Of the three broadcast evening newscasts Thursday night, only the CBS Evening News offered a full report on the resignation of controversial Attorney General Eric Holder. NBC Nightly News only offered a news brief on the topic, while ABC's World News amazingly skipped the news completely – though it did find the time to provide a full segment on Yankees captain Derek Jeter retiring.
On Friday's morning shows, the pattern was similar. CBS This Morning featured another full story on Holder's contentious tenure at the Justice Department while NBC's Today and ABC's Good Morning America each included mere seconds of coverage. However, both NBC and ABC devoted full reports to Jeter.
Introducing the story on CBS Evening News, anchor Scott Pelley accurately labeled Holder as one of the Obama administration's "most liberal voices."
White House correspondent Major Garrett touted how Holder "oversaw an unprecedented expansion of civil liberties for gays, fought the Supreme Court's decision to roll back voting rights requirements in the south" but equally noted that he was "also the only attorney general in history to be held in contempt by the House of Representatives." [Listen to the audio]
Garrett cited one of the most infamous scandals that occurred on Holder's watch: "Republicans said Holder denied access to documents related to operation Fast and Furious, a federal gun-tracing effort implicated in the death of a Border Patrol agent."
After playing a clip of Holder arguing with Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert at a congressional hearing, Garrett added: "Holder never fully escaped charges that he politicized his office. In an interview for CBS Sunday Morning, Rita Braver asked Holder if he was tone deaf."
On Friday, Garrett appeared on This Morning with a similar report, announcing: "Holder's legacy remains mixed."
Again he highlighted the Fast and Furious scandal:
Holder made history of a different kind as well, becoming the only attorney general held in contempt by the House of Representatives. Republicans accused Holder of withholding documents relating to operation Fast and Furious, a federal gun-tracing effort implicated in the death of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry.
A clip followed of Holder lashing out at House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa: "I'm not going to stop talking now. The way in which you conduct yourself as a member of Congress, it's unacceptable and it's shameful."
On NBC Nightly News, anchor Brian Williams snidely remarked: "Republicans who have waited for this day for a long time are applauding his exit." He then gushed: "In emotional remarks today, Holder said he walks away having fulfilled a lifelong ambition."
On Today, news anchor Natalie Morales touted Obama "hailing him as 'the people's lawyer'" but made no mention of Holder being controversial.
In the only coverage on ABC, Good Morning America news anchor Amy Robach proclaimed: "Well, many protesters in Ferguson [Missouri] say they feel a sense of loss now that Attorney General Eric Holder has announced he is stepping down. Supporters praised Holder, the first African American to hold that office, for his reforms."
However, the brief also included a soundbite of House Speaker John Boehner condemning Holder:
Well, good luck to him. I hope the next attorney general will respect the law and bring the Justice Department to a position of dignity that it should have in our system. The politicization that has gone on at the Justice Department over the last four or five years is reprehensible.
The headline on-screen read: "Holder's Legacy; Tenure Not Without Controversy." If only there was more coverage of that controversy.
Here is a full transcript of Garrett's September 25 Evening News report on Holder:
6:35 PM ET
PELLEY: Here in Washington today, President Obama announced that Attorney General Eric Holder is stepping down. Holder is the first African American to hold the nation's top law enforcement job. He's one of the last original members of the Obama cabinet and one of its most liberal voices. What did he accomplish? Here's chief White House correspondent Major Garrett.
MAJOR GARRETT: In nearly six years in office, Attorney General Eric Holder oversaw an unprecedented expansion of civil liberties for gays, fought the Supreme Court's decision to roll back voting rights requirements in the south, and imposed record civil fines against Bank of America for foreclosure fraud and BP for negligence in the Gulf oil spill. President Obama called Holder "America's lawyer."
BARACK OBAMA: He believes, as I do, that justice is not just an abstract theory. It's a living and breathing principle.
GARRETT: Holder was often the President's leading voice on race relations.
ERIC HOLDER: In things racial, we have always been and we, I believe, continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards.
GARRETT: He traveled to Ferguson, Missouri recently to help calm unrest after the police shooting of an unarmed black man.
Yet, Holder is also the only attorney general in history to be held in contempt by the House of Representatives. Republicans said Holder denied access to documents related to operation Fast and Furious, a federal gun-tracing effort implicated in the death of a border patrol agent.
REP. LOUIE GOHMERT [R-TX]: And I realize that contempt is not a big deal to our attorney general, but it is important that we have proper oversight. So-
HOLDER: You don't want to go there, okay.
GOHMERT: I don't want to go there?
HOLDER: No.
GOHMERT: About the contempt?
HOLDER: You should not assume that, that is not a big deal to me. I think it was inappropriate.
GARRETT: Holder never fully escaped charges that he politicized his office. In an interview for CBS Sunday Morning, Rita Braver asked Holder if he was tone deaf.
HOLDER: No, I'm not tone deaf, but I understand what the nature of being attorney general is. I don't have the same latitude that other politicians might have to put my finger up to the wind and figure out what's going to be popular.
GARRETT: Officials tell us Holder's replacement will not be named for at least a week. Scott, leading contenders include the solicitor general Donald Verrilli, Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the southern district of New York, and Jennie Durkan, the United States's first openly gay U.S. attorney, who just stepped down from that post in the western district of Washington state.
PELLEY: Major Garrett at the White House tonight. Major, thanks very much.
