Estrada Bows Out - Senate Republicans lose another filibuster battle ~ WSJ.

The Wall Street Journal. ^ | Septrmber 4, 2003 | WSJ. Editorial Board

[Elle Bee]

After 28 months in political limbo, Miguel Estrada has decided to withdraw his appellate court nomination and get on with his life. His decision, to be announced today, is a loss for the federal bench and a defeat for Senate Republicans who still haven't decided to make judgeships a fighting issue.

[Elle Bee]

Stop This Man - Don't let Arlen Specter become chairman of the Judiciary Committee ~ WSJ.

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[Fledermaus]

Thanks to all the GOP wimps in the Senate. Especially Bill Frist who hasn't got the heart (get it, he's a heart surgeon) to fight the Dems filibusters by forcing a true, 24 hour filibuster.

Force the Dem Senate candidates to have to leave the road to nomination and fund raisers and make them sleep on the Senate floor.

But no. Instead the GOP yet again caves and the Dems sharpen their attacks even more.

So could someone please explain to me why, after 25 years of supporting the Republicans, I should bother to even vote in 2004?

Cowards all.

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

Truly a shame.

[dts32041]

Well well pubbies run true to form, next it will be inviting the UN and the frogs into Iraq.

The pubbies are weak spine sisters, who don't have any principles except more money for their pensions and more money for the now working people in the country, including themselves.

May they FOAD.

Time to find some real gutter fighting conservatives to stand the slings and arrows of public office and actually do something positive for the country.

Don't tell me about tax cuts, there is more to life than money.

[nathanbedford]

This is very sad news but it is also very grave news.

I take it to mean that the administration and/or Senate republicans did not believe that they were winning the political battle for this Hispanic nominee. That implies that they had not engaged the Hispanic voters in this issue on behalf of one of their own.

Did they try and fail or simply not try?

Did the Republicans go the spanish radio stations? Or did they simple stay in their country clubs? Where was Karl Rove when we needed him?

The stakes in this battle are simply enormous. The Hispanics will swing elections in this country for years to come. The Estrada nomination and its failure I fear are but metaphore for other electoral losses to come.

This is a shattering defeat.

[Elle Bee]

Did they try and fail or simply not try?

Failed

Senators are generally a feckless lot[t], GOP Senators all the more so

we need some fighters who are not afraid to use the same tactics as the dims

there is no such animal in the GOP Senate

.

[Omega Man II]

That poor man! If anyone should have been judge it was him but I can sympathize with his desire to get on with his life. I only wish I knew why President Bush didn't recess appoint him.

[Jeff Chandler]

>>I only wish I knew why President Bush didn't recess appoint him.<<

The wonderful new tone, doncha know.

[Jeff Chandler]

>>Republicans who have been outwitted on judgeships by Ted Kennedy and Hillary Rodham ClintonDemocrats have paid no political price for raising the "advice and consent" standard for Senate confirmation to 60 votes from a simple majority.<<

Uh, oh. Time for W to invite them up to the Whitehouse for dinner and a movie. That'll teach 'em.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Republicans may rationalize this defeat by noting that Mr. Estrada is just one nominee. Except he's one of many. Democrats are targeting for filibuster the best and brightest judicial conservatives, especially women and minorities. The rout will continue so long as Senate Republicans would rather lose on nominations than sacrifice a night's sleep by forcing Democrats to keep talking on the Senate floor or otherwise playing as rough a political game.

Each and every time I complained to my fellow conservatives offline that the wholly inexplicable failure of our Republican leadership to attempt ANY form of political kneecapping or arm-twisting whatsoever on behalf of Estrada (and other, similarly banished-to-limbo jurist nominees) was an outrage, demanding our collective anger, I was repeatedly counseled that:

a.)... this would all (somehow) work out to the long range benefit of our party and cause, because "it will mobilize the Hispanic vote on our behalf [unproven assertion];

b.)... and that, in any event, it was "unreasonable" on my part to expect our leadership to actually get justices confirmed sans an unshakable 60+ seat Seanate supermajority [as if no party had ever managed to get any jurist of its choice confirmed prior, minus such an overwhelming numerical advantage];

Now -- a full TWENTY-EIGHT MONTHS LATER, mind -- we (conservatives) are no closer to establishing a sane, rational and right-thinking firewall of sitting jurists (the better to fend off continued liberal cultural assaults) than we were two-years-and-change ago.

This is tragic.

This is appalling.

This is disgraceful.

I am -- make no mistake, here -- a true blue, "broken glass" Republican...

... but, right now, this very moment: I am as disgusted with the contemptible moral and intellectual cowards in the upper echelons of our party's putative "leadership" as I have ever been.

My heartfelt sympathies to Mr. Miguel Estrada, who deserved far, far better than this. :(

[Jeff Chandler]

I concur. Where is the president? Why won't he lead on this matter? Our very future as a representative republic hinges on the judicial appointments.

[Hoverbug]

And now, the candidate in California getting the obvious nod from the RNC is Arnold.

Conservatives are being played for fools.

Hb

[c-b 1]

Conservatives are being played for fools.

What's new?

[Hoverbug]

SOS c-b 1, SOS.

HB

[TomGuy]

Strategery?

The Pubbies better hope that the SC Justices live long and don't retire. The Pubbies would only get a SC nominee through committee that Hillary, Ted, and Tom D don't approve. The Pubbies don't have the gall for it. Even as a minority, Hillary, Ted and Tom still control the Senate--because Frist and the Pubbies don't know how.

[Dane]

It's always amazing to me when the rants come out and the blame is not placed on who the people who did this, the democrats.

[Dane]

You're an idiot

You must have pulled the graveyard shift at the DNC tonight.

[Hoverbug]

Thanks for proving it.

Hb