What is Holder's view of the second amendment?
What does he think of McCain-Feingold incumbency protection/gut the first amendment act?
Did Holder support Heller or DC?

This stuff bores me. I’m excited about 2012 and month after month of Joe Lieberman following Obama around calling him Bin Laden’s toady and lapdog. Maybe he'll mix it up a bit and accuse Obama of bestiality. Then Obama says “That Joe, he’s such a kidder! What a great guy though, really, once you get to know him!”

Your such a dick Steve Duncan, an asshole.
Real insightful insight there.
Schmuck.

Well, this is Michael Isikoff of Newsweek, and even if you can stand Newsweek, Isikoff has undistinguished himself for the last decade, first as the slime who broke the Lewinsky story, paralyzing a government that was barely functioning anyway, and then signally failing to show the same investigative zeal for the last eight years.

That said, if Holder "didn't know much" about Marc Rich, somebody damn well should have. I'm just a fud from the Midwest, and I knew who he was. Can't say this was Clinton's least finest moment given the full record, but it was right in there. If Holder makes it his first priority to bring Rich to justice....

CNN has confirmed the Newsweek story.

McCain-Feingold incumbency protection

I'm not so sure about that. In 2006 there were 53 new House members and 10 new Senators. In 2008 there are 52 new House and 8 Senators with a few left to decide. That suggests a fairly high turnover compared to the last 20-30 years. It seems to me that the real advantage incumbents have is within their party, though, and I don't see how McCain-Feingold changed that equation.

By the way, I hate the law - just not for the same reasons.

Everything? What about representing Chiquita in that civil suit?

What Terry said upthread!

I want everyone reading this to realize that Orszag is a fantastic pick. He has been a smart and careful thinking on many important topics over the last 10 years.

But then, as some of you think, I am a Republican troll, or worse.

MNpundit, go back to Kos's site and read my comments.

As to Orszag, I have mixed feelings about his social security position. But at least its straightforward and simple (increase the cap so about 13% of earnings are covered, decrease benefits at the top of the range, where people have other retirement benefits). And it wouldn't undercut the program. My concern is that we not rush to change SS, but I'm also not sure the effect of the current economic problems on SS.

Though I don't have any current objection to either of these people (haven't done the research yet) it seems to me that an AWFUL lot of Clinton people have been named to be involved, one way or another, in the Obama administration. I'm waiting for the "change."

impeach cheney,

the change will come in the execution. these people may have once worked for clinton, but they're working for obama now, and they'll take their marching orders from him.

that will be the change.

orange

Again, if Obama named nobody but new faces, people would accuse him of hiring an "inexperienced" staff.

I didn't like Clinton, but you have to admit if we DID have Clinton back it'd sure be a change from the last 8 years.

I expect BETTER from Obama than Clinton deleivered, but doing ONLY as well will be a huge improvement and "change".

Lastly, you may want to take Obama's advice.

[...] it seems to me that an AWFUL lot of Clinton people have been named to be involved, one way or another, in the Obama administration. -- impeach etc, @17:58

While I also wonder, sometimes, about that, I'm often reassured by looking at the ages of the people involved. Take Orszag. He's not (quite) yet 40... So, he was 32 when Clinton left the White House, perhaps 30 when he stated working there. Not a case of "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" even now.

I'm more worried about people in their late sixties/early seventies but Obama doesn't seem to be tapping many of those. So, they have some experience on the one hand but their minds (and loyalties) aren't likely to be fossilised into the past patterns. I'd expect them to be very useful indeed.

There is another very good reason that the Rich pardon will not be an issue with the Senate, even if trumped up: it is very likely that Bush will have a long list of last minute pardons in the news.

Sigh. I wanted Kerry for AG.

The various Admin. always liberally employ the staff of the previous admin. from the same party. Bush 43 looked to Reagan/Bush (1981-93) to staff his executive, Clinton went to Carter, Reagan to Nixon/Agnew-Ford... It's not unexpected that we would get some of the same mouthwash this time as last, just swished to the other cheek.

As to AG, I would rather see my boy, Russ Feingold, get it, but I don't necessarily see Wisconsin remaining Dem. on that Senate seat -- special election might well be Paul "Trickle-down" Ryan v. Tammy "Softball player" Baldwin, & Dems lose on that count, regrettably -- so I don't want to risk it. But failing Feingold, why not pluck Janet Reno from retirement. The only member of the Clinton admin. I unequivocally supported & support, she would be the perfect antidote to the last eight years.

I like Feingold a lot, also Sheldon Whitehouse. Both would make excellent AGs. However, we need them in the Senate now. And if the Dems were willing to "forgive" Lieberman in order to grow their majority in the Senate, it would hardly make sense to tap any Dem in the Senate without a guarantee that another Dem would be appointed in their place. Even then, we couldn't be sure they would be of the same excellent quality that both Feingold and Whitehouse exhibit.

And sorry - Janet Reno? Still have the bad taste of Waco and Ruby Ridge in my mouth. I have a friend who had been with the FBI for 25 years, and resigned in protest following Waco. He called it an "unnecessary massacre." She showed very poor judgement in her handling of those two incidents.

Janet Reno? Still have the bad taste of Waco and Ruby Ridge in my mouth.

Ruby Ridge happened in August 1992. George HW Bush was President. William Barr was Attorney General.

Associating Ruby Ridge with Janet Reno is a hallmark of dimwit right-wing nutjobs.

Hi Steve,

I just wanted to let you know that THEWEEK.com linked to your article today in a piece we wrote titled 'Picking Obama's attorney general,' (http://www.theweek.com/article/index/90833/3/Picking_Obamas_attorney_general). We enjoyed reading your take on this subject.

Thanks, and all the best,
Harold Maass
Editor
THEWEEK.com

Michael,

Taking about a "dimwit", you best go back and check the record. Reno was AG during the Gov"t. attacks at Ruby Ridge and Waco.