Miguel Estrada withdraws nomination

FOXNEWS | 9/4/03

[Solson]

Do you mind telling me when any of the large networks offered positive coverage of the GOP??

Here's an idea...screw public perception...start calling the Dems racist...put commercials out talking about the nominees and how their only "crime" is being a woman, a hispanic or black and ask folks to call their senators.

But it's all too late for estrada. We blew it.

the RATS threw out the rulebook...so why are still pretending to play by the rules?

[ohioWfan]

I'm beginning to lose faith that this Administration can do anything effectively

As we sit here with a recovering economy, partially due to two tax cuts, in spite of the blows we took as a nation, living in relative security, in spite of the desire of thousands upon thousands to destroy us.

As we observe the freedom of the people of Afghanistan and Iraq, and the rumblings of of democracy in the Middle East, as a result of the rebuilding and respect of the military by this administration, I have one question for you........

Are you SERIOUS.....or are you just mad?

[headsonpikes]

This is just the sort of political event which leads to 'seeking Sulla'.

;^)

[mhking]

This has to be used in a careful manner

What? More waiting? Why not hand them the keys to the kingdom while we're at it, huh?

Screw this "being nice" crap. They aren't playing ball, and they're bending us over in the process.

[rrrod]

the RATS have won again....damn im so tired of the "monica lewinsky" republicans

[MamaLucci]

I, for one, do NOT blame President Bush for this.
The President is rightly focusing his efforts on national security and the economy.
No, this debacle lies squarely on the wimpy shoulders of a handful of GOP
senators who have perfected the art of going along to get along while getting
knifed in the back by the minority party.

[ohioWfan]

Well it makes Republicans look gutless.

I understand that, and I am VERY frustrated by that.......but it also makes them look honorable. And it stands in stark contrast to the completely unprincipled RATS who are really to blame for this.

I too wish they had forced a full filibuster on the RATS.......they may have backed off. But they may NOT have backed off either, and we might still be in the same situation.

And perhaps this decision was just Estrada's having had enough. Maybe he didn't want to be the whipping boy of the obstructionists any more.

In the long run, I still think that good will come of this.......WHEN the American public in general is made aware of it.

[mhking]

I, for one, do NOT blame President Bush for this.

When a baseball team has a piss-poor starting pitcher and the coach fails to either coach that pitcher or replace him, the coach is the one that gets replaced. And at the same time, all the home runs in the world don't mean a hill of beans when your starting pitcher keeps throwing the game.

Bush has the opportunity to kick Frist squarely in the arse. He damn well better do it and get things rolling, otherwise, the Dems are going to continue to run the Hill even though they are the MINORITY.

And Frist, for his part, has shown that he can't get the job done. It's time for him to step aside and to bring someone else into the Majority Leader's office. Someone who has the stones and ruthlessness to get his hands dirty and b*tchslap Daschle and Hillary!™ and get the job done quickly.

If this kind of wishy-washy, tissue-paper thin, half-assed crap is still going on when it comes time for a SCOTUS nominee to be confirmed, we can kiss any conservative choice goodbye.

And that will be Bush's fault, period.

[berserker]

Miguel Estrada, after two years of waiting for U.S. Senate confirmation, has decided to withdraw from nomination to a federal appeals court, a source close to the Washington attorney said on September 4, 2003. The source said Estrada, who has been blocked by Senate Democrats who see him as part of President Bush's attempt to pack the courts with right-wing ideologues, simply got tired of waiting and having his legal career on hold. Estrada is shown during Capitol Hill testimony Sept. 26, 2002. Photo by William Philpott/Reuters REUTERS/William Philpott

[mhking]

WHEN the American public in general is made aware of it

During an election cycle? Oh, please. There's no way the mainstream media will do anything but cheerlead the Dems as they run ruffshod over Frist and his patty-cake boys.

Hell, the Cincinnati Bengals front line look more effective than Frist and company do right now.

[1Old Pro]

RATS !

[jimt]

I am utterly disgusted with the Republicans' lack of glandular fortitude. Letting the 'rats run the show proves them chickenhearted cowards. If nothing's ever going to change there's no reason to vote for them.

[hchutch]

Well, WTF was Frist and Bush supposed to do?

First has maybe 47 votes he can rely on constantly. McCain, Snowe, Chafee, Specter, and Collins might or might not bolt, depending on the issue. We get Zell Miller on the judical nominations, but we ain't got much more than that. By my count, we're four votes short of a majority. That's BEFORE you tack on Mitch McConnell's heart problems (which required surgery), and the fact another Republican Senator had a family emergency.

Ultimately, Frist had little room to maneuver. Why? Because folks who got all upset over "wimpy" Republicans either stayed home or went for some no-chance thrid party option, and cost us at least THREE Senate seats since `98. Harry Reid, Maria Cantwell, and Tim Johnson are relaible allies of PFAW on this issue. So is Mary Landrieu, and we blew our chance to take her out last year as well.

FOUR seats that should have been Republican aren't, and a lot of it because some "conservatives" decided that they weren't going to vote for a "wimpy" Republican, and now, they aren't man enough to admit that all they did was give Ralph Neas FOUR frigging votes to keep filibusters open. Now, we can either waste time and effort venting, or we can solve the goddamn problem, and get Frist and Bush more of a margin to work with down the road.

Oh, and Daschle's gonna get away with crap like this. He's a dem, and the media covers for them. That's life - that's the reality on the political street. We've known that for a long time, so why the f*** are we acting so damn surprised that the media not only gave Daschle a pass, but that the media also smeared Estrada?

We did more that suggest, cajole, and placate. They were out trying to drum up support. But they just couldn't get the f***ing votes.

[mhking]

Are you SERIOUS.....or are you just mad?

I'm furious!

No, I can't take away the good of the tax cuts and the war on terror. Those are wonderful accomplishments and things for which I'm thankful.

But I'm also looking at the way the supposed MINORITY party is acting like they're in charge. I'm looking at the way that the DEMOCRATS are in there setting policy. I'm looking at the way that the President sits back and fiddles while Rome burns.

"Let's spend more money," I'm hearing. What happened to cutting portions of the budget? Huh? That's been simply frustrating, but this bit with Estrada is over the line.

Frist AND THE ADMINISTRATION let this happen. They ALLOWED the Democrats to set the terms of the game, and then they payed the price.

And all I hear is that the GOP is being HONORABLE!? When did it become honorable to go down in defeat due to inaction? When did it become honorable to ALLOW your opponent to change the rules in midstream? When did it become honorable to roll over and play dead while the other side wins the race?

Don't give me this "honorable," get the job done.

[CaptBlack]

My opinon I know goes against the grain of a lot of folks on here but that is the way I see politics. Confrontational, in your face politics, gains very little and in my belief harms your cause.

I can appreciate what your saying, but when in recent memory have you seen any Republicans playing "in-your-face" politics?

I think the complaint of some of us is that that tactic is NEVER used. