Estrada filibuster may galvanize Latino voters

The Detroit News ^ | Tuesday, April 29, 2003 | Ruben Navarette

[BOBTHENAILER]

After several failed attempts by Senate Republicans to break a Democratic filibuster, it's starting to look as if Miguel Estrada may never make it to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. The controversial Bush nominee may have to settle for the strangest of consolation prizes: his name plastered on bumper stickers in the 2004 election.

[TomHarkinIsNotFromIowa]

Harkin also explained why he's helping Democrats prevent a Senate vote on the confirmation of lawyer Miguel Estrada to a federal court judgeship.

Harkin told his colleagues he's heard that Estrada - who learned English after immigrating to America from Honduras, who graduated with honors from Harvard's law school, who was given the highest possible rating by the American Bar Association, a man Harkin's never met - might be a "right-wing kook."

Harkin also is outraged that Estrada refuses to answer senators' questions.

Senate records show Harkin has not asked a single question of Estrada.

[MEGoody]

"After several failed attempts by Senate Republicans to break a Democratic filibuster, it's starting to look as if Miguel Estrada may never make it to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit."

This is only because Frist has no backbone. CandyPants Frist should have demanded that the Dems conduct an actual fillibuster. If he had, this would have ended a long time ago.

[Mister Baredog]

class action case by Latino Customs Agents who claim that they were cheated out of their language (Spanish) pay. The case is a slam dunk, yet Ashcroft is fighting it tooth and nail.

I don't know what the details are but it IS his job to defend the govt. Do you wish that he just throw principle out the window and start acting like DEMONCRATS?

[paul51]

Did you see the piece in NRO today, saying that Bush should threaten the Dems with recess appts

I don't see why Pres Bush should go out on the limb and waste political capital on this when the wussie GOP in the senate folded like a bunch of a**es.

[BOBTHENAILER]

www.nationalreview.com.......worth checking out everyday..

Thanks....added to my favorites.

[AbsoluteJustice]

FRIST CAN LOCK UP THE SENATE BY FORCING THE ISSUE AND KEEP THEM THERE AROUND THE CLOCK!!!! But as with all Republicans he has no spine!!!

[BOBTHENAILER]

In fact, some of the spots are already airing in four states: Nevada, Arkansas, Indiana and North Carolina. All those states have significant and growing Latino populations -- and Democratic senators seeking re-election in 2004. There are more ads coming in Louisiana, Florida, South Carolina, North Dakota and South Dakota. And just to make sure Latino voters don't miss the point about Democrats and their opposition to Estrada, some Republican spots are in Spanish.

Iowa was last year's election. Hopefully this will carry forward to 06 for Harkin

[BOBTHENAILER]

Is the Detroit News on the list of publications that should be excerpted?

[Paleo Conservative]

Even better President Bush should appoint all the blocked judges with recess appointments the next time Congress adjourns.

[kayak]

ping

[deport]

Sutton is being voted on at this time.........

[grapeape]

Don't think for a second that it is just this nomination. There are a lot of other forces at work here.

Down here in Houston, and across Texas in general, Texicans are getting frozen out of the Democratic party by Blacks and Liberals. They are very underrepresented. This is a fact. AS the old conservativs die off and the new ones come in they are feeling more at home in the more merit-based Republican party. WE come a long way from the old conservatives of the fifties and WE deserve the credit.

These two factors can not be over emphasised. Democrats work on race we work on merit.

[votelife]

This article says Bush should appoint Bork as a recess appt to the Supremes if the need arises to get the Dems to back down!

http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-barnett042903.asp

[votelife]

as a Floridian I'm glad to see pressure being put on Graham.

[adx]

Perhaps the best way to get it back in the bottle is to show the Dems that TWO can play at that game.

I share skeeter's concern about the GOP playing identity politics over this. More likely, instead of putting the genie back in the bottle, the RATS will likely escalate. This embracing of identity politics would certainly not be good in the long run.

Either way, I'm hoping we get Estrada in. It'd make me quite happy to spike one down the RATS throats. Conservatives have been eating s**t for years, so it's time to make them eat some. If only we had Senate Republicans that didn't play by Maquis of Queensbury rules....

[votelife]

Senate Democrats managed to convince a handful of Latino advocacy groups to join them in opposing Estrada.

This sounds like union leaders going along with some REALLY LEFTIST stuff, which their voters don't support. This is the kind of stuff which creates Reagan (Bush) Democrats.

[Admin Moderator]

If you look at the bottom of the article, you will see that the piece was syndicated by the Washington Post writers' group.

[deport]

Sutton is confirmed by the Senate

Yeas……52
Nays….. 41

[mwl1]

Sutton's confirmation means that several RATS in their caucus are getting very skittish about the filibuster strategy. They are playing with fire, and they know it.

[deport]

Not sure but it appears only one crossed over to vote for Sutton with 7 Senators not voting. I was listening to the vote and some voted yea and then changed their vote at the end.....

It appears we can have at least three judge nominees being held up without a vote if things continue.... Estrada, Owen, and Pickering.