Sunday Reflection: Have We Changed Yet?
By Byron York, Examiner Contributor
- 11/22/08
There was, of course, the Whitewater affair and the fight over the independent counsel, Kenneth Starr. There was the Lewinsky matter. Travelgate. The bitter controversy over Elian Gonzalez. The furor over Bill Clinton's last-minute pardons. And more.
It seems like so long ago. So why am I suddenly hitting the search feature on my laptop ten times a day, looking for old articles? Why am I looking for names like Eric Holder, Gregory Craig, Rahm Emanuel, and John Podesta?
Because change has come to America.
As president-elect, Barack Obama faced a dilemma. Too many times to count during the campaign, he promised voters change. We've had it with the old Washington ways, he said. It's time for something different.
But now that he's the incoming president and has to fill about 3,000 of the top jobs in the executive branch, to whom is he looking? To experienced Democratic hands. And what was the last administration in which Democrats got experience running the executive branch? Well, of course.
That's how you get Bill Clinton's old White House chief of staff (John Podesta) as the new transition chief. And you get Clinton's old senior adviser (Rahm Emanuel) as the new White House chief of staff.
And you get Clinton's old impeachment lawyer (Greg Craig) as the new White House counsel. And you get Clinton's old deputy attorney general (Eric Holder) as the new attorney general.
Now, Obama is free to choose whomever he wants. And three of those four positions require no Senate confirmation. But if the president-elect nominates Holder to be attorney general, we will at least get to review Holder's Clinton administration record in the course of confirmation hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
A Holder confirmation could raise issues not just about Holder's qualifications but also about why we should take a close look at the Clinton administration veterans who will serve on Team Obama.
Back in the primaries, Obama argued that we should not return to the Clinton years. There was a reason he said that. And we'll see some of them in Holder's hearings.
Start with Holder's role in the Marc Rich pardon. Holder was the number-two official at the Justice Department in those chaotic last days of the Clinton administration.
Holder's buddy Jack Quinn -- a former Clinton White House counsel -- was representing Rich. Everybody knew that Justice Department prosecutors, who do not look kindly on non-remorseful felons who flee the country rather than face justice -- would not approve of a pardon. When Quinn inquired about what strategy would be best for Rich, Holder told him to avoid the Justice Department.
How do we know that? During the negotiations, Quinn sent an e-mail to the Rich legal team. "Spoke to [Holder] last evening," Quinn told his colleagues. "He says go straight to WH. Also says timing is good. We should get in soon."
And darned if they didn't. When Clinton's last day in office dawned, Rich had his pardon. Let's just say it wasn't Eric Holder's finest hour.
Then there's Holder's role in the Elian Gonzalez affair. After the young Cuban boy was recovered at sea, his mother having died in an attempt to reach the United States, Holder and attorney general Janet Reno tried hard to reunite the boy with his father, who said he wanted the boy back but did not trouble himself to travel to the United States during the months-long controversy.
Shortly before U.S. agents took Elian into custody at gunpoint, the late Tim Russert asked Holder, "You wouldn't send a SWAT team in the dark of night to kidnap the child, in effect?"
"No," Holder answered. "We don't expect anything like that to happen."
Later, after the Department did just that, Russert asked why the change. "I'm not sure I'd call it a dramatic change," Holder answered. "We waited 'til five in the morning, just before dawn."
Let's just say that wasn't Eric Holder's finest hour, either.
And by the way -- do you know how Holder and the Clinton Justice Department created the legal grounds to seize the child? Turns out they got immigration authorities to revoke the custody that had been awarded to Elian's great-uncle.
Then they declared Elian an illegal alien and issued an arrest warrant for him. Then, using their arrest warrant, they asked a judge for a search warrant so they could enter the Gonzalez house. Then, after grabbing the boy, the declared him legal again.
And you worried that the Obama administration might not have what it takes to crack down on illegal immigration.
There are other Holder issues that might come up in confirmation. What, for example, was he doing while the Reno Justice Department was stonewalling on the Clinton campaign finance scandal?
