NEW GUY IN TOWN – UH, NO, MAKE THAT OLD GUY STILL IN TOWN – AT 12:54 P.M. ET:  Continuing the Obama no-diversity policy, a good-old-guy is being named number two chap at Eric Holder's Justice Department.  Graduate of Hastings College of Law.  That's Berkeley.  Aren't you shocked?  From WaPo:

The White House nominated James M. Cole as deputy attorney general Friday, turning to a veteran Washington lawyer to fill a critical position that has been vacant for months.

Cole, 58, is a white-collar defense lawyer and longtime friend of Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.

That's all we have to know.  "Longtime friend of..."  I'm sure we'll all sleep more soundly.

Cole has held numerous jobs in government, including 13 years at the Justice Department. He also worked as an independent monitor reviewing the operations of American International Group, the insurance giant that was bailed out during the financial crisis. Senate Republicans said they plan to make that an issue in his confirmation hearings.

COMMENT:  Yeah, I hope they bring it up.  This is the most inside administration I've ever seen.  Anybody hired who didn't go to one of the approved liberal schools?

May 22, 2010