WASHINGTON (CNN) - Attorney General Eric Holder will be the cabinet member not attending President Obama’s speech tonight to Congress in the House chamber for security reasons, a Justice Department official tells CNN.
The official said Holder will be staying at an undisclosed location.
By tradition, one cabinet member does not attend such speeches in case of disaster, since so many other government leaders are vulnerable in one place. Customarily, the absent official is a member of the national security team.
So which member of former President Bush’s cabinet stayed away from his final “State of the Union” last year?
Dirk Kempthorne, Secretary of the Interior, did not attend the president’s speech in 2008. The previous year, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales stayed away.
Other former cabinet officials to miss the annual speech:
2006: Jim Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs
2005: Don Evans, Secretary of Commerce
2004: Don Evans, Secretary of Commerce
2003: John Ashcroft, Attorney General
(Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta also did not attend, due to health problems)
2002: Gale Norton, Secretary of the Interior
2001: Anthony J. Principi, Secretary of Veterans Affairs
2000: Bill Richardson, Secretary of Energy
1999: Andrew Cuomo, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
1998: William Daley, Secretary of Commerce
From CNN Politics
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God help us all if something happens and he's left HNIC! Nobama and Biden are bad enough!
Oh that's why Eric Holder is staying away, I thought maybe he was still running around the country explaining to us just how racist we all are.
I understand that Mr. Holder holds a high cabinet position, but I htink the Secretary of Defense at all time should be the one who doesn't attend. If the State of the Union were ever attacked and displaced our government, the Secretary of Defense should be the cabinet member in charge of the country.
I'm sure that's the reason.
I don't think opening up the black white issue was good:
first of all, there is so much to America than Black/White, so many people are suffering than just Blacks... enough, the slave issue was a long time ago, Chinese have suffered, Japanese have suffered and now we are all suffering
I propose we change Black history month to we all suffer month
He's got traitors and criminals to catch...
...from the previous administration...
...let's 'round 'em up and root 'em out...
This makes me feel good. If anything happens to the capitol, the guy who thinks that we are a nation of cowards will be in charge.
I wonder if the "coward" volunteered for the position.
I would think Holder needs to stay out of the Public eye.....
I didn't like being called a COWARD!
Holder is the COWARD!
He's probably still at Gitmo.
Probably doesn't want to show his face after the racist remark. Why does he think everyone still owns slaves? There is plenty of racism but it is in the black community mostly. We honkeys are reminded of it every day. As far as a disaster happening we already have that.
Just as well that Holder stay away. His rampant idiocy would no doubt doom the speech, as his mere presence would suck any glimmer of intelligence from the entire assembly. Not that there is much of a glimmer of intelligence with the current administration to begin with.
Holder has a prior engagement with Al Sharpton to work on his next "Hate America" speech.
I"m glad to see how much confidence President Barack Obama has in Attorney General Eric Holder.
Eric Holder is a sharp man, a Columbia University graduate, a former prosecutor, Federal judge, Deputy AG and a man of impecable character.
He probably likes it being this way. Keeps him from having to be amongst the 'cowards'
why bother you want print anything unless it suits your cause.
Maybe he got beat up by cowards down in gitmo or maybe his passport was revoked or maybe,lets not have him come to congress
and see who trys to ignore him for political reasons
How does reporting on this before the speech help national security? How does this story help protect the safety of Mr. Holder? Thanks for putting American first, CNN.
Well, it's a slow work day...what ya got GOPers? How's this translate into something about which you can say nasty things?
What's the matter, too much of a coward?
Not sure who stayed away from Bushes speech, but it should have been the WHOLE COUNTRY.
Where ever he's going, keep him there !!!!!!!!!!!! What a bafoon.
Maybe the attorney general will be putting Karl Rove in shackles and frog marching him to court. Today Rove was supposed to answer his subpeona, of course, like always, he ignored it. Do we now have an Attorney General who will enforce the law? We will See.
And CNN why nothing on this story. I think people would be interested.
What da ya say people?!!
Geithner is the one who needs to learn how to speak!!! His plan for the banks still has folks scratching their heads!!! Vinnie Barbarino says "What!!!"
If you are not happy with the things being done in Washington join the NEW AMERICAN TEA PARTY. at NEWAMERICANTEAPARTY.COM and join in having your voice heard.
Bad choice. Holder is anything but a disinterested party. Oh, well, he'll save "the worthy Americans" and leave everyone else to die.
As Long as it was not Cheney
Seems like Biden " should not be there, just "in case" anything should go wrong, which heaven forbid...
Now there is a person....that should be the only one left behind...frightening, I am unimpressed by Holder. Kick em while they are down Eric.
Holder should stay in that location for the next 4 years.
While there he is working on ways to disarm americans of their guns(That's a fact), so beware if you own guns.