Schumer sez Mukasey "is the best we can get"

[Skidmore]

since * will not put anyone better out (from article read on WJ now). Let's see, Schumer gave this guy's name to the administration, right? Am I missing something in this picture?

[cali]

1. oh man, my heart just sunk reading your post.

How can he?? That's it then. Feinstein's vote is now immaterial. Next Tuesday, the JC will send this bastard to the full Senate, where he has plenty of votes to be easily confirmed.

[bigscott]

2. this government

and this country have become a joke - a sad joke. I keep hoping things will change - I am getting too old to do that much longer!! :argh:

[mmonk]

3. How do we know without the Senate being forceful for a change?

[liberal N proud]

4. This nation is better without a AG than settling for a torturous traitor

If this is the best bu$h can find then too bad, we just let the acting AG do the job for one more year.

[cali]

6. How is Keisler better than Mukasey?

If anything, he's even worse. Yes, the Senate should reject Mukasey, but it's just deluding yourself to think that Justice is any better under a key member of the BFEE with a background to make one shudder.

[tekisui]

18. What powers does the AG have that the acting AG doesn't?

Is there anything that the acting AG cannot do, that the AG can? I am just wonder what limits are on Keisler, if any.

And is either one of these jokers actually going to produce the documents that Leahy wants? Enforce subpoenas? Hold the the War Crimes President accountable?

[cyclezealot]

5. with the leadership Bush wants at DOJ

and considering who he has appointed at DOJ, maybe it's better we don't have any leadership. It's better to have a Justice Department that does nothing , than what does what Gonzales just did. Voter harrassment is not the kind of thing we want to see encouraged, by Bush's cadre of crooks.

[cali]

7. There IS an AG. His name is Peter Keisler.

And if you don't think that he's up to all kinds of nefarious activity, than you should find out more about him.

[bunkerbuster1]

24. Indeed, but the fact that he's there now is no excuse for the Senate approving Mucas.

If we can't have an AG that upholds the law and prosecutes war criminals wherever they may live, there is no point in the Senate approving anyone.

I know there's value to compromising and moving on to a battle you can win. But we gain absolutely nothing, IMHO, if we roll on this one.

[cali]

27. I agree Mukasey should not be confirmed That was NOT my

point. My point is that people should be informed, and shouldn't delude themselves, that DOJ will be ok as long as Mukasey isn't confirmed.

[bunkerbuster1]

42. Yeah, I'm seeing this now, in your other posts.

Glad you're with me here--I tend to see you as one of the more pragmatic individuals here at Dee You.

[cyclezealot]

53. I am sure he is

but, to not be officially appointed and sworn in as Attorney General; he has less influence??

[deacon]

8. WHAT??? He is far from the best we can get. Total idiotic statement.

A resignation, cowering to bush. Mr. Shmumer, you are a disgrace.

[MiniMe]

20. He is probably the best that * will nominate

I think that is Schumer's point. And he is probably right, unfortunately.

[spanone]

38. all the more reason for schumer to reject.

[0007]

9. I hope this isn't true, if so, my respect for Schumer is fading fast.

I don't get it! Other than maybe this was a horse that he bet on.

[cali]

11. Does Schumer have some kind of relationship with Mukasey?

I know he recommended him for the SC. This just reflects so badly on Schumer. Granted, I always thought he was a showboater, angling for the chairmanship of the JC, but I used to think he had some principles.

[librechik]

34. yes trhey're old New York legal buddies from decades past

[0007]

52. I indeed don't know.

I find this photo rather interesting.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/17/AR2007091700291.html

snip from above link.

"He has no political agenda. His agenda will be to bring the Justice Department back to where it should be," said Charles Stillman, a high-powered New York lawyer who described himself Monday as a Democrat who fervently supports Mukasey's nomination to be the next attorney general.

[Ian David]

10. Can't Congress just appoint a special prosecutor? n/t

[cali]

12. no. n/t

[Solly Mack]

13. the US government is for shit

it is shit and it's full of shit

[Canuckistanian]

14. What is with Schumer?

He seems to be intelligent, well-spoken and at times very progressive.

But he has the horrifying habit of not only allowing fascists to gain control of key government posts, but also ENDORSES them.

Didn't he do the same with Alito and Roberts for the SCOTUS?

