Eric Holder was confirmed today as the first African American Attorney General by a vote of 75-21. He did receive some heat over the Mark Rich issue, but picked up a good block of Republican support in winning confirmation. Holder has a long list of legal credentials. From the Washington Post:
By all accounts, Holder is among the most credentialed lawyers ever to become attorney general. He began his career as a public corruption prosecutor before serving as U.S. attorney in the District and as a Superior Court judge. Holder later operated as second in command at the Justice Department during the later years of the Clinton administration.
Holder brings change and stability to a Justice Department that has had a real big set of problems over the past four years. He will have a full plate immediately:
From Day One, Holder will have a full plate of work. President Obama already has put the attorney general in charge of a task force deliberating where to send nearly 250 terrorism suspects detained at the U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Obama last month instructed officials to close the prison within one year.
Holder also will play a critical role in developing legal guidelines for interrogation practices and in deciding whether the Obama administration will adopt broad claims of executive power in court cases over warrantless eavesdropping and the firings of nine prosecutors during the Bush years.
Holder vowed to revitalize the department’s civil rights division, which is supposed to enforce voting and employment laws for minorities. The Justice Department inspector general in January issued a report detailing hiring abuses and racial epithets that proliferated among some former officials there.
Fixing the mess that was the Bush Justice Department will be no easy task. Good luck Attorney General Eric Holder.
Bill Manzi.com 
about time, his cabinet was lacking in color.
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Your Honor,
Let’s reiterate the cabinet appointments so far.
Treasury; Tax cheat Geitner
H.H.S. Secretary; Tax cheat Daschle’s
Attorney General; pardons for cash holder.
From what I see, according to Obama, is that these guys are the only ones that can do their particular job.
Hope and change hasn’t made it to Washington yet.
Jules
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Tax cheats versus war criminals. Hey, at least it’s a step up …
-FM
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NY Times editorial suggests Daschle should step aside:
-FM
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Fred,
I assume yoo are talking about the Commander in Chief who is shipping more troops to Afghanistan. Right?
Should Obama be impeached?
Jules
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Jules:
How soon you forget … but I remember.
Afghanistan is where we should have been in the first place. You know, where the terrorists are and all. Personally, can’t wait until we have to send troops into Mexico.
I can still watch the recording of George the Younger leaving town on Marine One, and it still brings a smile to my face. That will never get old.
-FM
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Fred,
You keep watching that tape. It’s better than watching the new guy screwing up every day.
Jules
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Jules:
I have some suggestions for you — just as I did for the last eight years, try not to watch the news so much, try not to worry about how deep the hole is dug, try not to worry that the electorate, Congress, or the administration are not smart enough to solve the gigantic problems facing us. Just dream about the future when someday, things will be brighter and someone you think might signal a change comes on scene.
And on that day, I hope that our guys leave things in a little better shape than your guys did.
-FM
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