Does Obama Really Want Voters to Remember Marc Rich?

When Bill Clinton gave an out-the-White House-door pardon on January 20, 2001 to Marc Rich, the fugitive from American justice, the former president mired himself in scandal, became a pariah and a prisoner in his Chappaqua house -- Hillary quickly left for Washington and her new job in the Senate and Bill was not welcome in what's routinely called "Hillary's House" on Embassy Row because her aides did not want her soiled with Bill's latest mess.

Had Hillary been the Democrats' nominee, and if she becomes Barack Obama's running mate, billionaire commodities trader Marc Rich, accused of trading with the enemy, who remains in Switzerland, will surely raise his battered head.

So why did Barack Obama, the freshly-minted nominee, want to appoint to his vice presidential search team, Eric Holder? Holder was Janet Reno's deputy in the Clinton Justice Department who was in position to become Al Gore's Attorney General -- the first African American to hold that position -- were Gore to have taken the Oval Office in 2001.

I wrote extensively about the toxic Marc Rich pardon in my recently published book, Clinton in Exile: A President Out of the White House. I interviewed the main player, Rich's attorney Jack Quinn, a former chief of staff to Vice President Gore and White House counsel to Bill Clinton. Quinn was retained by Rich to persuade Clinton to grant the pardon.

I also interviewed Holder, then in private law practice, who saw his chance to make history dashed when the Supreme Court gave the White House to George W. Bush. But even had Gore won, Holder, who, with Quinn, was hauled before a congressional committee, would likely never have won senate confirmation, so smelly was the Rich Pardon. Republicans and some Democrats were blasting Holder for, they charged, helping or at least not hindering Quinn in his quest to win the pardon for his client. According to this plot line, Quinn had influence with his friend Al Gore to make sure the Attorney General appointment went to Holder. Holder's critics charged but never proved -- and Holder vehemently denied all of it -- that Holder somehow helped to keep the Rich pardon petition out of the Justice Department where attorneys, presumably especially the pardon attorney, would have advised the President strongly against granting it.

I have also blogged recently about another member of the three-member advisory board -- party insider Jim Johnson.

The gist of it is that Johnson, a former CEO of the scandal-plagued Fannie Mae, was also the man who vetted, if not actually selected, two vice presidential losers: Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 for Walter Mondale; the ticket was hobbled by questions about the financial deals of Ferraro's husband. (Mondale/Ferraro lost 49 states including Ferraro's home state of New York and even her congressional district). Johnson's next time in that role was for John Kerrey in 2004; the selection of John Edwards, many have written, was not a good fit; Edwards failed to carry his home state of North Carolina.

And then there's the third member, Caroline Kennedy. She seems more a symbolic, sentimental choice than a hard-nosed political choice. When her father made the difficult decision to put Lyndon Johnson on his ticket -- JFK and his brother Bobby couldn't bear LBJ--she was just a little girl. One thing is certain though; unlike Dick Cheney who played the role for "W" and suggested himself, Caroline Kennedy has no interest in the job.

Comments

[QueenTiye]

I don't get the point of this post. What are we supposed to take from it? Vice presidents practically never carry their home states - picking them for that purpose is essentially a waste of time. Vice Presidents are picked to amplify the candidate's message effectively (a la Dick Cheney, who made us believe that George Bush's ideas would be properly guided by a grownup!) The vice presidential candidates are not to blame for the losses of the presidential candidates - people elect the president, NOT the vice president. A successful vp makes the candidate look good.

I'm actually happy that (a) there IS a process, and (b) that Carolyn is in on it. She made an emotional connection in her endorsement of Obama - I'm looking for her to vet vp candidates on those same characteristics. Who does she believe in? Who makes her believe that the Obama train is going to carry us "home"? When she gives her stamp of approval to a properly vetted candidate, I'm expecting to feel really good about the ticket. And of course, a woman as part of the vetting team hopefully ensures that sexist pigs don't get on the ticket, a heartbeat away from the presidency­....

Yes, its true that party insiders have baggage. But then again, does that mean they don't have value? A balance has to be struck - we need the insiders to get on board with the new direction, but we need them...

QT

[truthynesslover]

Absolutely!! When the clinton supportors forget the near past its time to remind them what kind of crap we all had to live through !!!

[momorune]

Yeah just because what others have done is worse, is no reason to give Obama a pass on this. He needs to be held to his word - and held answerable! I support Obama with all my heart, but by god if he tries to fiddle with us he should be called out. We should not put up with this kind of crap any more, from any one.

That said, this topic needs more investigation. Did anyone control Bubba before, during or after his White House days? That's what I thought. It's possible Holder is being scapegoated. Besides this committee sounds like a front - send all the hopefuls to a committee so that BO is free to fight McCain instead of messing with more Dem infighting. I bet in the end B. makes his own decision that he was going to make anyway.