[cali]

15. no. he voted against both of them. n/t

[Canuckistanian]

44. But he refused to filibuster against Alito

Seems Schumer is only willing to go 'so far'.

[Individualist]

50. He's a DLC member, and DLC is anti-progressive

http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2007/03/california_burn.html

[Rockholm]

16. Well, Chuckie, THIS IS JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

If he is the best we can get, then fuck it. Who really needs an AG that is simply going to do the bidding of the pResident? We, as Americans, actually would prefer an Attorney General who actually stands up for the laws of the country.

[Blackhatjack]

17. Fact he gave name to Bush is no excuse not to vote no. What if......

... after giving Bush the name he learned the nominee was a racial bigot?'

That is the purpose of confirmation hearings in the first place. To examine th nominee for 'fitness' to hold such a powerful position.

If Schumer is going to give Mukasey a thumbs up (even though Mukasey will not call torture when he sees it) then Schumer is going to damage his own reputation and commitment to the constitution and rule of law.

[spanone]

19. if schumer votes for him he's in and schumer SUPPORTS TORTURE

[BurtWorm]

21. Schumer has suggested that he does, in fact, support "enhanced interrogation."

I'm not surprised. My cynical reading is that the Dems always need someone to be the fall guy to keep operations in Washington status quo. The rest can make all the progressive noise they want as long as someone goes along to get along. Schumer is the designated go-alonger in this case.

Both he and Mukasey bring shame on New York.

[Hubert Flottz]

22. Never again My Ass Chuck!

Gestapo lite is what Chuck wants! Nazis torture people patriots don't.

[bdamomma]

31. That is whole thing TORTURE

As Americans WE SHOULD NOT BE TORTURING PEOPLE AT ALL!!!!!!!!

[bunkerbuster1]

23. Will these ass-kissers not stand up for ANYTHING?

You bastards let Abu Gonzo go without a fight, without impeaching his fascist ass.

You let Harriet Mieres tell you all, quite publicly, to stuff your Congressional subpoena where the sun don't shine.

I could recall any number of other humiliations and screw-ups (refusing to filibuster rat bastards like Scalito and Roberts come immediately to mind), but dang, Chuck. WTF?

[napi21]

25. I understand Shrub will not nominate anyone else if Mucky isn't

confirmed. OK so don't! Gonzo is gone. The new temp seems to at least not be doing anything traumatic, so let him stay for the next year+.

[cali]

26. no the new temp is every bit as bad as Mukasey and even worse

in some ways. Peter Keisler is a key BFEE figure, one of bushco's lawyers in FL in 2000, and his history is replete with one bad act after another. And yes, he is a torture guy.

[Inuca]

35. It is not only about politics

and not even only about principles. For instance, real damage was done at the Justice Dept., or so they say. Letting ot fester for another year+ is probably not a good thing. By every account Mukasey is competent and would likely help the DOJ get in at least a slightly better shape by the time the next administration FINALLY takes the reins. I am very glad so meany dems are speaking forcefully against this nomination. I also suspect that they know that there will be enough votes for Mukasey to be approved. In the short run it would make me and I assume most people here feel good if he is rejected, but in the longer run it may not be such a good idea.

[WilliamPitt]

28. As insane as this sounds, Mukasey is a vast improvement

...when compared to Ashcroft and Gonzo.

What to do here?

(NOTE: what follows is me just thinking out loud and unpooling maybes, and should not be taken as any kind of endorsement for Mukasey)

1. Dumping Mukasey will probably bring on a Bush tantrum, he'll nominate another Ashcroft/Gonzo-style batshit-crazy Constitution-mutilating lunatic, i.e. someone whose very nomination shouts "Go Fuck Yourself" at the Senate majority, which in itself is no big deal and just another day in Bushworld...

...but that nutbag nominee will be transformed into a political football, and there's the rub. Now, we risk having the whole show get fucked up, having the Senate go sideways in the heat of political grandstanding, and having the nomination votes break in favor of Bush should enough Dem Senators hit the chicken switch again and vote to confirm so as to avoid getting labeled "Soft on Crime" or whatever...and suddenly, Mr. Batshit has a key to the front door of the largest and most powerful Federal law enforcement agency in America...and you know it could happen just like that.

