Landrieu's Estrada 'Betrayal': What happened to the Louisiana senator's pre-election promise?

Wall St Journal ^ | February 13, 2003

[SJackson]

Residents of New Orleans know the Big Easy is home to what is probably the largest Honduran population outside Honduras. Which is one reason Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu's decision to change her mind and back the filibuster of judicial nominee Miguel Estrada is so outrageous.

[Tiger6]

The people of Louisana should start an immediate recall on Landrieu for lying to the people of her support of Estrada.
Senator Breaux needs to have a serious heart to heart talk with her.

[Romulus]

Sen. Landrieu's just following an old Louisiana tradition. After one election, Gov. Earl Long welshed on a campaign promise not to raise taxes. When a delegation of betrayed supporters showed up in Baton Rouge to protest, the Governor refused to see them. "What will I tell them?" asked a desperate aide. Long's immortal response: "Tell them I lied!"

[Alberta's Child]

Landrieu deserves credit for at least being pragmatic.

She knows that 99% of the @ssholes who voted for her would vote for her no matter what she does, so why bother keeping campaign promises?

[maxwellp]

If Estrada is not nominated this could really backfire on the Dems in 2004 if Americans of Hispanic origin remember.

[dalereed]

"I read that privately some Dems concede they really want to be the first ones to appoint a Hispanic to a high court."

They already did, Boxer was mouthing off this morning about it taking 4 years for some hispanic to get confirmed that was nominated by clinton.

[Dahoser]

"That was an issue for me in deciding how to vote," says Oscar Avila, an activist in the local Honduran community. The Senator's support for Mr. Estrada "led a lot of people here to vote for her. Now we feel betrayed."

Screw 'em! If that's the only reason they voted for her, too bad. Try voting for a set of ideas next time instead of a single issue.

What is looming is that while we're gleeful over this hurting the RATS, we're starting to play the same ethnicmindful games they play. What's going to happen when the next Hispanic comes along who is liberal and we oppose him, say a pro-choice RINO who mounts a primary challenge? All our public carping about RAT betrayal of Hispanics is going to come back to bite us big time in the behind.

At this point, we need to move off the ethnic routine and concentrate on the man, instead. The content of his character is far and away more important and worthy of support than his ethnicity. He has a tremendous amount going for him no matter if he were polka dot.

[votelife]

FREEPers, I have created the ultimate Estrada activism thread. On it you will find ways to contact Senators, newsspapers, radio/tv people, organizations etc. Go there and help support Estrada. Keep the thread bumped until we get him confirmed.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/847037/posts

[votelife]

Check out this ad The Latino Coalition recently ran in Roll Call!

http://www.thelatinocoalition.org/news/pdf/EstradaRollCallAd.pdf

[votelife]

Dear President Bush,
With the Surpeme Court session getting ready to close, it may well be time for perhaps the most important domestic decision of your presidency: the appointment of a Supreme Court Justice(s). The main reason why I supported you in 2000 and why I wanted Daschle out of power in 02 (and 04) has to do with the courts. I want America courts to interpret law, not write law. During your presidential campaign you said Thomas and Scalia were your two model justices. Those are excellent models. The High Court needs more like them. Clarence Thomas recently said to students that the tough cases were when what he wanted to do was different from what the law said. And he goes by the law. This should be a model philosophy for our justices. Your father, President Bush lost his reelection campaign for 3 main reasosn, as far as I can see. 1. he broke the no new taxes pledge 2. David Souter 3. Clinton convinced people we were in a Bush recession (which we had already come out of by the time Clinton was getting sworn in)

I urge you to learn from all three of these: 1. on taxes, you're doing great. Awesome job on the tax cut. 2. good job so far on judicial appointments. I want to see more of a fight for Estrada, Owen, and Pickering, but I commend you on your nominations. 3. by staying engaged in the economic debate you'll serve yourself well

I have been thoroughly impressed with your handling of al Queida, Iraq, and terrorism. You have inspired confidence and have shown great leadership.

But I want to remind you that your Supreme Court pick(s) will be with us LONG after you have departed office. I urge you to avoid the tempation to find a "compromise" pick. Go for a Scalia or Thomas. Don't go for an O'Connor or Kennedy. To be specific, get someone who is pro-life. Roe v Wade is one of the worst court decisions I know of, and it's the perfect example of unrestrained judicial power.

I know the temptation will be tremendous on you to nominate a moderate. But remember who your true supporters are. I am not a important leader or politician. I am "simply" a citizen who has been an enthusiatic supporter of you. I am willing to accept compromise in many areas of government but I will watch your Court nomiantions extremely closely. What the Senate Dems are doing right now is disgusting, but as the President you have the bully pulpit to stop it. Democrats will back down if you turn up serious heat on them.

Moreover, I think public opinion is shifting towards the pro-life position. Dems will want you to nominate a moderate, but almost all will vote against you anyways. Pro-choice Repubs will likely still vote for you if you nominate a Scalia, after all, you campaigned on it. So Mr. President, I urge you to stick with your campaign statements and nominate justices who believe in judicial restraint, like Scalia and Thomas.

Happy Memorial Day and may God bless you and your family.