OBAMA NOMINEE DENOMINATES HERSELF – AT 7:34 P.M. ET:  On the day when President Obama learned that he'll have another Supreme Court appointment, he also learned how hard the confirmation process is when you nominate a controversial figure.  From The Politico: 

Dawn Johnsen withdrew her bid to be confirmed as head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel Friday because of the “lengthy delays and political opposition” to her stalled nomination.

The Senate Judiciary Committee had recommended her confirmation on party-line votes. But Johnsen’s confirmation has been delayed for about a year. Republicans objected to her outspoken criticism of torture and terrorist interrogation practices under President George W. Bush.

“I am deeply honored that President Obama, the Attorney General and a strong majority of the U.S. Senate have demonstrated faith and confidence in my ability to lead the Office of Legal Counsel,” she said in a statement. “Unfortunately, my nomination has met with lengthy delays and political opposition that threaten that objective and prevent OLC from functioning at full strength. I hope that the withdrawal of my nomination will allow this important office to be filled promptly.”

Johnsen would have been a senior aide to Attorney General Eric Holder. When President Barack Obama recently decided to offer recess appointments to 15 stalled nominees, Johnsen’s name was notably absent from the list.

COMMENT:  In other words, "Take a hike, Dawn."  Dawn Johnsen now joins a host of other Obama loyalists who reside beneath the bus that they were thrown under.  But there's plenty of shade, and the oil leak was patched. 

Johnsen was too far to the left for that job, and her withdrawal is no loss to justice.

April 9, 2010