Estrada Senate Debate Continues - Live thread

C-Span 2 | Feb. 24, 2003

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Debate resumes for the nomination of Miguel Estrada. Live on C-Span 2 now.

Nomination to the judiciary of Miguel Estrada, Feb. 24, 2003:

 

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tx) first to speak:

 

"I rise at the beginning of the third week of Senate debates.."

 

"Many of us were not here when I believe these perceived slights occured."

(referring to comments overheard on the floor, "What's good for the goose is good for the gander." etc.

 

"I'm also concerned with the double standards."

 

"It must be a terrible (?) for those who obstruct (this nomination). For them to win, the American dream must lose."

 

"Precious Senate time, energy and attention that could have been devoted to getting the Nation's business done has simply been delayed."

 

Re. those who will not even allow Miguel a vote: "A truly selfish and unprecidented act."

 

"The Democratic leadership's strategy is clear. Delay Mr. Estrada's nomination indefinitely in the hopes that Mr. Estrada's supporters will give up.."

 

"Much of our time has simply been devoted to cleaning up the mess left to us under their leadership."

 

"The Democratic leadership seems obsessed with obstructing (Mr. Estrada's nomination) and I wonder why that is."

 

"When I was back home in Texas last week...I read an editorial from the Dallas Morning News that perhaps gives us some clue...There is a time for talking and a time for voting. The time has passed for talking...."

 

"There is only one thing the Democratic leadership can do to stop him...that is to change the rules and create an unfair double standard."

 

"The American people will not stand for such unfair and childish behavior from the Senate."

 

"As the Austin Amer. Statesman" has editorialized, if the Dems. have something substantive to block Miguel's nomination, it's high time they show it." (paraphrased)

 

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Senator Bob Graham (D-FL) is still recovering from heart surgery.

His aid all but admitted that he was using that as an excuse not to touch the Miguel Estrada issue. Did you notice that Graham was well enough to put out a press release re. his future run for Pres. last Friday?

[OldFriend]

Toll free number for reaching any senator or congressman.....1-877-762-8762

[votelife]

This Estrada battle seems like Bush's tax battle 2 years ago. In the end 62 Senators voted for. But it took FOREVER for Bush to get the 50th Senator. No Dem wants to be the one who in essence puts the nominee over the top. So, right now, Nelson (NE), Breaux, and Zell are taking Daschle's heat. Except I doubt Daschle will say anything to these. But other Dem senators are under TREMENDOUS pressure not to give Bush this vote (victory). Daschel has probably told them, you can vote for him if you need to, IF it comes up for a vote, but if you in ANY way FACILITATE it coming up for a vote, you will have a BIG-TIME price to pay. So, we must keep up the heat for Estrada!

[anniegetyourgun]

GGGGRRRRR....I'm calling his office again....

[mwl1]

Forget about Graham. He is running for President. He will not support Estrada, and is willing to risk his in-state position (his re-election) by poking a finger at Hispanics in Florida.

[Chad Fairbanks]

I'm sorry... I know Howlin, and you, Ma'am, are no Howlin... ;0)

[MamaLucci]

Where's Howlin???

[MeekOneGOP]

Your tag line: Free Howlin!

I looked: This account will be suspended until 2003-02-25

I had no idea. Yes, Free Howlin ...

[mwl1]

Your assessment is correct. All we need is some slight more pressure to break the log-jam, and Estrada will be approved overwhelmingly.

Capitol Hill switchboard is 202-224-3121. Do not waste your time with emails. Democrats do not understand, and cannot read, emails.

[NEWwoman]

bttt

[votelife]

any guy who can't take a stance on this big of an issue, yet can find time to run for president has no business being president.

With this many Hispanics in Florida, he might actually HELP his chances in a paradoxical way if he supported Estrada. Wait, the organization formerly known as NARAL owns the DNC. He HAS to oppose Estrada if he wants the nomination. (or VP, or a cabinet choice in a Dem administration, any of these I think he'd be happy with bc he knows he won't get out of the minority any time soon)

[solo gringo]

Give them hell John Texas Style.

[RobFromGa]

Bush aide: Estrada treated differently

By JANELLE CARTER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - President Bush's legal adviser, pressing the White House's case for Miguel Estrada, contended Sunday that the Hispanic lawyer was being treated differently from other federal judicial nominees.