Now, I don't think any of this is going to stop Holder from getting the job, should Obama nominate him. Republicans have always argued that the president should be able to have pretty much whoever he wants to serve in the administration.
And besides, who cares what Republicans think? With at least 58 senators, and possibly as many as 60 by January, Democrats can pretty much do what they want. And they will want to confirm Obama's nominees.
So look for Holder to be a prominent part of the strange mix of change and Clinton restoration that will be the Obama administration.
Back in December of last year, candidate Barack Obama said, "The real gamble in this election is playing the same Washington game with the same Washington players and expecting a different result."
So what different result are we to expect this time?
Examiner contributor Byron York covers the White House for National Review.
59 Comments
Reader Comments:
POSTED Nov 22, 2008
Where Were You During the Bush Scandals?: "So you cover scandals and fraud only if they can be linked to Democrats? Of course! You work for the National Review, which fired Christopher Buckley for having an opinion favorable of a Democrat. It will take years for dust to settle on all the criminal behavior in the Bush administration but I'm sure you'll skip that and dig up stories from the previous century. The difference America expects is that George Bush and his whole corrupt administration will be gone. Now that's change we can believe in. Obama doesn't have to walk on water. But he has to be a much better president than Bush, which is a pretty low bar to clear."POSTED Nov 22, 2008
Where Were You During the Bush Scandals?: "So you cover scandals and fraud only if they can be linked to Democrats? Of course! You work for the National Review, which fired Christopher Buckley for having an opinion favorable of a Democrat. It will take years for dust to settle on all the criminal behavior in the Bush administration but I'm sure you'll skip that and dig up stories from the previous century. The difference America expects is that George Bush and his whole corrupt administration will be gone. Now that's change we can believe in. Obama doesn't have to walk on water. But he has to be a much better president than Bush, which is a pretty low bar to clear."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
Lobby Hard: "Do everything Change Change Change, There is a reason Change Change Change. The Illusionist Obama Take off on The Byrds Turn,Turn, turn,"POSTED Nov 23, 2008
Reggie1971: "I wasn't aware that Christopher Buckley was fired. He volunteered his resignation to Rich Lowry and it was accepted. This is unless you have evidence to the contrary."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
Reggie1971: "I wasn't aware that Christopher Buckley was fired. He volunteered his resignation to Rich Lowry and it was accepted. This is unless you have evidence to the contrary."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
fustian: "There were no real Bush scandals. It was all leftist agitprop. Watch how many of the scandalous Bush policies that Obama ends up supporting. For extra amusement, watch lefty news organs like the New York Times suddenly decide they weren't so bad after all."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
boqueronman: "Such a clever retort, it had to be posted twice. Is distracting attention the best you can do? How many of the Clinton scandals took place, and were pursued by the legal authorities, during that same Clinton administration? And how many of these Clinton scandals were pursued by the Justice Dept. during the Bush administration? Now how many of these Bush scandals were pursued during the Bush administration? (And what were they, BTW?) Now that we have an Obama administration, how many of these political withhunts, er... Bush scandals, will be pursued by the revenge minded Dems? Let's have an answer. And please don't include either legislation voted on and passed by the full Congress or small unit actions, fully investigated, that occurred during the conduct of war. These are not Bush scandals."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
rhhardin: "Why ``free to choose whomever he wants'' but ``the president should be able to have pretty much whoever he wants to serve in the administration?'' If we're going to do whom's, the second needs a whom (subjects of non-finite verbs (``to serve'') are in the objective case). ``Who'' of course is acceptable in both places, ``whom'' having pretty much died in modern English."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
Max: "When dealing with a street hustler, you watch his hands. Mind what he is doing, not what he is saying. Then you will know what to do when he asks, "Who you gonna believe, Me or your lying eyes?""POSTED Nov 23, 2008
