Republican operative Karl Rove is a frequent critic of President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder, but he doesn't think legitimate criticism should be grounds for charges of racism.
Holder said in an interview aired Sunday on
ABC's "This Week" that some of the criticism he and Obama face may have a racial component.
"You know, people talking about taking their country back," Holder said. "There's a certain racial component to this for some people. I don't think this is the thing that is a main driver, but for some there's a racial animus."
Rove, appearing Monday on Fox News Channel's
"On the Record with Greta Van Susteren," asked, "Well, who's the 'some'?"
By generalizing, Holder is suggesting in a subtle way that anyone who opposes Obama or Holder on any issue may be projecting racial animus.
"It's a sign, I think, of intellectual sloppiness," Rove said. Rather than addressing criticism, Holder simply smears the critics, saying "some people" are racists.
"Either be specific or don't bring it up," Rove said.
Rove also questioned whether Democrats, including Holder, could be accused of racism by the same standard since they in the past slammed George W. Bush's Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, who is Hispanic, and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who is black.
Holder has repeatedly shown himself to be "a highly partisan, and a highly contentious, a highly divisive figure whose main object is to protect the president of the United States, not to uphold the laws, in my opinion," Rove said.
Van Susteren noted that Holder also has been silent when Sen. Tim Scott and other black Republicans have been called "Uncle Toms."
"That's because he's not Attorney General Holder's political ally," Rove said.
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