A real loss. Miguel Estrada Withdraws Name from Consideration By Susan Jones CNSNews.com Morning Editor September 04, 2003 (CNSNews.com) - Senate Democrats won't have Miguel Estrada to filibuster anymore: Twenty-eight months after President Bush named the Hispanic attorney to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Estrada is saying "never mind," The Wall Street Journal reported. He's expected to announce on Thursday that he is returning to his law practice -- and who can blame him, the newspaper said in an editorial. "His withdrawal should embarrass Republicans who have been outwitted on judgeships by Ted Kennedy and Hillary Rodham Clinton, who are orchestrating the first filibusters of appellate court nominations in American history. "Democrats have paid no political price for raising the 'advice and consent' standard for Senate confirmations to 60 votes from a simple majority," the WSJ editorial continued. The newspaper said Estrada's "only sin is being a smart Hispanic conservative." That makes him the liberals' worst nightmare -- an eventual Supreme Court nominee who would be very difficult to oppose because he is Hispanic. The Committee for Justice, a group that defends and promotes judicial nominees who honor the Constitution, called Estrada's decision to step aside "a major loss to the nation, the court, constitutionalists, and most of all, to Latinos. "Senate Democrats' disgraceful treatment of this superb nominee -- and the double standard they applied - will be remembered," said CFJ Chairman C. Boyden Gray. "Sadly, Estrada's withdrawal will only encourage Democrats in the use of the filibuster. I therefore call on the Senate Republican leadership to end these filibusters and prevent them for any future nominees," he added. "His name should be a rallying cry to describe the incivility of today's politics," Gray said.
if this is the direction we're headed with supreme court nominees, we're in for a constitutional crisis. you remember the constitution, right?
The liberals, through their partisan politics of hatred, have turned their back on Latino voters. They do not want the Latino voice represented in government. I am personally offended.
This is so wrong. I think Trader_Jorge should say "backs." We liberals have turned our backs on Latino voters.
yeah...maybe you can derail democratic republics everywhere!! starting with texas...oops, that didn't work!
honestly...politics aside...i can't believe you think this is a good thing. get control of the presidency, nominate liberal judges and see if you still think it's a good thing.
I am part "latino". So is my mom, dad, sister, brother in law, grandmother, girlfriend, and most of my relatives and a lot of my friends. I'm not offended by this, and I doubt any of them are either.
I agree with Achilleus that I doubt that Latinos are overly offended by this. They see that that isn't the issue here. TJ, stop being such a liberal hatemonger. However, I do think that this is a bad precendent to set. The Republicans will surely do the same thing whenever a liberal judge tries to get appointed. Just like the Republicans are screwing up by setting this redistricting at their convenience in Texas, the Dems are screwing up by denying this judge his position. Can't they all just get along?
huh?? i don't think the democrats blocked him because of his race, but because of his political leanings.
WTF? It's not a race issue, it's political. Everything that affects a white guy I don't see as a white issue. Everything that affects a black guy doesn't mean it's a race issue (though Timing and pgabriel would disagree with that last one). Most people aren't fooled by the right-wing's efforts to turn this into a race issue.
I know, I was just joking. Isn't that Achebe? I am Hispanic, I know the Democrats aren't racist. I know my parents are not offended (if they even know or care about Estrada). The Dems are doing it for political purposes. I hate the direction politics is going. I disagree with the whole redistricting thing in Texas as well. What happened to following what have been long standing traditions?
what kind of crazyness is this? he would be hard to oppose because he is hispanic? gee whatever happened to opposing someone because of their views? whatever happened to backing someone because of their views not because he is hispanic?
Because liberals pander to minorities. How will their "Conservatives are racists" or "conservatives don't care about minorities" rhetoric work it is a Hispanic delivering conservative opinions?
I agree 100%!!! However, the Democrats don't. They don't think his nomination should even come to a vote... BTW, I would be just as pissed if it were Republicans doing this to a Democratic President's nominee. At least bring it to a vote.
