If Bush wants to nominate a qualified hispanic Jurist, he can nominate the reliably conservative Emilio Garza, on U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.
Here is my take - Bush knows that he HAS to nominate a CONSERVATIVE NOW or he will LOSE HIS CHANCE as Reagan lost his in the Bork nomination.
The Democrats have already shown their unreasoning and unrelenting obstructionism on John Bolton and many other qualified nominees. Bush plays poker, and he knows that the key to winning is having a winning hand when the other guy puts all their chips down. well, the Democrats will have to move their chips in if Luttig is the nominee - they *will* filibuster, and we *will* bust up the obstructionist game with the 'consitutional option', to save the USSC, the circuit nominees, and the next "John Bolton" to come in the Liberal crosshairs.
Luttig is the choice. He will be sworn in by October 10th, 2005.
That's the wrong strategy, I think. I say nominate Brown, Owen or Pryor. If they try to filibuster, it will be a piece of cake to convince Graham and Dewine (given their melted phone lines I think it will take even less) that they should go nuclear. Remember that those three are specifically mentioned in the gang of 14 agreement.