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Holder a Lightning Rod for Republicans

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    Chris Stirewalt , Catherine Herridge discuss Eric Holder, failed Fast and Furious project

  • Duration 8:53
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This transcript is automatically generated

We'll tell well -- what's the difference.

Between lying and misleading congress.

In this context well it is if you wanna have this legal -- conversation at all has to do with -- state of mind and whether or not he had the requisite intent.

To come up with something that can be considered perjury or alive.

That was an exchange.

From -- house hearing on the operation fast and furious gun running staying with attorney general Eric Holder getting a little clintonian when asked about what it means to lied to congress and this is power play I'm Chris -- Internet and welcome to studio three here on a fantastic Friday.

In the Washington bureau of Fox News and is that are good fortune to have back with us Christie sets -- she's the president of new heights communications and she's the former.

I -- Press Secretary for vice president Al Gore.

All true she's going all of that and Ford O'Connell.

Former McCain Palin presidential campaign advisor and the chairman of civic -- -- we have.

Scour Washington and found to representative examples of the red team in the blue team they are you actually better than representative better than representative samples of the red and blue teams they are here to -- is up and tell us what the politicos are thinking.

And we are gonna talk about what Eric Holder means to Barack Obama's reelection bid we are gonna talk about how he plays with the left in the right in the political.

Back and forth on this subject.

And I can think of no one who will put this into a better context for us.

-- our own Catherine Herridge who attracts.

With great care the comings and goings of this Justice Department.

Catherine.

Give us the lay of the land here on -- -- Well money own opinion based in my reporting is that the longer Republicans attack your holder.

The more strengthens his position and the more staying power it seems to give him.

He has the confidence of the person who really matters most which is the president -- songs he has the president's confidence I don't see.

Really any circumstances under which he would offered his resignation.

What I actually find -- -- Is that when you look ahead holder's tenure over the last three years what you see is that he is really effectively carried the water on some very controversial issues.

-- for this White House whether it's been the closing -- the attempted closing of Guantanamo Bay.

It was just six weeks ago that the attorney general was in Europe -- he said they still plan to close -- -- by November 2012.

His insistence on civilian prosecutions for.

Terrorism suspects something that congress has tried to block inside the United States especially those picked up oversee -- And I have some homework I did just before it came I wish.

When I had thought because I love your show so much.

I did those sorts -- it.

I have the story right here.

Which conveniently is criticism all have to my glasses.

But what is says is -- -- one -- this was a Wednesday this week the Justice Department.

Sent a letter to local law enforcement Alabama saying that -- -- enforce the controversial immigration law you could risk losing a federal funding so this to me is -- Justice Department.

This trying to stay out of the limelight in fact I would completely agree with your assessment that he -- become.

A celebrity -- cabinet member and the more negative press he gets from the right the more he becomes the savior of the -- And this is something happened that were familiar with seeing sometimes in previous administrations press Donald Rumsfeld in the Bush Administration.

You stretching back to somebody like attorney general Ed Meese in the Reagan years.

That -- a person becomes a lightning rod intends to cause the home team to forget about any shortcomings and really focus on them as a hero right.

Yeah I like I would argue actually the longer that hold the remains in this position which I think will be through the next election.

The more it's helpful to President Obama and also the last I I would note and we discussed this earlier.

In the makeup room.

That I think it also has the effect of giving this -- Justice Department to pass also.

On what would have traditionally have been.

Lightning rod issues for the left and I'm talking specifically.

About the assassination of an American citizen in Yemen at the end of September.

There has been -- virtual silence from the left.

Over whether -- other legal memos that authorized the killing of a US citizen.

By the US government should be released.

And there's certainly been no call for their lawyers who -- those memos to be prosecuted for war crimes -- it should be disbarred and those protocols that were leveled against members of the Bush Administration Justice Department.

At the time of the CIA enhanced interrogation program.

Net dissident put this in stark relief on the one hand you had to Justice Department that authorized.

Extraordinary tactics for interrogation but all of those people for a national survived.

But then on the other hand you have a Justice Department attracted legal memos authorizing the killing of an American.

With no indictment against him at least that we know of so I think it's also -- them to get a pass on what would've normally been.

Real strong issues for the left to pursue.

The cast and you've made an excellent points I think you I think you are very very substantially right but I have to -- and one thing I've never been in the makeup room I don't know what you're talking malware are now well.

I don't know I am mad yeah I have this and.

-- globe wherever wherever I travel well I would never I would note that you spend about thirty seconds in the chair and I spend about thirty seconds.

Thirty seconds thirty minutes rather but I'll you know I know but I -- -- get -- thank -- idea that was a great point because sometimes that's what some of the best discussions happen maybe the -- -- In fact Garrett Catherine thank you very -- display that glaring and accuracy we thank.

Every great way to pass.

I think -- for okay Christie and forward.

Catherine lays out a lot of these legal issues and Eric Holder finds himself at the crossroads of all of these things.

Fighting back with Arizona and Alabama over illegal immigrants pushing back.

-- states that are trying to crack down on voter fraud.

Doing all of these things that really made him a celebrity.

Cabinet member and made him a real hero.

For a lot of Democrats who see him as the guy.

Conversely though he's become a real rallying point for Republicans over this fast and the serious stuff.

And a lot of the same things that Democrats like him for so let's let's explore this question Christie.

These days holder a net positive or net negative for Obama heading into the election cycle.

I'm going to say that he is not there because I can't think of a single person who's ever voted on.

For president or against a president based on one of his cabinet secretaries.

I just I don't.

I think I think you you only have to reach as far back as Donald Rumsfeld probably to find a cabinet secretary who has been there.

That it's not -- determining things that becomes a symbol.

Of larger complain or larger concern that people have about an administration.

Sure every case that unsolicited I get on the issues there I would say that.

This has -- -- -- yes -- -- for the right I would say that Republicans have been using.

The fasten your example is sort of a part isn't wet and it does not seem to people in the last.

The Republicans are really trying to get answers here it looks as though they're trying to shame it embarrassed the administration more than anything else.

Meanwhile I'm Eric Holder has to get it very seriously he said it's tragic failure he's had -- -- -- an inspector to conduct an internal investigation he's complied with all these hearings at center and he's basically done what you need to do in these situations and it doesn't seem as though there's any real evidence that he knew about some of these more controversial tactics before they became public and now.

No word from the alleged eyebrow and we'll call for what say you net negative net negative.

We're ready for very -- election and two states where president Obama's not doing very well and -- Florida and Ohio.

And aside from being perceived as being weak on the economy.

He's being perceived as not being a strong leader.

And as long as an Eric Holder continues to sort of start out the option to the head in the sand and now it's on -- what is is.

It seems the presence dragged his feet and give it did.

Independents and working class whites are not very -- the president don't seem to stronger I could see this coming back to bite the president dog him if he does not.

Plans exit strategy now -- Well whatever the case power play -- today that I wrote that you -- foxnews.com.

-- slash politics talks about this and basically now at this point in the cycle probably like with Donald Rumsfeld it's too late.

To do much about it except try to ride it out and the big issues going to be whether holder can keep his cool.

And pushed through all of this is as you saw yesterday he has had about enough of this sort of improvements and compared.

Your -- -- to Joseph McCarthy once you've gone there.

It's hard to take it back to pay as you look cellular card to go back to can't we all just besides OK we have to take a quick break.

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