SCHAFER OFFERS ASSISTANCE TO BREAK IMPASSE ON ESTRADA(Is Schafer running against Dorgan???)

North Dakota GOP ^ | 4/29/2003 | North Dakota GOP

[Pubbie]

Former Governor says Estrada should receive up or down vote

BISMARCK, ND – Former Governor Ed Schafer has offered his assistance to help bring Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Kent Conrad (D-ND) together with Miguel Estrada to ensure the two North Dakota Senators have the opportunity to get the appropriate information they will they need to evaluate him and help end efforts to filibuster his nomination.

“This has gone on long enough. President Bush nominated Miguel Estrada over 22 months ago yet the United States Senate still hasn’t taken a full vote on him,” Schafer said. “He’s argued 15 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and he’s received what Washington Democrats consider their ‘gold standard’ for judges – an unanimous ‘well qualified’ rating from the American Bar Association. President Bush’s nominees – including Miguel Estrada – deserve a fair up or down vote of the Senate.”

Schafer went on to note that public opinion, including editorials around the state, have called on Washington Democrats to end their filibuster. If our Senators feel they may have alienated the White House with their attempts to politicize the vote on Miguel Estrada then Schafer has said he will personally deliver their appropriate questions to the White House. Schafer hopes to bring both sides together to ensure the North Dakota delegation has the chance to get to know more about Estrada and his record, so they can join the bipartisan efforts to end the filibuster.

“The White House has said numerous times that Miguel Estrada is available for one-on-one meetings with any Senator. It is my understanding that our Senators have not taken the White House up on their offer, and if they haven’t already I hope to provide the opportunity for them to do so,” said Schafer. “Ultimately, the partisan political games in Washington have got to stop. Everyone knows Miguel Estrada will be confirmed once he gets a fair vote – he has the support of at least 54 senators. So it’s time for the games to end and for the Democrats to end their filibuster.”

Miguel Estrada is more than qualified to serve on the federal bench. He is a Honduran who came to America as a teenager, graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he edited the Harvard Law Review. He unanimously received the highest possible rating by the American Bar Association. His work experience includes four years in the U.S. Department of Justice under President Bill Clinton, where he received praise from those on both sides of the aisle for both his intelligence and his independence.

[Pubbie]

It seems a bit odd to me that a retired NoDak Governor would slam the Senate Democrats if he isn't thinking about throwing his hat into the ring against Dorgan in '04.

Frankly, his statements against the Democrats in the Senate strongly indicate IMO that he is going to run.

My theory is that he is running (despite his statements to the contrary) because he sees that Jim Edgar, Jim Demint, Richard Burr, Jack Kingston (Probably), Asa Hutchinson, Jim Gibbons, John Thune, and Schwarzenneger(Maybe) are going to kick ass in '04, Schafer wants to be a part of a GOP landslide.

I think him seeing Jim Edgar (another retired Gov) coming out of retirement to kick some liberal rear, will entice Schafer to do same.

What do you guys think???

[livius]

Regardless of why he's doing it, it would be nice to see a Dem with some ethics (not to mention common sense).

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

if their gonna filibuster makem stand and talk the endurance of it.

Might last 30 minutes tops!

[Political Junkie Too]

Could this be a sign (weak as it is, considering that it is North Dakota) that the filibuster is starting to blow back on the Democrats?

-PJ

[green team 1999]

bump

[Pubbie]

No but it looks like Schafer might take out Dorgan (Oh PLEASE let it be so!)

[jagrmeister]

Good political move. Makes him seem very reasonable (not pressuring them, just creating the conditions where they can be educated on Estrada's record which they claim is the reason they cannot vote for him). It's a moderate move but one that earns approval from the GOP base for supporting a Bush nominee. If this is a measure of his political skills, he could be a very effective candidate.

[Pubbie]

It is a good political move IF he's looking at running.

IF Schafer is 100% sure he isn't running then it would be rather strange for him to make these comments if he's completely focused on a private sector job. Considering no one in North Dakota is worked up over the filibusters, and even if they were, Schafer knows Dorgan and Conrad are so liberal they won't help force a vote anyway.

[Lion Den Dan]

I hope Schaeffer jumps on this. I am about to retire to ND and one of my stated missions is to end the Conrad-Dorgan reign of Democrap terror.

