A New Move on Estrada ('Tain't over yet!)

National Review Online ^ | 2/28/2003 | Byron York

[ArcLight]

In perhaps its most forceful effort yet to break the stalemate over the appeals-court nomination of Miguel Estrada, the White House has now invited every member of the Senate who has doubts about Estrada's legal views to submit written questions to Estrada by the close of business Friday. In a letter delivered Thursday to all 100 senators, White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales said Estrada will respond by next Tuesday.

[TLBSHOW]

at 500 bucks a day I guess they needed time off......lol

[cubreporter]

Yes I agree Estrada should stay out there number one for sure. I thought about what Rush said too but...HE like GWB is always right in the long run so...I'm gonna have faith in President Bush AND Rush too. Can I do that even? :)))

[bmwcyle]

He worked for America's Voice while they were conservative. I bought Dishnetwork to get more of their programs but they tried to go mainstream when their rating went up. They were trying to be balanced. They dumped Major, Janet Parchells, and several other conservatives and put on some cheap young idiots like CSPAN did. Major then went with CNN.

[Howlin]

Good grief!

[Otta B Sleepin]

Just look at this thread filled with optimists who still think the dems are losing and Estrada will be voted to the bench!

We're optimistic because we've been watching the floor sessions.

To All: I don't recall hearing all these doomsday comments during the actual Senate sessions when Hatch was calling the Dem senators on their lies, one by one, tearing them apart. I would encourage everyone to watch the proceedings for yourself and draw your own conclusions.

Save your antipathy for the opposition. I don't see the need to keep harping on the negative. Some people seem to take a singular joy in trying to pull everyone else down the drain with them. For myself, I've seen the way our President works in the face of opposition, and I see the Republican Senators implementing similar strategy. They are not going to signal their next move or show their cards, but they know what they're doing.

All the worry and pessimism in the world isn't going to change the outcome, but it sure will make the interim a miserable time to live through.

[sinkspur]

Bush will beat the crap out of them over it...This is wishful thinking. Too few people give a damn about judges and don't pay attention. Look at hispanics, if they don't make a big deal over this (and they sure as hell haven't) who will? There just aren't enough freepers to do anything substantial about this outrage.

We were under an orange alert until yesterday, a war is impending in the next two weeks, lots of people are nervous about their jobs, and there's angst in the land over who's hot and who's not.

Nobody is paying attention; I suspect that's the reason there's been no polling. There'd be too many "Huh? Who's Estrada?" in the sample.

The Republicans simply have no leverage, at least none they're willing to exercise. A winning team doesn't call a three-day timeout to regroup.

[Howlin]

I did meet him last January. He was very nice; we were waiting to get in to see Bush and the press was right behind us. We had a fit over Jim Angle and Wendell Goler....and he was really giving them a hard time.

Much later, after the rally, when we were leaving, he saw me across the parking lot and called my name and said, "We had a great time in the South -- Bush Country!"

It was kind of neat.

Do you have any idea where they drag up those people on CSPAN?

[alnick]

Please read the article again. The article that I read says that the Republicans are fighting -- in fact, they've thrown a curveball to the rats.

All of this "If they do this" I'll be angry doesn't do anyone any good, except the democrats. If you want to gripe, please wait until our guys have actually done something to gripe about.

[Howlin]

BTW, where are you witty cartoons about all this? I remember you use to post the funniest editorial cartoons almost every day!

[Utah Girl]

I called and talked to someone at Orrin Hatch's office today. They are very emphatic that the nomination is going to stand, they're not giving up. Plus, I understand Rush was saying the same thing on his show, that the Republicans were backing away from Estrada. Both Frist and Hatch called up to say that Rush was wrong.

[Otta B Sleepin]

My favorite part was the look between Graham and Frist! Spoke volumes!

That was my favorite part, too. I'm chuckling again now, just remembering!

[PhiKapMom]

My problem is that Major Garrett started out with a bad article lead in and made it worse when he took comments out of context. He had facts wrong that could have been easily checked out. The vote was a Quorum Call only that brought people to the floor of the Senate. No need for a source on that -- it was in the Congressional Record.

That is definitely not what I had come to expect of him and hope he learned something after Rush's show today.

[sinkspur]

Santorum's office to Rush: Quote taken *out of context*.

Santorum's office said that there would be no cloture vote; it did not say that Santorum was taken out of context. Liars are "taken out of context".

I suspect Santorum was tired and frustrated; he'd rather be debating tax cuts.

[deport]

$500.... and they don't have to set here 24/7 holding ppls feet to the fire....

[jwalsh07]

Both Frist and Hatch called up to say that Rush was wrong.

Good, I guess they got my message about the challenge and the woodshed. LOL

[Howlin]

I agree 100 percent. I just like him.....LOL. I can actually like people who are wrong.....I can!

[Howlin]

I was going to pay good money to see that, too!

[cyncooper]

Both Frist and Hatch called up to say that Rush was wrong.

I know Santorum's office called Rush, too.

I notice there is a bit of denial by some that Rush even admitted he was wrong. He did say he had been corrected--and said he was renewed and invigorated about it.

Thank you for that report directly from Hatch's office. He clearly is fired up over this and is imbued with a refreshing aura of righteous indignation!

[Howlin]

Skip on down, friend, to 179!

[sinkspur]

That is definitely not what I had come to expect of him and hope he learned something after Rush's show today.

Garrett will likely stand by his story. What reason does he have to lie about what Senators said or even to "take them out of context"?

Hatch and Santorum are frustrated and they likely said things to Garrett they now wish they hadn't.