RS: "Just as Sarah Palin's turkey pardon is giving the left the vapors (who knew that they had to kill turkeys to get that drumstick on Thanksgiving), it seems that if it's a Bush policy, then it is a scandal. I'm referring to the first comment posted. I'm sure you'll celebrate Inauguration Day when Obama is made your Supreme Leader. The funny thing is with all the Clinton retreads (can Janet Reno & Jocelyn Elders be far behind) it reminds me of the line about Bill Clinton. They said Bill Clinton was the first black president. Now from Obama's appointments, it would seem that Barack Obama is the first black Bill Clinton."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
franglosaxon: "It's change from the last 8 years, you lug nut. Byron York, you are a conservative shill and the American people have massively rejected your brand of politics, your ideology, and your ideas (as few as you have). Clinton left office with a surplus; after 8 years of republicans in power, during six of which were they had total control of the government, we are left mired in financial misery with a $1 trillion dollar deficit. Why don't you take your NRO cruise with K-Lo and shut your stupid mouth for a while? Why do you think anyone listens to what you have to say when you have been wretchedly, utterly wrong about everything for going on a decade? Shut up!"POSTED Nov 23, 2008
MarkJ: "1st Official AgitProp Slogan of the Obama Administration: "Forward...to the past." 2nd Official AgitProp Slogan of the Obama Administration: "Change: Who said anything about change?" If Obama's selection process was turned into a movie, it'd be called: "Clinton III: The Return of Bubba.""POSTED Nov 23, 2008
Anarchus: "The rumored appointment of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State is the one that's beyond strange to me. Since Bill Clinton's hired himself out to billionaires around the globe, with Hillary as Secretary of State the Obama Administration is guaranteed a string of scandals with her at State. Makes no sense to me if starting off fast with a clean slate is the objective."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
The Ghost of Bill Buckley: "To Reggie -- You're absolutely right. Chris Buckley offered his resignation -- after the wing-nuts at the National Review threatened to put his severed head on a stake and parade through the village with their pitchforks and clubs screaming treason."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
The Ghost of Bill Buckley: "To Reggie -- You're absolutely right. Chris Buckley offered his resignation -- after the wing-nuts at the National Review threatened to put his severed head on a stake and parade through the village with their pitchforks and clubs screaming treason."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
The Ghost of Bill Buckley: "To Reggie -- You're absolutely right. Chris Buckley offered his resignation -- after the wing-nuts at the National Review threatened to put his severed head on a stake and parade through the village with their pitchforks and clubs screaming treason."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
AlanR: "I have a question for Eric Holder. Was anyone punished, sanctioned, disaplined or even mildly inconvenienced for the complete mismanagement and bungling of the Branch Davidian tragedy? And as a follow up, did anyone get reprimanded for lying about the use of incindiary tear gas for two years? Marc Rich got pardoned but no one got killed."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
AlanR: "I have a question for Eric Holder. Was anyone punished, sanctioned, disaplined or even mildly inconvenienced for the complete mismanagement and bungling of the Branch Davidian tragedy? And as a follow up, did anyone get reprimanded for lying about the use of incindiary tear gas for two years? Marc Rich got pardoned but no one got killed."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
Cantormania: "Nothing's changed. When you read the comments on opinon threads, you get the same shrill invective & ad hominem from the leftists, and the usual common-sense realism from the conservatives. Change will come when objective truth returns to fashion."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
dd: "Look guys, it is time to get over your political OCD. Time to start looking at the world the way it actually is. There can be disagreement on this, but certainty, from inviolable political orientation, has to end. You know it, don't ya?"POSTED Nov 23, 2008
: "throughout the campaign the post turtle constantly invoked mccain as "bush III." he never mentioned that he was going to be "clinton III." i guess i wouldn't want to run on that slogan either. i hope i'm wrong, but i think the post turtle is going to be disasterous for the country."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
PanSkeptic: "Well, it'll be different from the thieving, bullying, incompetent scofflaws who've been stinking out the White House for the last 8 years. And that's obviously the difference the American people want."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
