Comments on: “You’ve got yourself an unconfirmable nominee”

By: OpenMarket.org » Archive » Wacky Obama Adviser Slated for Attorney General?

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:26:20 +0000

[…] Walter Olson also discusses the possible appointment of RFK, Jr., to be EPA Administrator or Interior Secretary, despite having espoused crackpot theories about autism being caused by vaccines, and calling his critics traitors, and being described even by liberal journalists as “kind of a nut.” […]

By: New at Forbes.com: RFK Jr. to EPA?

New at Forbes.com: RFK Jr. to EPA? — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 16:34:50 +0000

[…] I’ve got a new opinion column just out at Forbes.com on the reports that president-elect Obama may be considering America’s Most Irresponsible Public Figure®, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to head the Environmental Protection Agency. Earlier this week I posted on the topic here and here. […]

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:45:58 +0000

> Or Obams might nominate him as a signal that the Democrats will do exactly as they wish.

If Obama does do that, then any damage to his administration caused by RFK, Jr. will be his fault and his alone.

By: K

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 20:06:13 +0000

Obama may not nominate RFK. And there is no issue.

But if he is nominated there is no reason to think he can’t be confirmed. The GOP can fume or convulse but the Democrats have the power.

Politics is complex. RFK might be nominated as a sacrifice with Obama intending that confirmation fail.

Or Obams might nominate him as a signal that the Democrats will do exactly as they wish.

By: Bumper

Bumper — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:46:49 +0000

OTOH serious ‘net discussions about potential candidates for Obama’s minions, their failings and positives, might attract more mainstream coverage and could result in a person being added or left off the final list. Vetting is an art not a science, and thanks to the first amendment we can all still be critics, at least for now, until Pelosi has her way with it.

The only battle you can’t win is the one you didn’t fight. There’s still a war going on out there. And I’m not talking about Iraq.

By: OpenMarket.org » Archive » Controversial Appointments & Cliffhangers

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:29:55 +0000

[…] Obama aides have suggested Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for Secretary of Interior. But legal commentator Walter Olson calls him “America’s most irresponsible public figure” for scaring parents into not getting their children vaccinated for diseases, and labeling those who disagree with him as traitors. Even the liberal publication Slate describes Kennedy as “too partisan and kind of a nut.” […]

By: Charlie Bratten

Charlie Bratten — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:28:38 +0000

Bob, for all we know the Obamaites are floating the Junior rumors to surface opposition so they don’t have to nominate him for anything.

By: Bob Lipton

Bob Lipton — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:30:52 +0000

Sigh. A reasonable reply, Walter, but after the election I am exhausted and prefer to see what President-elect Obama does, rather than pay much attention to what the talking heads say he will do.

Bob

By: Walter Olson

Walter Olson — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:19:43 +0000

>Oh, great, Orac has lots of links! I wonder how many of them are based on the original rumor?

Well, you could try reading his post and seeing. You would find that most of his links are to idiocies committed by RFK Jr. well before election day, and thus could not be based on the rumor. But in any case what’s wrong with documenting, as Orac does, that the new cabinet rumors are provoking jubilation in some leading quarters of anti-vaccine crankery? That’s a data point some might wish to consider.

By: Bob Lipton

Bob Lipton — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:12:10 +0000

Oh, great, Orac has lots of links! I wonder how many of them are based on the original rumor?

That’s confirmation, all right, quoting someone who is quoting you without attribution.

Bob