When asked on Friday if he thought Attorney General Eric Holder should resign over a probe into Fox News reporter James Rosen, former White House senior adviser David Axelrod said that he was "carrying out his responsibilities."
"Absolutely not," Axelrod said on "Morning Joe," responding to a question from host Joe Scarborough dealing with Holder's resignation. "He was carrying out his responsibilities, Joe."
Axelrod said the James Rosen case displayed the need for a "balance" between protections for journalists and investigations into national security leaks. Axelrod, a former reporter, did say that he was "uncomfortable" with Rosen being labeled a "co-conspirator" in a search warrant that Holder played a role in approving.
Scarborough asked Axelrod if Rosen deserved an apology from Holder.
"Well, I'm not sure this is a matter of assuaging Mr. Rosen's sensitivities," Axelrod said. "It's a matter of, this is what the law permits and how do we go about this the right way going forward based on these experiences."
Watch the clip below, via MSNBC:
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