Senate Democrats have held up a confirmation vote on Estrada for almost two weeks, saying they know little about his views, particularly on abortion rights. That makes it impossible, the Democrats say, for them to evaluate the Washington lawyer's qualifications to be a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, widely considered the country's second-most-powerful court.

"I'm not going to speculate on the motivation behind this," White House counsel Albert Gonzales said on "Fox News Sunday."

"I will say that he is being treated differently. I think he's being held to a double standard," said Gonzales, who rarely appears on the Sunday talk shows but was brought out to defend the embattled Estrada nomination.

"There is ample information about Miguel Estrada," Gonzales said on ABC's "This Week."

Bush used his weekly radio address Saturday to urge a Senate vote on Estrada, an immigrant from Honduras who would become the first Hispanic on the appellate court in the capital. "I call on the Senate Democratic leadership to stop playing politics," the president said.

The GOP has the 51 votes needed to confirm him, but not the 60 needed to stop a filibuster and end Senate debate to allow a vote.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus issued a statement Saturday noting that Republicans have rejected Democratic Hispanic nominees in the past and said lawmakers are right to want more information about Estrada's views.

"Republicans must realize that there are other highly qualified Hispanics, who are not ashamed to discuss their views," caucus chairman Rep. Ciro Rodriguez, D-Texas, said.

---With friends like these, who needs enemies? (RobFromGa) -----

Democrats have complained that they know too little about Estrada's views to evaluate him.

They requested copies of confidential Justice Department memos Estrada wrote while working in the solicitor general's office, which represents the White House before the Supreme Court. The Bush administration has refused to release the memos.

Gonzales complained that 67 other former Justice Department employees have been appointed to federal courts, and they were not asked for internal memos.

"So it appears to us that Miguel Estrada is being held to a different standard. And I don't know why, because this person is very well qualified and should be confirmed quickly," Gonzales said.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which sent Estrada's nomination to the Senate floor on Jan. 30, accused the White House of stonewalling. "If Mr. Estrada were a mainstream conservative, I would vote for him. Many others would. But we don't have any idea of how he feels on any issue at all," Schumer said on ABC's "This Week."

Gonzales hinted that the matter could hurt Democrats politically with Hispanic voters.

"I think if the Hispanic community believes that Miguel Estrada is being treated differently or is being held at a different standard, I think that it may be harmful in the future," Gonzales said.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Sen. Cornyn's laying out the Constitutional role of the Senate re. confirmations, quoting Alexander Hamilton.

"For much of our nation's history the Senate didn't even conduct Senate hearings, not even for the Supreme Court." They simply deferred to the President, or voted "no".

"It was not until 1925 that the first nominee to the uSSC would actually appear in person." "After that nominees would revert back to the tradition of not appearing." Until a decade later..1939, Felix Frankfurter...who read a prepared statement saying he would not give his personal feelings about cases.

"Even in cases of Supreme Ct nominations, hearings have traditionally been brief.""Justice Byron White's confirmation lasted less than 2 hours."

"The nomination of Miguel Estrada is the culmination of a destructive judicial nomination process that must stop."

"So that Presidents now and in the future will be able to nominate candidates for judicial office who will be willing to subject themselves to this unreasonable (process)."

"This filibuster must stop."

[Sacajaweau]

Is Hillary in the chamber?? She really got chastised the last time she lectured the Senate on the Constitution (Our own little expert no-nothing).

What will she lecture the Senate on next??

I heard Scummer locally a couple of days ago. What a jerk!! How could NY be so lucky to have two jerks for Senators.

From an Upstate New Yorker dealing with winter weather and Democrat Senators...They both give me the chills!!

[Mrs.Liberty]

bttt

[hobbes1]

Free Estrada!!!!!!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

any guy who can't take a stance on this big of an issue, yet can find time to run for president has no business being president.

Amen. The Dems. voting against Miguel are siding with the Castro-Hugo Chavez wing of the Democratic party...and against the United States, imho.

[Txslady]

One usually gets a better response if it comes from their constituents, as you well know. Not that my email (alone) did anything.

I will say this though - not only did I email - I emailed everyone I knew here in Texas as well - to fight for this nomination and to contact our Senators. Family and friends may not all be Freepers but they do make a difference.

Glad I don't have to fight with what you have too.

Thanks for the Tread, by the way! :o)

[votelife]

Cornyn will be a big asset in the Senate. He's a former Supreme Court Justice in Texas. Saxby will also be a big help to the President. I read he's been lobbying Bush hard for conservative appointments.