[DietrichMoody]

A pass? Investigated? This sounds more like a Dick Morris, former Clinton advisor, move. Which he coincidently mentioned on Fox News. Sorry disagree. Obama is having enough time distancing himself from Hillary Clinton and all their associations. The MSM (Main Stream Media) has enough time distancing themselves from the Clinton Era. Even Morris, can't distance himself from the Clinton's . But now its Obama's problem, because of Holder.

But one would think the Nexus for remembering Marc Rich, lays in the minds of the voters, via Senator Hillary Clinton and her husband President Bill Clinton. Remember it was Marc Rich's internationally connected friends that more than likely PRESSURED ERIC HOLDER, and or JANET RENO. Who brought this BS issue up, Rudy Guiliani. Read the following if your interested to address posts like these:
http://www.counterpunch.org/stclair05292008.html

[DietrichMoody]

As far as I know, Former Asst. Attorney General Eric Holder still has his Bar License to practice law. So he didn't do anything illegal, unethical to get him disbarred.


I don't think Marc Rich is the HOT ISSUE, post 9/11. We need to keep our eye on the ball and stop revisiting the 1990's. Where's Bin Laden? What's happening in Iraq? Are we going to bomb Iran? Why are terrorist in Pakistan and Afghanistan not in jail? Why is Al Queda recruiting? Who is taking care of the soldiers with handicapps and PTSD coming back from War.


The VP Selecting Committee, whom Karl Rove called Obama's celebrity panel, is political team. As far as I know nobody in Obama's VP Selectioin Committee has done anything illegal: they never waged an illegal war, they never misled the public, they never outed a CIA spy, the never got a governor thrown in Prison, they never lied to Congress, they never obstructed evidence. Is this the best the Republicans are going to throw at Obama while this Country is facing major choices and issues at this moment. I could see this Arguement in the 1990's but we are in a Age of Terror, and we have Government officials that are abusing our Constitutional Rights. I do hope these Republicans bring it on.

[RabidRightRebel]

A pardon for Rich is nothing compared to the free pass Bush has given Blackwater. Somehow slaughtering innocent people should rank above financial crimes even in Republican circles.

[SeriousBlack]

And not to even mention Bush giving someone who committed freakin' treason a get out of jail free card (Libby).

[fedupcitizen]

I think Caroline Kennedy is a great choice...t­he candidates will have to share the most intimate details of their lives including family, friends and associates.

That information has to interviewed by someone who understands everything that involves.

Also there has to be trust from the candidates the information will be given to a team of people who will keep it in the strictest confidence.

Caroline is shrewd, private and unyielding and I also think it is imperative to have a woman involved in the selection. Who knows better that Caroline what being in a political family involves? Who knows better than Caroline what the intimate questions should be?

Certainly in all the tragedy and family sagas she has remained the one Kennedy who has lived a private existence without negative conduct.

[hopeless277]

I think the VP slot has been reserved for someone who can pass the vetting process. Bill would definately NOT. He'll just go on accepting huge checks from Arab nations and Russian oil barons.

[SeriousBlack]

"... Caroline Kennedy. She seems more a symbolic, sentimental choice than a hard-nosed political choice."

I wouldn't underestimate Caroline. Sometimes it's the relatively quiet ones that have the most strength. Witness Barack Obama.

[ikology]

how hypocritical is it for so many Obama supporters to say that Hillary should be disqualified from ever holding office because of her last name, being so "establishment" and how it would turn into a "dynasty"

yet somehow Carroline KENNEDY would be any different? talk about ESTABLISHMENT, talk about OLD POLITICS, talk about DYNASTY. Geez, HOW many of the Kennedy brothers ran for President based on their last name? How many Kennedy's hold some kind of political office now?

But even just TWO Clintons is somehow nepotism and elitism and a dynasty and corrupt and too much for people to handle?

nice double standard.

[k8eeyore]

Well, for one thing, Caroline Kennedy isn't running for or being appointed to any office; she's just on the VP search team. Other than that, I agree with you -- I'm not thrilled about Kennedys getting elected just because of who they're related to either.

[SeriousBlack]

ummmm... Take off your sore loser blinders.

If you read the context of the statement that I quoted, it was about Caroline Kennedy's CHOICE AS AN ADVISOR ***ABOUT*** THE VP SELECTION.

NOT her BEING VP.

Got it?

[5thGenDem]

Obama probably doesn't want want Mark Rich remembered - and he probably doesn't appreciate your reminding us.

[Moose49]

Yet another in a long list of reasons why Hillary does not belong on the ticket. Fully vetted indeed! Plus, Bill's post-presidential dealings would make the controversy that erupted over John Zaccaro's dealings in '84 look like a tea party.

[Massconfusion]

I'm not sure that Obama wanted to remind people of Marc Rich but apparently YOU did!

[truthynesslover]

And the pardon of the two weather underground members who murdered a cop!!Thats a little worse than sitting at a board meeting with one who was never convicted of anything is,and he was just a kid when it happened!