A New Move on Estrada ('Tain't over yet!)

National Review Online ^ | 2/28/2003 | Byron York

[ArcLight]

In perhaps its most forceful effort yet to break the stalemate over the appeals-court nomination of Miguel Estrada, the White House has now invited every member of the Senate who has doubts about Estrada's legal views to submit written questions to Estrada by the close of business Friday. In a letter delivered Thursday to all 100 senators, White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales said Estrada will respond by next Tuesday.

[ArcLight]

The fight goes on.

[Thane_Banquo]

The Democrats don't have questions for Estrada. They know he's a strict constructionist. That's why they won't confirm him.

[marajade]

Actually I don't think the Dems know anything for sure about Estrada... other than he's a Republican and Hispanic and because Bush nominated him they can't vote for him...

[ez]

The Democrats don't have questions for Estrada. They know he's a strict constructionist. That's why they won't confirm him.

And that's exactly what this gambit will illustate...that the Dem objections are bullsquat.

[mike_9958]

It looks to me that the pubs are going to cave... if they do I'm throwing in the towel. Bunch of lazy old men. Finally when we get a real issue that that shows the dems for what they are, we are going to say "pass". I don't understand why they don't grind everything to a halt and shine a big light on this issue, and the obstruction of the democratic machine.

damn it.

[RushingWater]

First and only Democrat question: What is your opinion on Roe v. Wade? This is what it is all about. This is the litmus test for everything else.

Incredulous - the Democratic party's test question for a political assignment is whether you are OK with killing the preborn!

[Jackie222]

The longer this goes on the worse it is for the demos. I hope the Pubbies see the benefits of this good fight. If they cave in it will be so wussie......sickeningly.

There is an 'undercurrent' here that exposes the weakness in the leaders of both parties. This is a good fight. He is worth fighting for and stalling out all other business. Thats the problem with the Rep. party today. NO guts. A good old-fashing filibuster will put 'zing' back. The demos are not strong enough........and the Pubbies are pampering them. IMHO

[cubreporter]

That's exactly what we are saying. If they cave on this we are gonna be really angry. Something's going on...why can't they have the courage to stand up and see this thing through to the end. We're tired of them backing down. What the hell is the matter with these people anyway? Must be something we don't know about.

[Puppage]

And that's exactly what this gambit will illustate...that the Dem objections are bullsquat

And, yet if the Republicans don't get out there & tell Mr & Mrs John Q Public about it (which the RATS know they won't) what does it matter WHAT the RATS do, or how they act? And, again they will have gotten away with unexcusable behavior.

[VRWC_minion]

A New Move on Estrada
The White House challenges Democrats to put up or shut up.

n perhaps its most forceful effort yet to break the stalemate over the appeals-court nomination of Miguel Estrada, the White House has now invited every member of the Senate who has doubts about Estrada's legal views to submit written questions to Estrada by the close of business Friday. In a letter delivered Thursday to all 100 senators, White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales said Estrada will respond by next Tuesday"He would answer the questions forthrightly, appropriately, and in a manner consistent with the traditional practice and obligations of judicial nominees, as he has before," Gonzales wrote.

Gonzales also renewed a White House offer to set up personal meetings between Estrada and any senator who wants to have a one-on-one talk. "We continue to believe that such meetings could be very useful to senators who wish to learn more about Mr. Estrada's record and character," Gonzales wrote.

Finally, Gonzales asked that Democrats with questions about Estrada's work "immediately ask in writing for the views of the Solicitors General, United States Attorney, and judges for whom Mr. Estrada worked and ask them to respond by Tuesday, March 4." Gonzales specifically named appeals-court judge Amalya Kearse, Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, former United States Attorney Otto Obermaier, and former Solicitors General Ken Starr, Drew Days, Walter Dellinger, and Seth Waxman.

The last three names — Days, Dellinger, and Waxman — are particularly significant. All were high-ranking appointees of President Clinton, and their inclusion on the list suggests that the White House is confident they will not voice any objections to Estrada.

