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Holder is a former judge who in 1993 was made U.S. attorney for D.C. Four years later he was named deputy attorney general under Janet Reno in the Clinton administration. He is also a well-known player in national and local politics. He is a friend of former D.C. Council Chair Linda Cropp and endorsed her in her unsuccessful run for mayor.
Holder signed on early to the Obama campaign and was part of the team that helped choose Joe Biden as the president-elect's running mate.
An Obama official and two Democrats in touch with the transition team confirmed that Holder is Obama's top choice but the Obama official said the decision has not been finalized. Holder did not return messages seeking comment Tuesday.
In the past week, Obama aides have asked Senate Republicans whether they would support Holder. In particular, the aides questioned whether Holder's confirmation would be delayed because of his involvement in the 2001 pardon of fugitive Marc Rich by Clinton at the end of his presidency.
One person involved in the talks said the Obama team has received some assurances that, while the Rich pardon would certainly come up during hearings, the nomination likely wouldn't be held up. All spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private conversations.
On the last day of Clinton's term, Holder was asked whether the president should pardon Rich, a wealthy commodities dealer who had spent years running from tax charges. Holder said he was "neutral, leaning towards favorable" on the pardon. Clinton later cited that as among the factors that persuaded him to issue the pardon.
Holder has publicly apologized for what he said was a snap decision that he should have paid more attention to. Had he taken more time to review the case, he would have advised against a pardon, he said.
"If that is the only thing you can hold against a man who is a judge, a prosecutor, a person at the Justice Department, highly respected and one of the nicest people I've known, then he'll get by without any problem," asserted former White House Counsel Lanny Davis.
Holder also presided over the controversial April 2000 raid on the home of the family of 6-year-old Cuban refugee Elian Gonzales, a highly public case during his tenure at Justice under the Clinton administration. Some have noted that this incident might also come up in potential confirmation hearings.
Former Federal Prosecutor Richard Ben-Veniste said in Holder's defense,"Eric Holder has the qualifications to be an outstanding attorney general."
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By MATT APUZZO and LARA JAKES JORDAN Associated Press Writers
Associated Press writers David Espo, Nedra Pickler and Liz Sidoti contributed to this report.
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