August 30, 2007
Asa for AG (Karen Hanretty)
It’s never too late to start doing the right thing. And so it goes that President Bush still has time to do right by our system of justice and appoint as U.S. Attorney General the man he should have appointed when he chose loyalty to an old friend, Alberto Gonzales, over competency and substance. The right man for the job of America’s Top Cop is Asa Hutchinson — the former congressman from Arkansas who served on the Judiciary and Intelligence committees.
Republicans and Democrats in Congress have indicated they want someone at DoJ they can trust and work with, and Hutchinson has a sterling reputation on both sides of the aisle.
Even as one of 13 members of the House to serve as an impeachment manager in 1998, Hutchinson was one of the few who survived with his reputation intact — many would say, enhanced. So much so that a partisan like Congressman John Conyers personally testified in support of Hutchinson’s appointment at DEA.
Lest you think, as did I, that there’s at least one U.S. Senator — Hillary Clinton — not likely to vote for Hutchinson’s confirmation, it’s important to note that she twice voted in favor of confirming Hutchinson to positions in the Bush administration. Senator Clinton voted to confirm Hutchinson as Undersecretary of Border and Transportation Security at DHS and as DEA administrator. Including his appointment as U.S. attorney, Hutchinson has been confirmed by the Senate a total of three times. There’s little reason to suspect they wouldn’t confirm him a fourth time.
In 2005, David Broder wrote that Asa Hutchinson was just the kind of levelheaded, non-partisan and experienced person the administration should nominate to the Supreme Court.
“The high esteem in which former Rep. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas is held by his colleagues was demonstrated by the 98-1 Senate vote confirming him last month as the new director of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Even more telling was the fact that Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, the senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee and an ardent opponent of the impeachment of President Clinton, appeared at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to praise Hutchinson, who had been one of the Republican House managers presenting the case against Clinton to the full Senate. In his 4 1/2 years in the House, Hutchinson, a former U.S. attorney, earned an estimable reputation as a thoughtful conservative and, as liberals like Conyers and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont affirmed, as a fair-minded advocate.”
There you have it. A man even Senator Leahy deems a fair-minded advocate. America couldn’t ask for a better U.S. attorney general than Asa Hutchinson. It’s never too late to do the right thing.
17 Comments
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How I wish the President would appoint Asa Hutchinson! Alas, I won't be surprised to see him stubbornly appoint some personal friend he wants to do a favor for.
Comment by Henny — August 30, 2007 @ 2:16 pm
Asa Hutchinson has been ridiculously spineless on illegal immigration.
Comment by Reader — August 30, 2007 @ 6:40 pm
Harry, Bush appoint a friend? Nah? Surely he would never…………
Comment by Chris in NM — August 30, 2007 @ 7:06 pm
Tell me more about Asa Hutchison's positions on immigration, particularly illegal immigration.
I will only support or vote for someone who understands NO AMNESTY FOR ILLEGALS.
Comment by Jacqueline O'Connor — August 30, 2007 @ 9:21 pm
Tom Tancredo for AG!
Comment by Cheryl O — August 31, 2007 @ 7:23 am
That would be a good selection Cheryl. Gonzales was no ass kicker and in fact, did everything he could to stop prosecution and investigations in this area. Gonzales should have been fired long ago. Bush is not a good judge of character.
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — August 31, 2007 @ 4:15 pm
Hi Robert, I agree that the Bush Team has been a disater.
The main reason is that Bush chooses loyalty first, and competence second. That formula has not served The People well.
The nightmare continues, in that- as of Saturday, Mexican Truckers shall gain entrance over the border and into the county to deliver their goods to the final destination.
With open borders, there is a risk, and this "pilot program" just exacerbates those risks: more drugs, more illegal immigrants, terrorists, etc.
The North American Union seems to be a work in progress?
Comment by Cheryl O — August 31, 2007 @ 11:12 pm
Asa Hutchinson is just another crony, Karen dear.
Try again
Comment by Chris Calbi — September 1, 2007 @ 10:28 am
Soft on immigration? Are you going to pick my tomatoes? Wake up fellow conservatives– we need immigrants to do the work you won't and we need a practical leader like Asa.
Comment by aml — September 2, 2007 @ 2:19 pm
If Asa gets appointed AG, can he try and re-impeach Bill Clinton? A mulligan?
Comment by Lester — September 3, 2007 @ 12:25 am
Ami, why can't we use technology and pick your tomatoes with robots?
Comment by Cheryl O — September 4, 2007 @ 12:26 pm
Cheryl, anybody who calls themselves a "conservative" and who doesn't believe that the free market will take care of such a serious problem as the lack of tomato pickers, is deluded about being a conservative.
Comment by Igor R. — September 4, 2007 @ 4:32 pm
Hi Igor, today Democrats have called for the expansion of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's portfolios. Their subprime lending are bundled into securities and guaranteed (principal with interest) by government. Read that (taxpayer dollars).
Further, this is a re-run of- and part of the reason that the mortgage/housing market is in trouble today.
People should buy a home when they can afford to do so. They should not buy a home because they wnat one, or our Congress believes that everyone in America should have one.
I want my own airplane, Congress, how can Fannie and Freddie help? Crazy!
Comment by Cheryl O — September 5, 2007 @ 8:14 pm
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WHERE IS KAREN HANRETTY?!?!? COME BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Reader — October 12, 2007 @ 7:06 pm
Cheryl, we already have most of our tomatoes picked by machines. They are bred to be tough-skinned and not juicy - successfully. They have no taste and not much nutrition, either. Get informed before you comment.
Comment by Anne Ewing — October 25, 2007 @ 9:02 am
CATFIGHT!!!
Comment by Reader — October 26, 2007 @ 8:54 am
Anne, if you don't like the tomatoes that are picked by machines, then grow your own.
I have no taste for illegal aliens that are killing 10,000 innocent Americans annually.
America cannot assimilate 12-20 unskilled illegals to serve your nutritional needs.
Sometimes, Anne, you have to put the common good before your selfish individual preferences.
Take care.
Comment by Cheryl O — October 30, 2007 @ 9:37 pm