Bjorn: "Although I'm further left than most of the people on this board, I think Byron York raises legitimate points that people on the left should consider. I'm glad to see conservatives like him holding Obama's feet to the fire; a strong opposition is needed to keep the party in power honest. That's why it's silly to accuse York of only pointing out when Democrats are involved in scandals - he's in the opposition now, and it's natural and good for the opposition to focus on the missteps of the powerful. Do you trust the Democrats to do it themselves? Of course, it would be even better if York criticized both sides equally, but there is also value in partisanship, intelligently and forcefully argued. In fact, you could argue it's foundational to our democratic system."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
knuckledragging neanderthal: "franglosaxon said: "the American people have massively rejected your brand of politics, your ideology, and your ideas ..." since conservatives have been sent to the dustbin of history, and are irrelevant, then why are you posting? conservatism is dead, no. so why the rage mr/mrs bolshevik? btw, i'm certain that if a mass of tissue like you could have their way you would see to it that conservatives would be silenced, if not the final solution. happy raging!"POSTED Nov 23, 2008
Illinois GOP: "The Mark Rich affair was the low point of end of the Clinton Presidency. It would not be surprising if the Rich's donated to the library (we still don't have that list). And perhaps Mrs. Rich visited the Oval Office for additional persuasion, the ex-president was always open to any approach by a woman. The problem with Obama is he is too new to have any "guys" (non-gender on "guys"). The only Dems he could recruit are the Clintonites, showing not much has happened in that party since Clinton. On the other hand, we also need to remember Bush reached back to his Dad's guys: Rummy, Colin, Condi, Baker. I think where this hurts the one is that he was the candidate of change and he's not going to be able show it early in his administration. It points to the need to continue to build the bench. Nothing wrong with throuwing out the bums every now and then."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
JCIll: "Any scandal in the Bush administration would be just a fig newton in the imagination of a left-wing zealot's inferior brain. Clinton is a sleazebag, and Bush, although he made a mistake or two, is sincere and always did what he thought was right for the country. I predict the Obama administration will be as scandal prone as the Clinton administration was."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
: "No, we haven't changed yet. But you have to be very obtuse to assume that the handover in leadership from the discredited Bush administration to Obama won't be a major change 60 days from now. Of course, readers of the National Review might not like the changes that will inevitably come then."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
JB: "For the Obamabots on this board, understand this: Mr. York is criticizing the next president of the United States for breaking his own word. He said he wanted to chart a new course, and that it would require new players and new ideas to get better results. So what does he do? He goes out and brings in the old players from the Clinton administration who no doubt still cling to their old ideas. And you are going to tell us that they will get new and better results? I'll bet the majority of moderates voting for Obama didn't think they were actually voting for Bill Clinton again. But in practice, it appears that's what we are getting. And THAT is what Mr. York and others are criticizing."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
DEH: "You can just keep the change...."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
ThPaine: "The no name post is wrong. I, and more than a few others, are happy Mr Obama will become our president in January. I am happy the left will control the house. i fervently hope the final two open senate races fall to the left so they have a true 60 votes in the senate. Then, please, do whatever pleases you most, do what you decide is best, do what you really want to do for the next two years. Then the American people will decide (if there is anything remaining upright, that is)."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
ThPaine: "The no name post is wrong. I, and more than a few others, are happy Mr Obama will become our president in January. I am happy the left will control the house. i fervently hope the final two open senate races fall to the left so they have a true 60 votes in the senate. Then, please, do whatever pleases you most, do what you decide is best, do what you really want to do for the next two years. Then the American people will decide (if there is anything remaining upright, that is)."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
ZsaZsa Romaanchaavola: "Me is happy that Obama is sticking to the old ways. The old ways are fine by me, and this change is done because Obama is black and he looks like a changed man too."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
Il Professore: "And what about the FALN pardon?"POSTED Nov 23, 2008
