Anybody watching the rerun of the Mukasey hearing on cspan2?

[napi21]

I hate being such a pessimist, but this guy sounds too good to be true! If he's really telling the truth, why in God's name did Shrub nominate him?

I'm listening to Schumer questioning him right now, and he's not hedging, and sounds, well...just too good!

[gateley]

1. Snap out of it! nt

[napi21]

3. Snap out of what? I'm no dreamer! I just instantly mistrust any of

Shrub's nominees. To be fair, all you can go by is what the guy says and what little history we might know. I can't ask the Dems not to confirm him because he's a Shrub nominee, now can I?

[gateley]

8. I started watching after reading your post, and I agree he's sounding pretty

good. I just caught some of it (between your first post and now) and it seems as though both the Dems and Reps are liking his answers.

I had to turn it off when Lindsey Graham's turn came up.

[Lucinda]

2. Well he was suggested to junior by the Dems

and he's not an administration insider at all...so we're several steps ahead before he even opened his mouth to speak.

I forgot this was airing tonight. I saw his introductory remarks right after the Dalai Lama coverage earlier today. Gonna go see if I can find it on the tele...thanks for mentioning it!

[robinlynne]

6. He was not suggested by the dems. That is a newspaper lie.

The dems are "walking him into the office" and blah blah. They made a deal saying they would support him if Bush would hand over some documents,and they are supporting. But the press turned it into suggested by the dems? nope. not true.

[Lucinda]

9. Interesting...Everything i've heard and read is to the contrary

Any links? I'd like to follow up...

[cali]

12. Don't hold your breath. n/t

[cali]

11. No, you're wrong. In fact, Mukasey

was on a list of 4 judges that Schumer sent to bushco a couple of years ago as comprimise candidates for SCOTUS, and he came right out and said that he'd suggested him to bushco for AG. Now who am I gonna believe, you or Schumer.

You're just pulling this stuff out of thin air or off some website somewhere. Again, I HEARD Schumer himself.

Stop making stuff up. It's not helpful.

[Lucinda]

13. Yep. Shumer is what I heard as well...

Thanks for the clarification. Thought I was losing it there for a second. :)

[MADem]

14. Well, I heard Schumer say that he'd put the guy on a few lists that went to the White

House. I'd say that's being "rec'd by the Dems." Are you saying all this is fiction?
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-mukasey16oct16,1,2942527.story

Mukasey probably can count on one influential vote: Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), one of those who originally suggested Mukasey to the White House. Such bipartisan support, especially from a regular critic of the administration, means that Mukasey's confirmation appears likely....As a federal judge whose chambers weren't far from the former site of the World Trade Center, Mukasey gave civil liberties advocates reason for worry with his use of the "material witness" statute to detain Muslim men without charges after the Sept. 11 attacks.

But he also defied the Bush administration in ruling that terror suspect Jose Padilla deserved access to lawyers when his case came to Mukasey's court.

But by and large, Democrats expect Mukasey to take a tough stand on terrorism issues and won't reject him for that.

The key is whether he embraces the broader view of executive power advanced by many within the White House, said Mark Heilbrun, former chief counsel to the Judiciary Committee when Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) was chairman.

[robinlynne]

15. ok, if three people confirm that, I must be wrong.

[cali]

4. eh, he's not so great- at all

but, he's better than the alternative:

Peter Keisler, ace criminal and BFEE toady.

8 things you need to know about Peter Keisler:


Keisler was a co-founder of the Federalist Society;

The Federalist Society was a check box in Goodling's evaluation of U. S. Attorneys;

Keisler oversaw the Administration's fight against habeas corpus for Guantanamo;

Keisler allegedly interfered with the Tobacco conspiracy trial;

Keisler received a recess appointment at age 24;

Keisler testified against extending whistle blower protections using arguments contradicting existing federal statutes;

Keisler defended secrecy for all Warrantless Surveillance info, arguing that even confirmation or denial of its existence threatens national security;

Keisler defended the Interior Department in Cobell v. Norton - a tour de force of legal maneuvering and alleged DOJ obstruction of justice.

http://scoop.epluribusmedia.org/story/2007/9/19/204313/...

I'm very leery of Mukasey but at least he is NOT a bushco insider and has shown some independence from the admin in the Padilla case when he ruled for Padilla. I was alarmed by many of his answers today and I thought the Senate Dems were all disappointing in their perfunctory questioning, BUT; I want Keisler out, and the sooner the better.

Letting him stay in as Acting AG, simply gives Keisler more time to add to damage he's undoubtedly done in the last month. It's not too hard to figure that he's been keeping the shredders at Justice occupied 24/7.
"the best lack all conviction, while the worst are filled with passionate intensity

[robinlynne]

5. There is nothing good about this man. nothing.

and he did not commit to doing anything good. only to "think about" or "consider".
In one case, a policeman in new york raped a policewoman. There was no denial about the rape. She was fired. And she was questioned for days. He was not questioned at all. She sued for descrimination. Judge Mukasey ruled against her. He defended it saying, what they did to her was wrong, but not illegal. Then she appealed and won. He went back and somehow overturned her appeals twice. (She won two appeals.) (don't remember, but it was horrifying to hear what he is capable of.)

and he is linked to one of the US torture cases.
be a pessimist. It is healthy in this case.

[cali]

7. Might I remind you of the Padilla case?

Not to mention that Nan Aaron thinks he should be confirmed. I trust you do know who Nan Aaron is.

The real point is that leaving Peter Keisler in power is miles more dangerous than confirming Mukasey.

Anyone who doesn't understand that- as most of the liberal legal experts do, just doesn't know enough.

[defendandprotect]

10. No -- but watched something of the JENA HEARINGS in repeat on C-span today . . ..