Estrada filibuster may galvanize Latino voters

The Detroit News ^ | Tuesday, April 29, 2003 | Ruben Navarette

[BOBTHENAILER]

After several failed attempts by Senate Republicans to break a Democratic filibuster, it's starting to look as if Miguel Estrada may never make it to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The controversial Bush nominee may have to settle for the strangest of consolation prizes: his name plastered on bumper stickers in the 2004 election.

[AlGone2001]

It makes me remember campaign 2000 when McCain was attempting to make (then) Gov. Bush look anti-Catholic. There were McCain for President signs in front of many Catholic Churches.

I'll bet that McCain would never have nominated a practicing Catholic, much less one that is Hispanic.

Me thinks that President Bush will score on this move-big time!

[friendly]

The one interesting thing I found in this article was the reference to running ads in Indiana. Is Bayh vulnerable?

Hope we can say Bye, Bye Bayh.

[BOBTHENAILER]

whatever. I wanna win. You don't care.

[gcruse]

JFK would not even be allowed at a Democrat convention today.

Catholicity was the subject, not policy.

[friendly]

I hope Dubya can help Catholics and Hispanics understand how completely bigoted the wealthy liberals who run the democrats are against these fine Americans.

[friendly]

Good insight on your part.

[BOBTHENAILER]

I'm sure that'll happen.

[votelife]

well, actually I basically agree with you. I would rather his qualifications be trumpeted for all to see. I don't want to set a standard where white conservatives don't get picked for judges. Or where Estrada gets "bonus points" for being Hispanic.

It would be hard to be more qualified than he is...
from Scott Darnell's article
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/850657/posts

President Bush appointed him to an open seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals, District Columbia Circuit on May 9, 2001; he immigrated to the United States from Honduras when he was 15 years old, graduated from Harvard Law School magna cum laude in 1986, has been a clerk for a Supreme Court justice, an assistant U.S. attorney and the assistant solicitor general, among other stints in private practice. He is supported by many national organizations, including the Hispanic Business Council, the Heritage Foundation, the Washington Legal Foundation and the Hispanic Business Roundtable.

So he's highly qualified and should be confirmed. There are others appointed by Carter and Clinton who had Estrada's same judiciary experience, zero, so that shouldn't be an issue.

Patrick Leahy, the senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said, from Congressional record in 1998, that, "I have stated over and over again . . . that I would object and fight any filibuster on a judge, whether it is somebody I opposed or supported."

This is the hypocracy that bothers me.

But, yes, I would rather see Estrada be approved for his qualifications. Or opposed because of a lack of qualifications. I wouldn't support someone BECAUASE they were a certian race, and I wouldn't oppose someone BECAUSE they were a certain race.

[friendly]

In 2003, no devout Catholic will ever be run by the completely bigoted democrats for any office or be allowed to be a federal judge.

Why? They might oppose the murder of third trimester babies, a critical litmus test for the rats.

[nickcarraway]

Yes, and the Democrats are clearly against any nominees to who go by the teachings of Catholicism. I guess if you drop all those teachings they don't mind, but then you kind of cease being Catholic. People who are anticommunists are against communists, but they probably don't mind communists who don't believe in communism.

[votelife]

I was just thinking that if McCain were president, no big tax cut, big anti-gun push (I'll let other Freepers debate W and guns), moderate/liberal judges, enviro wacko stuff, etc. And who knows how he would have done with 9/11, Iraq.

In short, the right would be furious with him, the left would say they were (but would be happy), and Hillary would probably be looking strong for 2004, or at least some other Dem like Kerry!

Good thing Bush won the primary, because a moderate Repub CANNOT unite the party.

[nanny]

don't try to get the first Hispanic on the Court

See you have done it again - I don't want the first, last or anything on the court except a qualified person - I don't care what color, what age, what sex, how tall, how short, how fat, how anything. And I do not want them nominated or touted for anything but qualifications. Now you cannot say that is the case.

America should see plain and simple the racist double standard the Democrats use with minorities...liberal good, conservative, bad minority.