In addition, all three have seen at least some, if not all, of the internal memos Estrada wrote while working in the Solicitor General's office. In recent weeks, Democrats have argued that the memos might reveal some heretofore unknown aspect of Estrada's legal views, and thus must be made public before Estrada is confirmed. The White House has refused, calling the documents "highly privileged" — a position endorsed by all seven living former Solicitors General.

In his letter, Gonzales wrote that the former officials "could provide their views on Mr. Estrada's background and suitability to be a circuit judge by March 4 without sacrificing the integrity of the decisionmaking processes of the Judiciary, United States Attorney's office, and Solicitor General's office."

"We believe that these sources of information, which have been available for some time, would readily accommodate the desire for additional information expressed by some Senators who have thus far supported the filibuster of a vote on this nominee," Gonzales concluded. "We ask that you encourage Senators who have objected to the scheduling of a vote to avail themselves of these sources of information."

The letter is the White House's clearest move yet to call the bluff of Democrats who have been demanding more information on Estrada before they will allow a vote on his nomination. In the letter, the administration is saying to Democrats: You want more information, you can ask for more information.

What is not stated, however, is that the letter will give the White House a powerful argument against any Democrats who oppose Estrada and do not ask for more information. You said you wanted more information, the administration will be able to argue, and yet when we offered it you didn't even bother to ask.

Meanwhile, the Democratic filibuster goes on. Sources say the Republican leadership has still made no decision on whether or when to call for a vote to cut off debate and force an up-or-down vote on the nomination. At the moment, Republicans, who have all 51 of their own votes plus four Democrats, would fall five votes short of the 60 needed to cut off debate. But Republicans believe they are making progress and that the filibuster is beginning to take a political toll on moderate Democrats who are so far supporting the filibuster. Thus, the talking will continue. "We are on this next week," one Republican says. "We're committed to it."

[cyncooper]

It looks to me that the pubs are going to cave...

How on earth do you arrive at that??!

You couldn't be more wrong.

You may have missed President Bush's remarks the other day (Wednesday, I believe). They were detailed and STRONG.

Yesterday Sen. Frist said they would not back down on this------ever.

[cyncooper]

why can't they have the courage to stand up and see this thing through to the end.

Why have you concluded they will not see it through to the end?

You are wrong. They intend to and they will.

[TLBSHOW]

is today a day off and what ever happened to thw 24/7 and weekends that was promised by Frist?

its all a constitution issue my friends and the rats are trying to take all power from the President.

[mike_9958]

I doubt sonething is going on we don't know about.... this is way too simple. I think they are bunch of wussies. (to use another person term)

If this goes down then they all will go down.

[mabelkitty]

Mr. Bush, calling their bluff.

[cyncooper]

...one Republican says. "We're committed to it."

Frist said on camera yesterday that they will not give this up, no matter what.

[TLBSHOW]

thw = the

[AFPhys]

What the heck gives you any indication at all that the Republicans are giving up on this fight? I dare you to telephone Hatch, Frist, or Bush's office and discuss it with them. I've not heard or seen a single thing from them in public or in private that they are going to give the demodogs a pass on this one. Where is your info from?

[mike_9958]

Got the idea off this story on Fox's website.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,79845,00.html

[VRWC_minion]

It looks to me like a plan is in effect and we are seeing the building blocks being put into place. In the senate the committee has moved three more candidates to the floor that will obviously be blocked by the rats.

In addition, Hatch has shown what could happen if the rats keep pressing the rules in ways that haven't been used before to block the judges. He has shown that there are other rules which can be pressed against them and that the R's are willing to do so. Frist has shown that he is willing to stay on floor till2 am and call forced roll calls to drag senators to the floor at all hours of the night.

Other R's have been on talk shows rallying the conservatives to man the phones. The grass roots are being mobilized. One can also imagine what types of pressure are being brought to R's that can be swayed by local pressure ion hispanics as well as threats about legislation.

It seems apparent that the R's are slowly turning up the heat step by step instead of using the "scorched earth" kind of politics that many freepers want to see and that has failed so often in the past.