that he had selected John Ashcroft for Attorney General and three weeks before Ashcroft’s confirmation hearings, Specter went on Face the Nation and confidently predicted that Ashcroft would be confirmed by the Senate:
SCHEIFFER: Senator Specter, you’re on the Judiciary Committee. Can John Ashcroft be confirmed?
SPECTER: Yes, I think he can be, and will be. I think the president is entitled to great latitude in the selection of his Cabinet officers. And I know John Ashcroft very well. He’s a first-rate lawyer. He was attorney general of Missouri.
Additionally, Specter’s emphasis today on the import of senators not making up their minds “in advance” of confirmation is disingenuous considering that fact that he decided to vote to confirm Ashcroft before that set of hearings began. A day before Ashcoft’s hearings began on January 16, 2001, Specter told a reporter for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “I’ve said publicly that unless something comes up which is extraordinary, that I do intend to vote for him.”
Similarly, on January 17, 2001, Wolf Blitzer asked Specter, “you have made up your mind, basically, already, haven’t you?” Specter responded, “I have said that unless something unusual happens, I will support John Ashcroft.”
Specter appears increasingly alone in his opposition to Holder’s confirmation. Today, former judiciary committee chair Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) announced his support for Holder. Other prominent conservatives backing Holder include former Solicitor General Ted Olsen, former Rep. Asa Hutchinson (R-AR), and former Deputy Attorneys General Jim Comey and Paul Mcnulty.
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38 Responses to “Specter Knocks Leahy For Predicting Holder Confirmation Despite His Own Similar Conduct On Ashcroft”
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Specter shows himself for what he really is -- a partisan hack.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:14 pmThe GOP motto "Do as I say, not as I do."
January 12th, 2009 at 2:15 pmIt's going to be tough trying to put this country back on track with clowns like Specter around. If the Republicans keep this crap up, it would be time to flush bipartisanship and start kicking these a$$wipes to the gutter where they belong.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:17 pmArlen Specter, you mean the guy who sat on the Warren Commission of Lies and wrote a book on how easy it is to survive cancer if you're tough enough. We'll know if that's true as soon as we all have the same health insurance as senators. Idiot.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:19 pmWhile I agree with your minor premise -- that Specter is being hypocritical in complaining about Leahy's confidence -- your major premise -- that Holder is deserving of confirmation -- is troubling.
I suspect the reason so many Republicans are lining up behind Holder is that he has given them the Obama nod -- "I'm not going to bring war crimes investigations or prosecutions against your buddies Bush, Cheney & Company."
When Ted Olsen is on your side, consider yourself to be on the wrong side.
The Constant Weader at http://www.RealityChex.com
January 12th, 2009 at 2:20 pmTypical GOP - praise an action when a repub does it. Decry it when z dem does it.
Dem response so far has been to apologize.
For example - remember "Weepy" Clinton who cried a tear. How the repubs pointed at that as weakness and mocked it. But then Bush did it and it was a sign of deeply felt emotion.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:21 pmConstant Weader, I'm not sure your premise is accurate since Holder seem to be the appointee getting the most negative response from the GOP.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:25 pmWill you also suggest that Holder appear without taking an oath, as you did with Bush's AG nominee?
Hypocrite.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:29 pmPeople, people, people! This is a well-known political principle here.
It's called IOKIYAR™.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:36 pmSpecter's trying to get re-elected by going after wingnuttia?
January 12th, 2009 at 2:37 pmWhen Ted Olsen is on your side, consider yourself to be on the wrong side.
That's rather simplistic. I'll see your Ted Olsen, and raise you a Jim Comey.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:38 pmShayne: Holder didn't initially have the support of the wingers. That he does now is what I find suspicious. Specter is about as liberal a Republican as there is remaining in the Senate. He is -- and I am -- concerned about Holder's independence (yes, I heard Obama say yesterday Holder would act independently of "the President's politics," but that sure isn't his track record.
I really do not want to see Bush & Cheney & some of their top guns get off scott-free for their multiple violatons of laws they were sworn to uphold. It is pretty clear from Obama's statement and Holder's brand-new bestfriends that the Bushies have nothing to fear from Obama-Holder.
Constant Weader at RealityChex.com
January 12th, 2009 at 2:39 pmIf Specter keeps this up, he will easily be defeated by a Democrat in 2010. I posted something about this creepy Senator at my blog.
I still haven't forgiven him for his sexist bashing of Anita Hill. Clarence Thomas sits on the Supreme Court because of Arlen Specter. He will do and say anything to keep his position in the Senate. Rick "man on dog" Santorum thought that he would be re-elected and Bob Casey Jr. kicked his behind but good. The same will happen to Specter. There are three 1/2 voting blocks in PA. Phila, Pittsburgh, State College (1/2) and Dumbf**kistan. All the votes combined in Dumbf**kistan are not enough to win PA. Obama scored big and so did Barack Obama.
Bye, bye, Arlen. We will fire and retire you.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:43 pmi hope specter can put his personal investigation of the new england patriots on hold long enough to vote on the holder nomination
January 12th, 2009 at 2:44 pmIt's time for Specter to retire. And he is certainly showing himself and quite frankly full of it. He gave his BFF Bush what he wanted: Ashcroft, Gonzo, and Mukasey. Specter's words is worth a bucket of warm spit.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:44 pmIt's a shame that Senator Specter is more interested in getting even than in dealing with the business at hand. That's the problem with these lifetime elected officials. They carry too many grudges.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:45 pmBRILLIANT!
January 12th, 2009 at 2:46 pmEric Holder went after Pennsylvania politicians and judges for corruption back in the '70's and Specter is well aware of this. As a matter of fact, Holder cleaned up some the mess left behind by Specter before he became a Senator.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:49 pmArlen, the spectacle of right-wing GOP stupidity...
January 12th, 2009 at 2:50 pmThe hypocrisy of a two parties system and one policy... this is just theatre to keep people uninformed.
In a more pressing and unreported news:
January 12th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Specter is toast in 2010. He is only 3 points ahead of Chris Matthews in the polls and Matthews isn't even running. That should tell you something. And Specter is aligning himself with Karl Rove. Bad move and big mistake on his part.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:53 pmSome people predict that Specter is in the minority party and has no power anymore...f off Specter, go sit in the corrupt section where you belong.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:54 pmConstant Weader, instead of considering that the GOP's arguments against Holder at the beginning were invalid you're going to suggest that those not against him now are doing so because he's agreed to do their bidding? Maybe those GOOPers are trying to not be the first on the list of "to be investigated". But here's a link to Washington Monthly with a possible explanation.
January 12th, 2009 at 2:58 pmCat's if anybody can get rid of Specter it's you. Go get him tiger!
January 12th, 2009 at 2:59 pmIt obviously hasn’t sunk into Specters brain yet that he is a member of the minority. This makes him more of a nuisance than a threat.
Buckie Boy beat me to it, but I’m posting it anyways, so there.
January 12th, 2009 at 3:06 pmIf Arlen Specter says that Holder is partisan, that means that Holder must be independent. Specter has already raised about a zillion red flags and fireworks that he's going to do everything he can to block Holder. I'd call that making up your mind in advance.
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Constant Weader Says:
I suspect the reason so many Republicans are lining up behind Holder is that he has given them the Obama nod — “I’m not going to bring war crimes investigations or prosecutions against your buddies Bush, Cheney & Company.”
I'd like to mention again that giving any signal what they intend to do about prosecuting BushCo would be tantamount to bringing everything the wingnut dirty-tricks machine has to bear against you, from smears to political opposition to things I'd rather not mention without putting my tinfoil hat on. Obama and everyone who works for him would be monumentally stupid to even give a clue as to whether they intend to investigate or indict Bush & friends.
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Cats r Flyfishn Says:
And Specter is aligning himself with Karl Rove. Bad move and big mistake on his part.
All I can guess is that the wingnuts had a lot of Specter's IOU's in their pocket, and they're calling them in. Specter is hardly any good at minority/oppositional politics. And they've got nothing of any substance on Holder. Specter is the wrong point man in the wrong battle in the wrong cause. The R's are going to make themselves look like blatant imbeciles over this one.
January 12th, 2009 at 3:07 pmSilly reporter, dont you know that Repuppetcans dont have to be held to the same standard as everyone else? Dont you know that they can say one thing and do another? Dont you know that following rules, laws, and the Constitution only apply when they're not in charge? What is wrong with you?! Now get back to bashing the OBAMA ADMINISTRATION!! Sarcasm off.
Change on.
RIP
January 12th, 2009 at 3:23 pmSGT Stephen R. Sherman
C CO 1-5 IN (STRYKER)
KIA 3 Feb 2005
Mosul, Iraq
Wingers are digging themselves into a deeper hole. Their obstructionist behavior has more to do with their fear of incrimination with a real Attorney General who has the power and will to invetigate the crime family than it does with any wrong doing by Holder. They are wasting time. The Crime Family will be investigated for war crimes.
January 12th, 2009 at 3:30 pmArlen, let it be your last gasp.
January 12th, 2009 at 3:30 pmAfter Alberto and Mukasey, Holder is like the second coming of Christ.
January 12th, 2009 at 3:30 pmcareful... you'll get the trolls accusing us of seeing holder as "The Messiah".
They like doing that.
January 12th, 2009 at 3:40 pmOf course Specter could say someting as blatantly hypocritical (or ironic) as this because he knew Bill Bennett wasn't going to call him on it.
Hell, Wolf Blitzer probably wouldn't call him on it, so you know Bill Bennett would let it slide with a big ol' grin on his overfed face.
January 12th, 2009 at 3:42 pmLike most Republicans, he has a convenient memory. He did say that regarding Ashcroft. It is simply that they lie so much, so automatically that they forget there is a recording or camera or interview somewhere with their name on it.
January 12th, 2009 at 3:49 pmSpecter, the one time aggressive law-enforcing DA, sold out his last shred of decency pandering to Cheney-Bush to get their support for him to keep his Judicial Committee leadership role.
January 12th, 2009 at 5:05 pmRemember, Specter is the reason that Clarence Thomas is a member of the Supreme Court.
January 12th, 2009 at 6:40 pmCrooksandliars has an interesting tidbit demonstrating what happens when you try to obstruct an incoming administration stocked with people who know how to "work" the Senate. Nice try, Arlen.
January 12th, 2009 at 8:19 pm"Single bullet theory Spector" has a special place in hell reserved for his Murdering/Fascist ass!!!!
January 13th, 2009 at 11:10 amWe are in a phase where people of a certain generation still don't get that this is the information age, and EVERYTHING they say or do publicly is a matter of permanent record accessible by anyone. Specter is part of this generation, as is most of the leadership of the GOP.
They really do not understand that the old ways of politicking are over. When I read that some politician is accusing someone of something they themselves are guilty of, I can predict with a high degree of accuracy about how old they are.
Big brother is indeed watching, and he is us.
January 13th, 2009 at 11:38 am