What happened to the Eric Holder high drama that the press promised?
January 16, 2009 12:28 pm ET by Eric Boehlert
Similar to its run-up to Hillary Clinton's confirmation hearing, the Beltway press was in overdrive about how AG nominee Eric Holder was going to face all sorts of problems (i.e. "bruising" and "grueling" hearings) because of his role in the Marc Rich pardon, which dated back to the final days of the Clinton administration. (It even had Dems squirming!)
The whole frenzy seemed like just another chance for the press to re-hash a soggy Clinton scandal. And it was.
Because just like with Hillary Clinton's polite confirmation quizzing, the promised press hype never really materialized at Holder's hearing.
It amazingly seems like MSM and Internet sites are getting very restless and unhappy with the smooth transition and lack of attention they are getting from Obama's team.
The attempts continue to drum-up drama and even look for bogus junk from Drudge. None of it has worked. All this does is lower their credibility even more.
You had to watch the near-end of Holder's hearings (the 2nd or 3rd round), when Arlen Spector became KING A-HOLE and said he may have to question Holder's "fitness" for the job of AG because he wouldn't say to Arlen what he wanted him to say - that he "favored" Al Gore and therefore refused to listen to anyone in the Justice Department - including Holder confirmation supporter Louis Freeh - who approved of naming a special prosecutor to look into his suspicious 1996 fundraising activities during his/Clinton's relection campaign.
Anyway, Holder listened to the advice of career professionals who said an independent prosecutor wasn't necessary. No politics involved. Unfortunately, Spector, who was WAY over his time limit for questioning at this point and rudely yelled at Patrick Leahy, the chairman, for interrupting him in this extra period, didn't buy it. He lectured to Holder that an experienced lawyer like him shouldn't be this partisan (which was only in Spector's imagination, not a fact).
Then it got to a point where Holder said to Arlen something like: "You are walking to a line" there and amazingly calmly not to question "my" integrity as "I" wouldn't question "yours." Spector kept saying he wasn't, when that was exactly what he was doing.
I guess everybody, press included, ignored this drama and I am the only one who watched in unfold.