The White House on Friday wouldn’t reveal the timing of President Obama’s nomination to replacing outgoing Attorney General Eric Holder but argued that Republicans should quickly support the nominee, even if it comes before January.
Obama’s top spokesman pointed out that Democrats supported President George W. Bush’s nominee for defense secretary, Robert Gates, in the lame-duck session before Democrats were set to take the Senate back from Republicans in January 2007.
“There is a precedent for presidents making important Cabinet nominations and counting on Congress to confirm them promptly, even in the context of a lame-duck session, if necessary,” argued White House press secretary Josh Earnest.
Holder on Thursday announced that he would step down from the nation’s top law enforcement post once his successor is confirmed.
Republicans accused the White House of playing politics with the timing of the announcement, saying Obama was merely attempting to get an attorney general confirmed before Republicans possibly take control of the Senate in January.
Under new Senate rules, Obama’s nominees just have to obtain a majority of the vote, something that would be infinitely easier in a lame-duck session since Democrats would still control the upper chamber.
As for the person who will follow Holder, the White House remained mum on Friday. And officials insisted that Obama would find a qualified candidate, even though frontrunners, such as Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, have pulled their name from consideration.
“I’m confident that the individual the president nominates,” Earnest said, “will have all the skills and experience necessary to carry out the functions of the nation’s top law enforcement official very effectively.”