That is their political philosophy - not racial politics - it really shows a non racial bias in this instance. No President Bush is playing to the HIspanics - you know that - Goodness I have heard nothing but since he came into office - not from him but from the people posting here. He is playing a race card and the democrats are practicing their usual political philosophy of liberal vs. conservative - can't you see that doesn't put us on moral ground at all. Just the opposite. If we nominate someone for a position based on race - that is racism.

President Bush is doing the nation by showing minorities you can be conservative and succeed. Of course, this helps the GOP, as well...

Do we nominate someone to send a message to others of his/her color - or do we nominate or hire someone because they are the best for the job. You see that thinking is what got us in the quagmire we are in with this racial thing.

This is not the first time President Bush has used race for his own agenda - but I will say this - it is not only despicable - but the Democrats are much better at it than we are. We should keep some since of dignity and not dabble in that kind of slime.

Let me suggest something just totally off the wall - why doesn't the President nominate someone who is qualified, doesn't matter. Nominate that person because he is a qualifed American who loves this country and wants to do what is right for it. Tout that person as a good American Then maybe we could inspire all AMERICANS to be better people - gee that is a radical idea.

[nanny]

You wanna win what? When you have dirtied everything what have you won? When the Republicans have become nothing more than Democrat - you tell me who has won?

[gcruse]

If they could find one that was pro-abort, do you think they would defer running them because they were Catholic? Get a grip.

[votelife]

If we nominate someone for a position based on race - that is racism.

Again, Estrada is so qualified this is insulting to say that. I mean, should we abandon him because we don't want to "step to the Dems" level? Ridiculous.

I have come to the conclusion that the minority lock of the Dems must be broken to end racial discord in this country. If that takes aggressively pushing qualified CONSERVATIVE minorities (ahead of white ones), I'm okay with that. To me this is not affirmative action. To me it's trying to break the power grip the Dems have on minorities, which is a good thing. If what Bush is doing should be called a race card, then I'm all for it.

I agree with your post almost in its entirety, but I disagree with your tactics. Again, Estrada is very qualified, and I happen to like the fact that he is a minority...which is what the GOP will be in 20 years if they don't reach out to minorities.

I am done posting on the race card issue. We will just have to agree to disagree.

[gcruse]

Even Catholics don't believe or do everything Catholics are supposed to. Dems aren't anti-Catholic and they aren't stupid. The are filibustering Estrada because they think he is conservative. All else in lies and politics.

[AlGone2001]

Do we nominate someone to send a message to others of his/her color - or do we nominate or hire someone because they are the best for the job. You see that thinking is what got us in the quagmire we are in with this racial thing.

All of your talk sounds really good, but the truth is that people tend to vote in blocks. Like it or not, but there has to be a plan to make inroads into the Hispanic voting bock. Aside from the Cubans in Miami, they are dems, lock, stock and barrel.

It is certainly true that this is a Hispanic man, but he happens to also have a great story. He is a perfect example of the American dream.

Please don't attempt to compare this to a handout. That's not what it is. It seems that he is evertyhing that scares the democrats. He is a perfect picture of what a minority can do if he determines to not see himself as a victim.

[nickcarraway]

If they find a Catholic who isn't really catholic, they would approve, correct. That's hardly a pro-Catholic position. McDinald's should target to their advertising to all vegetarians who like hamburgers.

[nanny]

This is the hypocracy that bothers me.

The hipocracy that bothers me is 'we are going to nominate the first Hispanic judge and the democrats are opposing him because he isn't liberal enough and THEY are practicing racial politics? Now that needs to be read again.

But, yes, I would rather see Estrada be approved for his qualifications. Or opposed because of a lack of qualifications. I wouldn't support someone BECAUASE they were a certian race, and I wouldn't oppose someone BECAUSE they were a certain race.

But you see, the Democrats are not opposing him because of his race - but his politics - we are touting him and everyone can just swear all they want to - but we know he was nominated because he was Hispanic (whatever in the heck that is). He was. To the President that was one of his qualifications and to say the Democrats oppose his politics and therefore they are racists - is just a little strange.

I don't want anyone nominated or opposed because of his/her race. I don't want anyone nominated or opposed because it will bring more of his/her 'people' (whatever that is) into the policial party. Those are both destructive reasons.

So if the Republicans don't want the world to see their actions as racist - then stop playing racial politics. I didn't make any of this stuff up.

[gcruse]

Convoluted....and spot on.