Holder Was Aware of Clinton-Era Renditions

A quick trip around Hannity's America...

Investigating Holder

As Eric Holder decides whether or not to prosecute former Bush officials, he now finds himself facing some tough questions of his own.

Thursday, Senate Republicans questioned Holder on whether or not he was aware renditions were used during his tenure as Bill Clinton's deputy attorney general. Renditions is a practice used by the CIA to transport prisoners to other countries that some say sanction torture.

So did Eric Holder in his previous role have knowledge that torture was taking place?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SENATOR RICHARD SHELBY, R-ALA.: During your tenure as the deputy attorney general of the United States — '97 to 2001 — did you know about these renditions?

U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER: Yes. No, I'd have to look back. I don't know the exact numbers that Senator Alexander...

SHELBY: No. Did you know about them? I didn't say how many.

HOLDER: I certainly know that generally that there were renditions that were occurring. I can't honestly say that I knew about specific interrogation techniques that were being used at that time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Senator Lamar Alexander also questioned Mr. Holder on this subject and essentially put him on notice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SENATOR LAMAR ALEXANDER, R-TENN.: But I think you can see the line of my inquiry which is if we're going to ask lawyers who were asked to give legal opinions — we're going to investigate them, jeopardize their careers, second-guess them, look back. Then where does that stop?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

The attorney general said he plans to get back to the committee with exactly what he knew about Clinton-era renditions. I'm not sure how he plans to disown the practice, considering President Obama himself has continued to authorize its use.

Sound the Alarm

The secretary of Homeland Security is enjoying her final moments in the spotlight as the severity of the H1N1 flu virus continues to decline throughout the U.S. Thursday she made one last ditch effort to sound the alarm on the situation.

Secretary Napolitano, welcome to Liberal Translation:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY JANET NAPOLITANO: Good afternoon. Let me begin by saying...

LIBERAL TRANSLATION: I can't believe I still have a job.

NAPOLITANO: ... that this is the last day we plan to hold a daily briefing on the H1N1 flu situation.

LIBERAL TRANSLATION: I think you'd all agree that we've panicked enough people by now.

NAPOLITANO: We will have briefings on an as-needed basis as new details warrant.

LIBERAL TRANSLATION: Or if we need to divert your attention from the real problems facing the nation.

NAPOLITANO: So today I want to talk about where we are.

LIBERAL TRANSLATION: Where are we again?

NAPOLITANO: And then where we are going.

LIBERAL TRANSLATION: I'm going to start to check out the job listings.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Well, Madam Secretary, until the next so-called crisis, I bid you farewell!

Funky Fundraising

Politicians frequently demonize the opposition to raise campaign money, but leave it to Congressman Barney Frank to find a new and innovative way to use his conservative opposition to fill his coffers.

According to Frank, giving him money will put conservatives — including little old me — in a bad mood! In a fundraising e-mail message, Frank said, "Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Dick Cheney and Sean Hannity. I can promise you that contributing to me will put them in an even worse mood than they usually are."

What a great motivator for all your contributors, Congressman Frank! And by the way I'm only in a bad mood when I hear you talking.

Out With the Old!

Howard Dean isn't a much sought after commentator these days, but that doesn't mean there isn't an NBC channel somewhere that won't have him. Dean made an appearance Thursday on CNBC's "Power Lunch" program, and told the audience that, as far as he's concerned, this nation has had enough capitalism:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RADIO TALK SHOW HOST JASON LEWIS: I think the vast majority of Americans are tired of substituting bailouts for bankruptcy. They understand the politicians invest for a political return and not an economic return. That's the difference between politicians and capitalists and we need to get a little bit more capitalism back in the economy.

DNC CHAIRMAN HOWARD DEAN: I think we had quite enough capitalism in the last eight years. I think we need some regulation now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Right. Capitalism is so passé! You know something, Howard, I think we've had enough of you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEAN: Not only are we going to New Hampshire, Tom Harkin, we're going to South Carolina and Oklahoma and Arizona and North Dakota and New Mexico, and we're going to California and Texas and New York, and we're going to South Dakota and Oregon and Washington and Michigan, and then we're going to Washington, D.C. to take back the White House! Yeah!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Yeah!

I don't know about you, but I'm not taking that guy's advice on the economy, or anything else for that matter.

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