Three CNN political experts collectively agreed Thursday that Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is a far superior pick to lead Donald Trump’s Justice Department than the scandal-plagued former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL). (Screengrab via CNN)
Three CNN political experts collectively agreed Thursday that Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is a far superior pick to lead Donald Trump’s Justice Department than the scandal-plagued former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL).
The rare agreement between panelists on CNN’s “OutFront,” which included a former senior Obama adviser and longtime Republican strategist, came just after Trump named Bondi — his former impeachment defense lawyer — to replace Gaetz, who bowed out earlier Thursday.
“This is a massive upgrade,” said Republican Party consultant Scott Jennings. “I’ve talked to a couple people up on the Hill already, there's a sigh of relief that now we have somebody here – two-term AG, strong record on drug enforcement and opioid issues, a total hawk on immigration, politically supportive of Trump, obviously, I don't know a Republican in the country who doesn't love Pam Bondi."
Jennings added that Gaetz’s nomination in the face of sexual misconduct allegations was “underwater significantly to start,” but noted that Bondi has already withstood public vetting through her two successful statewide elections.
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“So, I think this is a great move by Trump to be pragmatic and tell Gaetz to get out, and a really good move to go with Bondi. This is not a shaky limb, this is a sturdy branch he's going with for AG here."
Former Obama adviser David Axelrod agreed that dumping Gaetz as a nominee was a good move.
“He clearly was going to crash and burn, and he shouldn't have been there in the first place,” Axelrod said. “It was a horrific choice.”
New York Times reporter Lulu Garcia-Navarro called Bondi “a pretty obvious choice for him,” noting that there is a long history between the incoming president and his new attorney general pick.
“She's telegenic, she defends him, she worked on his impeachment trial,” Garcia-Navarro said. “She was then at America First Policy Institute overseeing their legal operation there, something that's very aligned to Trump. She’s had a very long relationship with him.”
Watch the clip below or at this link.