After the election of a new president and before the inauguration, it’s popular sport to take potshots at Cabinet picks.

And it’s sometimes deserved. There are plenty of examples over the years of folks chosen for top administrative positions who should have been bypassed.

Besides, this is part of the so-called vetting process. Names are leaked out as trial balloons. The incoming president and his advisers want to see the reaction to these nominations before they actually take place.

So far, suggestions that Hillary Clinton may wind up as Barack Obama’s secretary of state are capturing most of the headlines. But it’s not so much that her selection would be controversial; Clinton is recognized as knowledgeable, experienced and hard working. She would likely be a good choice.

The buzz about Clinton is more political than substantial. Her selection is viewed as a way for Obama to neutralize a potential rival in Congress. As a member of Obama’s Cabinet, Clinton would be in no position to challenge his initiatives in the same way she could as a New York senator.

The other issue with Clinton is her husband — specifically all the money Bill Clinton takes in from foreign sources as a consultant. These funds, as well as those directed toward the former president’s library, might be forced into the public as part of Hillary Clinton’s nomination process.

Not as well known, but more controversial in our view, is the potential pick of Eric Holder as attorney general. Holder’s main claim to fame, unfortunately, may be his participation in a series of pardons issued during the dying days of the Clinton administration, most notably to a wanted financier, Marc Rich, who was hiding out overseas.

As a high-ranking official in Clinton’s Justice Department, Holder gave guidance on obtaining a pardon to Rich’s lawyer. Around the same time, Holder was hoping that lawyer would support Holder’s efforts to become attorney general in a possible Al Gore administration.

The Rich pardon was among a flurry of last-minute acts of presidential forgiveness that raised eyebrows — primarily because the normal review process for pardons was bypassed. There were also questions about donations Rich’s wife made to Clinton’s presidential library.

Quite frankly, we’ve had enough of overly political attorneys general to last for a while. Alberto Gonzales’ tenure under George W. Bush was an embarrassment Obama should strive mightily to avoid. The president-elect surely has candidates other than Holder to consider.