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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.

this boils down to this
Estrada is being blocked because he is a conservative Hispanic.

The Dems haven't blocked all conservatives. Shedd was approved. Ashcroft was approved. Sutton was just approved. But, they were all white. So the dems will let white conservatives through (often) but not minorities.

You say he's being blocked because of his politics.
I say he's being blocked because Democrats think that minorities should be allowed to think, vote, or judge conservatively. So I think it is a racist move to block him and essentially say "Estrada is not Hispanic enough"
(Congressman Bob Menendez essentially said this.)

The Dems relented and did not filibuster Sutton today, a white conservative. Therefore, the Senate is approving the white conservative but not the Hispanic.

finally, I'm sure that the vast majority of elected Dems (KKK Byrd notwithstanding) are very sympathetic to minorities...but there sympathy clearly stops the moment that minority starts to have an independant or, gasp conservative, thought!

So what that means in English is your typical Dem who has filibustered Estrada is not Racist in the KKK sense, just racist in the minority vote is mine sense...

This is subtle, but I think that many Hispanics are starting to see the difference.

Almost every candidate for a political position has some quality that is played up.

Byrd played up his impoverished background. He even got involved in an "I grew up poorer than you" shouting match on the Senate floor.

Abe Lincoln's railsplitting and being born in a log cabin were touted. Did that particular PR campaign and its appeal to emotions take away from his performance in office?

By the way, the Democrats are unfairly applying the litmus test to several of the judicial candidates, even though most of them lie and say they aren't. The are also throwing a monkey wrench into the usual workings of the Senate by refusing to allow an up or down vote on the senate floor. They are in the minority but are trying to take control of the Senate.

The Democrats use the race card day in and day out. Maybe there would be fewer complaints if they didn't use it all the time. The Republicans, if they are using it, are using it with their backs to the wall.

When the enemy is storming your position you use the ammo you've got, even if you would not ordinarily use it.