Eric Holder Begins New Career in Comedy
Those of you wondering what Eric Holder would do now that he's no longer the Attorney General, wonder no more. He's apparently decided to do stand-up.
Holder has always been sort of a card, as you probably recall. I personally thought his explanation of when the President could have citizens killed without a trial was his best work, but now that I'm rewatching this performance before Congress in 2013, I'm not sure. Because that's great stuff (I'm actually in tears right now), but it's not like it was all that original.
Man, I almost miss both those guys.
Anyway, Holder, at least, is still at it, judging by the hilarious interviews he's been giving this week. (Does he have a movie coming out?) His interview with Yahoo! News was a little tame, but had a couple of good lines. For example, he said that Edward Snowden's disclosures resulted in a "necessary debate" about government surveillance, which is a real hoot considering how hard he and his boss (and the previous gang) worked to keep that debate from happening. Actually imprisoning whistleblowers seems like going a bit far to set up a joke, but you can't argue with the result.
But Holder really hit his stride in a follow-up with The Huffington Post yesterday. Reporter Ryan Reilly asked him about the "necessary debate" comment, specifically asking whether he thinks the same discussion could have taken place if Snowden had taken his concerns to Congress. (Wait for it.) "Yeah, I do," Holder responded.
Guy missed his calling, I'm telling you.
He went on, though: "If Snowden, for instance, had gone to certain members of the Senate Intelligence Committee and made disclosure to them"-stop! I can't breathe!-"that debate could have occurred in a way that was less harmful to the interests of the United States." Yeah, in secret, and with him in jail! You're killing it, Mr. Former Attorney General!
Holder, of course, has been studying under the incomparable Barack Obama for years, so it's only natural that some of that effortless talent would rub off. Seriously, Obama's bit where he accepted an award for government transparency in a closed meeting was almost Pythonesque. I'm a huge fan.
The former AG is not relying on comedy to pay the bills yet, but rather has taken a job at Covington & Burling until his stand-up career takes off. Which is probably wise, because that's a lot harder than practicing law, let me tell you.
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