ottovbvs: "Byron York is a far right wing shill who publishes all kinds of nonsense at the National Review. Basically he has no interest in competent governance in the public good, he's spent the last eight years telling us how wonderful GWB was, now his agenda is to attack the Obama administration before it's even taken office and the current Republican administration flounders to its death while the economy collapses. Disregard whatever he says. It's not worth the proverbial pitcher of warm spit."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
RA: "I love this. Obama, an empty suit to all who avoided his Kool Aid, is ineptly defended by those who drank his Kool Aid with school yard rhetoric amounting to, "I know you are but am I?" Obama offered no substance in the campaign and now produces a return of the Clinton-istas who will take us back to the future. For the neophites supporting Obama they will consider this "change"."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
YouMissed: "You use an Obama quote to close but don't address it fully. It will be a gamble. It will be the same Washington players. Don't expect it to be the same game."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
dominic zalubian: "your such a cutesy pie"POSTED Nov 23, 2008
kim: "Keep thinking and writing this way. At least we hope you do. And the Repubs will experience tsunami #3 in 2010."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
Bubba: "Why should Byron write about Republican's the MSM takes care of that. I can't wait for the drama to begin"POSTED Nov 23, 2008
Mike S.: "Let's see. Under Clinton we had 8 years of solid economic growth, 22 million new jobs, a stock market that climbed by over 12% per year and a budget surplus. Under the last 8 years of Republican government we have weak economic growth, a nasty recession, soaring unemployment, a stock market below the level of 2000 and a $500 billion budget deficit with doubling of the national debt to $10 trillion. I will gladly take Clinton veterans in the new Obama administration."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
PaleoCon: "Here's a thought. The folks traveling in 3rd Class on the Titanic probably wanted "change". That's why they got on the ship in the first place. I guess you could consider drowning as "change". I didn't vote for Obama but I pray for his sucess. I would just prefer that he be more specific about what he means when he talks about "change" because not all change is good."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
toldyouso: "Why the surprise? Didn't everyone know the change he was talking about was the chance to implement the age-old, liberal/socialist agenda for the first time, without Republican obstruction? Sooooo naive ................"POSTED Nov 23, 2008
Nathan: "I'm fairly conservative, and I think what happened to Elian Gonzalez was both tragedy and a travesty. If Holder made policy in that case, then by all means lets air it out at his confirmation. However, I see little reason to be up in arms over Marc Rich's pardon. Rich was indicted for tax fraud and trading with Iran during the '80s. Opinions are divided over whether his firms accounting practices were legal, and the Prime Minister of Israel made calls on his behalf, so I have a hard time believing whatever he did in Iran was all that terrible. That's not to say I would have pardoned Rich myself, or appointed Holder to the cabinet, but is this really the kind of nomination where conservatives should pick a fight? Let's face facts: Clinton appointees are mostly from the more moderate and experienced side of the Democratic party. I'm glad to see Obama including them, vague campaign rhetoric about "change" be darned, if the alternative is letting the Kos kids pick a cabinet."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
Bitter Scribe: "It was such fun to watch the family-first, family-friendly conservatives stand on their heads to explain why a little boy should be forcibly kept from his father. I guess this Byron York hasn't had enough fun."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
Bitter Scribe: "It was such fun to watch the family-first, family-friendly conservatives stand on their heads to explain why a little boy should be forcibly kept from his father. I guess this Byron York hasn't had enough fun."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
CJ: "Bah Humbug - we have a bright energetic man with obvious skills. He looks to be picking a very solid team - moderate and left leaning. You claim he's a sociialist before the election, and now he's more of the same. Your just looking for something to criticize. If you want scandal and corruption, look at the most corrupt administration, and probably the most ineffectual we've ever, ever had; the last 8 years of Bush!"POSTED Nov 23, 2008
Less Spleen, Thanks: "Chris Buckley was fired for endorsing the most liberal Presidential candidate of all time and calling himself a conservative. He had written plenty of favorable pieces, but a formal endorsement is a betrayal of the National Review's principles."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