There is a guy over in Medora, the mayor Olie Golberg, who is a likely show for state rep in 08. Good Republican and a good manager who tells the truth. Perhaps we can turn ND around for the better.

[Pubbie]

"There is a guy over in Medora, the mayor Olie Golberg, who is a likely show for state rep in 08. Good Republican and a good manager who tells the truth. Perhaps we can turn ND around for the better."

If your interested in helping the NoDak GOP, try and persuade them to run Mr Golberg in '04 NOT '08, because Dubya will be at the top of the ticket next year and therefore '04 is the year to knock out Earl Pomeroy.

[Contra]

The democrats are now opposing a hispanic and a female. Maybe next GWB needs to nominate a conservative black woman and whatever other minorities he can think of. Even if the nominations go down, GWB and the Republicans win in 2004 on this as a campaign issue. In fact, there could be a high profile battle for a one or more USSC nominees leading up to the 2004 election. I understand there's a conservative black female who might be in line for a USSC nomination. Let the democrats oppose her for everybody to see. It'll be Clarence Thomas all over again. The party of inclusiveness is actually racist.

[Pubbie]

"In fact, there could be a high profile battle for a one or more USSC nominees leading up to the 2004 election. I understand there's a conservative black female who might be in line for a USSC nomination. Let the democrats oppose her for everybody to see. "
If some judicial obstruction leads to a Pub super majority then I wouldn't mind the dems continuing to fire up the conservative base for '04.

[jagrmeister]

I find it hard to believe that "no one" is concerned about Democrat obstruction of Bush's judicial nominees. It's of serious importance to the base, to the minority community (with Estrada), and to anyone who wants Congress to collaborate with Bush rather than oppose him. As far as its merit as a political move goes, whether or not Dorgan would move on Estrada because of such a meeting is beside the point. People will see Schafer as a doer who's willing to bring the parties together rather than stand on one side and lob grenades, as is all to often the case of partisans.

[Pubbie]

"People will see Schafer as a doer who's willing to bring the parties together rather than stand on one side and lob grenades, as is all to often the case of partisans."

Good point, the filibusters do indeed fire up the base.

[LADY J]

"if their gonna filibuster makem stand and talk the endurance of it."

I heard on Fox Cable tonight that the reason the Republicans are not making the Rats filibuster is because they don't want to get up during the night and do it either.

I think this is disgusting.

Wish we could hold them accountable. They are no better than the Rats if that's true.

It seems anymore that they take us for granted and I'm getting sick of them being so spineless.

If they keep these things up - it won't really matter who we vote for. They don't seem to know how to handle power.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Schafer absolutely needs to get in there and run. It will have been 24 years since that REPUBLICAN state has elected a GOP Senator or Congressman next year. Schafer needs to take down Dorgan and John Hoeven needs to take down Kent Conrad in '06.

[Redrivergal]

I know Gov Shafer - sometimes sit next to him in church and hear conversations he has with other members over coffee after church. I haven't heard anything from him that would
give me encouragement he will run. He's very noncommittal when asked; just says he's enjoying being an average citizen again.

[Pubbie]

"He's very noncommittal when asked; just says he's enjoying being an average citizen again."

Well he certainly enjoyed tweaking the North Dakota Senate Delegation. Does Schafer make statements on Dorgan regularly or is this critiqueing of his new???

[Pubbie]

"He's very noncommittal when asked; just says he's enjoying being an average citizen again."

Also if a candidate doesn't publicly say "No I will not run" that usually means he's thinking about running. I think that since Schafer gives an equivocal answer he's probably thinking about it - but that's just my opinion!

[alwaysconservative]

What seems to be getting forgotten is that Ed Schafer, extremely popular GOP two-term governor, is a VERY good friend of President GWB; and they are running buddies. I believe that Governor Schafer was already approached about running against Pomeroy this last time, and declined. Remember, he has already run against Dorgan, and lost. Schafer has ALWAYS put the good of the state GOP ahead of his own personal political ambitions; he is taking the forefront again. I hope this gets a lot of attention.

Conrad and Dorgan assert that they just don't know enough about Estrada to vote for him in response to the letters people have written to them about the filibuster. They are Daschle lapdogs, both of them. It will be interesting to see how they respond to having their bluff called.

Judicial nominations are the #1 reason NOT to let the RATS stay in office!!!