February 12, 2003
On Wednesday, I broke down the truth behind this Senate confirmation battle over President Bush's nominee for the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals: Miguel Estrada. You can hear me touch on all the points of this hot issue - from Mary Landrieu's flip-flop to Democratic "weapons of mass obstruction" - in the audio links below.
Judgeships matter, folks, so listen up. Liberals want activists on the bench who will write instead of just interpret law, because that's the only way they can advance their unpopular agenda. Mr. Estrada will be a good judge; the Democrats are opposing him because he doesn't match their litmus test for judicial activism. They always complain that Republicans have these tests, but they think they're just fine on their side. They don't want a man like this on the bench - where he'll be, it's said, on the fast track to the Supreme Court.
This will be a big test for Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN), because the Democrats are threatening a filibuster. Frist made a good start by calling the Democrats' bluff. Usually the mere threat of a filibuster is enough to derail a vote. But Frist is challenging the Democrats to go out on the Senate floor, in full view of the C-Span2 cameras, and use this trick to prevent the first Hispanic from sitting on this court.
There aren't enough Democrats willing to do that, and Frist needs 60 votes to break the filibuster. With my audio comments on Mr. Estrada, you'll hear some funny bites of Judiciary Committee Chairman Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) hammering away at Senator Harry Reid (D-NV). Reid either wasn't paying attention, or pulled the tactic of deliberately misunderstanding when Republicans said that these rabid leftists are deploying "weapons of mass obstruction" on Estrada. The truth really gets to these guys when the GOP has the grapes to point it out.
Landrieu Claims Hispanic Supporters Too Dumb to Understand Estrada Ad
If Democratic senators thought Estrada wasn't being forthcoming, they could've asked him any question they wanted last September when he appeared before the judiciary committee they then controlled. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) didn't submit a single question - yet he's the one whining, "We don't know where Estrada stands." Similarly hypocritical: newly re-elected Mary Landrieu (D-LA), who claims that her Hispanic supporters "misunderstood" a campaign ad in which she said she'd vote YES on Estrada.
Charging these guys with using "weapons of mass obstruction" is 100% accurate. No circuit court judge has even been filibustered. That's why guys like millionaire trial lawyer John Edwards (D-NC) tried to trip Mr. Estrada up before he got to a vote. He pulled this trick of asking the nominee how he'd rule in a generic case, knowing full way that no judge worth his or her robe will ever commit to a ruling before the case appears before him.
Nor should you discount that Estrada faces much of the same liberal bigotry as Justice Clarence Thomas. Estrada would be the first Hispanic on either the U.S. Circuit or the Supreme Court - at least, depending on what the meaning of "Hispanic" is. To liberals, Miguel Estrada is the Hispanic version of an Uncle Tom. Congressman Bob Menendez (D-NJ) charged that Estrada is Hispanic, but he's not really Hispanic because his family in Honduras was somewhat successful.
The achievers in minority groups are never the ones liberals want people to emulate. Liberalism is not about achievement; it's about remaining dependent and in need. It's the same old tired, worn out argument: you're not really a minority if you're not in poverty - and certainly not if you vote Republican. If you become a Miguel Estrada, you have forsaken your heritage. It's just sick to tell minority kids or any kids that garbage. They can all make it. They all have the right stuff.
(...listen to Rush break down the fight over Miguel Estrada)
(...roll Orrin Hatch challenging Democrats to stop using "weapons of mass obstruction")
(...ask why Democrats think all true Hispanics have to be poor and dumb)
(...expose Sen. Schumer, who didn't bother to submit a single question to Estrada)
(...discuss Sen. Landrieu's claim that Hispanics mistook her Estrada ad)
(...roll Orrin Hatch challenging Democrats to stop using "weapons of mass obstruction")
The Inspiring Record of Miguel A. Estrada... (U.S. Department of Justice: Office of Legal Policy Biography of Miguel Estrada)
What a blessed difference from our dearly departed Mr Lott.
Democrats are for minorities...as long as they stay in their place.
What the hell does that make Bill Richardson, the Clinton administration's token Hispanic?