Derek: "I think the first comment says it all. Maybe if conservative media was a little more self critical, you wouldn't be witnessing the banishment of the Republican party. I think the real shocker though will be the realization of the reduced power conservative media has on the younger generation. This is the blogging generation. We don't need to get our facts from pundits, we ARE the pundits. So write about all the scandals you want. This time people will care just as much as they cared about Ayers or Wright or Khalidi or ACORN or Socialism or whatever boogieman that you tried to scare up."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
tony smith: "As much as I think the "change" talk was just talk -- Elian Gonzales is not a hook to hang this critique. Courts have cleared the DOJ of wrongdoing in the affair. The issue of child custody is governed by federal law. It clearly states that child custody decisions are to made in the venue where the child has the most significant contacts. That was not Miami, but Cuba. The family and the media turned the event into a circus. The family vowed not to return the child peacefully. Well, they got what they sought. Advice: stop covering "scandal" and do solid coverage of things that really matter."POSTED Nov 23, 2008
mad mike: "I've changed. I'm tired of thinking that smartass writers like Byron York may be worth reading."POSTED Nov 24, 2008
paul johnson: "well for starters we have a new president. oh but the president doesn't actually decide anything or make any real decisions. good thing you ignored that."POSTED Nov 24, 2008
Godah Helle: "I guess all the intelligent conservative commentators have hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday already. BOTH of them. Maybe the rest of you were expecting Obama to appoint Bill Ayers or something? Regardless, your opinions are irrelevant and if Obama wasn't actually "changing" anything, then you would not be b!tch!n' so hard. I mean which is it, he's not changing anything, or all that change is just change for the worse? Make up your d@mn minds, you geniuses."POSTED Nov 24, 2008
Nathan: "I love you Byron York, but two typos should not sit well with NR."POSTED Nov 24, 2008
Nathan: "I love you Byron York, but two typos should not sit well with NR."POSTED Nov 24, 2008
fred nolte: "Change IS coming, and it is coming in the form of competence. That is something that has been sorely lacking for at least the last eight years. Your folks (The Republicans), have had control of government for the last eight years, six of the years with complete and unfettered control. It has been, by any yardstick you wish to use, a complete and dismal failure. It is time to give the other team a chance with the ball, and see what they can do. It sure can't be any worse!"POSTED Nov 24, 2008
Cogs: "I just listened to the presumed president-elect give a press conference. He couldn’t even answer the simplest question from a reporter. He launched into a campaign pitch and avoided any answer. He could get away with that during the campaign and he’ll have a honeymoon, for awhile, but soon even the MSM will realize that they look like fools at their jobs. The Obama B.S. Express won’t run forever. People will begin to expect answers; he’ll need to find some."POSTED Nov 24, 2008
Cogs: "I just listened to the presumed president-elect give a press conference. He couldn’t even answer the simplest question from a reporter. He launched into a campaign pitch and avoided any answer. He could get away with that during the campaign and he’ll have a honeymoon, for awhile, but soon even the MSM will realize that they look like fools at their jobs. The Obama B.S. Express won’t run forever. People will begin to expect answers; he’ll need to find some."POSTED Nov 24, 2008
New Republic Doesn't Even Know What Conservative Means: "To Less Spleen -- The joke is that George Bush was ever considered a "conservative." Tell that to Everett Dirksen or Barry Goldwater. The New Republic has zero credibility. To describe Obama as the most liberal pres. candidate ever is just stupid since Obama will govern as a centrist. But if he were in fact "the most liberal ever," you'll have to admit that most Americans and many "red states" like Virginia, NC, Colorado, want to have the most liberal candidate ever as their President."POSTED Nov 24, 2008
LiberalPercy: "So - it exhausts you, poor baby, to think back on all the made-up scandals you hyped during the Clinton years. It's tough work to create fiction the way you have managed to do since the days of Saint Ronnie of Raygun's phony Cadillac welfare queens. You all finally stole your way to power in 2000. Blew through $Trillions in debt, blew up our international reputation as good guys, blew up the financial markets and got a good start on destroying the world's economy. Heck of a job, Georgie. Now you're whining about Obama picking some of the people who actually know how to run things. I feel sorry for you and that dark, twisted world you insist on inhabiting."