2. Dump Mukasey and block each and every shitass Bush nominee to follow, until he is forced to nominate someone who respects the rule of law and represents the interests of the American people, instead of serving as Bush's Shredder-In-Chief...which risks having Bush refuse to nominate anyone even remotely acceptable, choosing instead to deploy some hellishly deranged parade of blank-eyed mealy-mouthed Constitution-haters and Doomsday-seeking mad-dog Jesus freaks, each one whackier and more abominable than the last...

...until months roll by and the Justice Department is still headless because there's still no AG, and then Bush & Co. unleash a PR attack accusing Democrats of endangering America by keeping the top law enforcement official's potition empty and of helping terrorists and criminals and bank robbers and bad people, which will blow up just as the '08 campaign is heating up, and Democrats in close races will fold, of course...

...and Mr. Batshit's Dem-enabled confirmation will not only suck on spec, but will be correctly viewed as yet another staggering humiliation for the Senate majority, which might just fuck up the whole '08 election...and you know it could happen just like that.

3. Confirm Mukasey, count ourselves lucky that he doesn't have horns and a pitchfork, and take comfort in the fact that he'll be gone a year from January. He is better than the last two maniacs who ran Justice (which is pretty much like saying plain old dogshit on the sidewalk is better than a flaming bag of dogshit outside your front door, and comparing shit with shit leaves you with shit when all is said and done. Yeah...it's shitty. But he could be worse...

But there's also this:

Scott L. Silliman, an expert on national security law at Duke University School of Law, said any statement by Mr. Mukasey that waterboarding was illegal torture “would open up Pandora’s box,” even in the United States. Such a statement from an attorney general would override existing Justice Department legal opinions and create intense pressure from human rights groups to open a criminal investigation of interrogation practices, Mr. Silliman said.

“You would ask not just who carried it out, but who specifically approved it,” said Mr. Silliman, director of the Center on Law, Ethics and National Security at Duke. “Theoretically, it could go all the way up to the president of the United States; that’s why he’ll never say it’s torture,” Mr. Silliman said of Mr. Mukasey.

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004620.php

That's some serious shit.

:)

In the end, I have no hope whatsoever of Bush nominating anyone even remotely worthy of any post anywhere in government. My expectations are so low by now that this guy's nomination actually came as a mildly pleasant surprise...and, yeah, that's totally horrifying. What else is new, right?

[Inuca]

32. I unfortunately agree

not to mention that implied in Bush's oh so friendly speech yesterday was the suggestion that if Mukasey is rejected he will not nominate ANYONE else. Much as I hate the idea, letting him squeeze through may be the better option. You comparison of various flavors of shit is highly appropriate.

[cali]

41. Up until he testified, I was where you are. Now I see any

confirmation of any candidate who won't unequivocally state that waterboarding is torture, as a confirmation of torture by the Senate. Yes, I realize that no candidate will make that statement, but the precedent is important. Reluctantly, I'd rather see a recess appt.

[BurtWorm]

43. I have no problem going without an Attorney General for the duration of Bush's term

since we've effectively not had one since the beginning of his term, considering how useless both Ashcroft and Gonzales were at stopping, and how occasionally useful they were at abetting, the destruction of constitutional law. It would be totally fitting to have that office vacant for the rest of his term.

Of course it won't be. The Dems will allow Schumer or someone else to seat Mukasey so he can do the dance necessary to get Bush to the end of his term without sending him or the bulk of his top staff to prison. For the sake of national decorum, of course. Constitution and health of the nation be damned!

[rodeodance]

49. Mukasey has proved he will dance as the strings are pulled.

Mukasey has proved he will dance as the strings are pulled.

..........>
>
> Those who are responsible for waterboarding have defined and dictated Mukasey's evasions. His acquiescence demonstrates that no one in his position could take a contrary view to that of David Addington, Vice President Cheney's former counsel and now chief of staff, who directed and coauthored the infamous memos by former deputy assistant director of the Office of Legal Counsel John Yoo justifying torture, and charged the current acting director of OLC, Stephen Bradbury, to issue new memos rationalizing it.
>
> Addington is the reigning legal authority within the administration, presiding over the attorney general no matter who would fill the job. Addington rules by decree and tantrum, intolerant of any alternative opinion, which he suppresses with intimidation and threat. Gonzales, as White House counsel and then attorney general, was the marionette of Karl Rove and Addington. Rove is gone, but Addington remains.
>
> In his confirmation hearings, Mukasey has proved he will dance as the strings are pulled. His positions on waterboarding express precisely the relationship between the Bush White House and its Justice Department. Mukasey's testimony telegraphs that the White House will continue to call the shots. He has already ceded the essence of his power even before assuming it. His vaunted integrity and independence have been crushed, short work for Addington.
www.salon.com/opinion/blumenthal/2007/11/01/mukasey/

