I have never said he is not qualified - never - I really haven't heard much about his qualifications. What I have heard, on and on, is his Hispanicness - as I posted to someone else - just look at this thread.
I have no doubt he is qualified - but he has not been touted as qualified - but as 'the first Hispanic'. That racial politics - any old way you look at it. Just because it comes from the Republicans does not make it somehow cleaner.
So many on the right have taken to using liberal speak to support the nominee, which must infuriate the left. But, make no mistake about it, Estrada is supremely qualified.
It should infuriate anyone on the right who hears this talk. It does me. So it is OK for the right to take on liberal talk and politics although it taints the Republicans and gives life and energy to a very destruction practice - and it isn't racial politics? What exactly do you call it?
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.