[LynneSin]

29. I hate to say it - but he has a point

Bush will just keep putting out nutjobs like Mukasey until either he does a recess appointment or wears down the judiciary committee.

Anyone who thinks Bush would actually compromise and bring back someone who would be fair & balanced (and NOT in the fox news sense) is absolutely nuts

[cali]

33. No he does not

Yes, he's right that we'll never get a decent AG out of bushco, but it's vital that they reject Mukasey anyway. voting for him is an official endorsement of torture.

[NewJeffCT]

37. Then, we get Ted Olson as the next nominee for AG

and then maybe they drag Ed Meese or John Ashcroft out of retirement, or nominate Ann Coulter.

[Malikshah]

40. Nope-- you stall and for every asswipe put forward you slap Bush

down for his complete and total lack of sanity.

We haven't had a true AG since the lil idiot has been in office--and we've survived.

[bdamomma]

30. Everyone needs to call Schumer and if he votes for this guy

no more money for DCCC, Mukasey is just another tool for */Cheney. They haven't learned a thing yet??? what the hell is going on???

[Me.]

36. Just Called & Gave Them What For

I said I didn't appreciate it when Schumer introduced Chertoff with such fanfare and that if Mukasey is the best we can get I'd rather have nothing. I also said that when I voted for him I voted for a democrat and do not appreciate him acting like a republicon.

[Malikshah]

39. Schumer shows his true colors here-- those of a cowardly and meek

political hack.

You stall, you stop allowing the regime to control the process.

You point out the stupidity of a candidate that can't wrap their head around torture.

Let the emperor whine-- then you really give him something to cry about.

[ProSense]

45. Schumer needs to give it a little more thought and consider this:

Schumer regrets not leading an Alito filibuster

Don't make another mistake.

[Beelzebud]

46. There is always one willing to fuck everything up. Always...

This is such bullshit. Schumer, grow a pair you fucking weakling...

[rodeodance]

47. my gawd-is this the best ny can do?

[rodeodance]

48. ....Mukasey has proved he will dance as the strings are pulled.

>
>
> Mukasey is not a free agent. He had been strictly briefed and in his testimony was following orders. He has avoided calling waterboarding torture because that is consistent with the administration's position and past practice. Mukasey's refusal to disavow waterboarding reveals his acceptance of his assignment to a secondary role as attorney general, an inferior agent, not a constitutional officer, to certain political appointees in the White House.
>
> Those who are responsible for waterboarding have defined and dictated Mukasey's evasions. His acquiescence demonstrates that no one in his position could take a contrary view to that of David Addington, Vice President Cheney's former counsel and now chief of staff, who directed and coauthored the infamous memos by former deputy assistant director of the Office of Legal Counsel John Yoo justifying torture, and charged the current acting director of OLC, Stephen Bradbury, to issue new memos rationalizing it.
>
> Addington is the reigning legal authority within the administration, presiding over the attorney general no matter who would fill the job. Addington rules by decree and tantrum, intolerant of any alternative opinion, which he suppresses with intimidation and threat. Gonzales, as White House counsel and then attorney general, was the marionette of Karl Rove and Addington. Rove is gone, but Addington remains.
>
> In his confirmation hearings, Mukasey has proved he will dance as the strings are pulled. His positions on waterboarding express precisely the relationship between the Bush White House and its Justice Department. Mukasey's testimony telegraphs that the White House will continue to call the shots. He has already ceded the essence of his power even before assuming it. His vaunted integrity and independence have been crushed, short work for Addington.
www.salon.com/opinion/blumenthal/2007/11/01/mukasey/

[Stinky The Clown]

51. I'm not one bit happy about this.

[Disturbed]

54. Reject Mukasey then Impeach Peter Keisler.

Just a little fantasy.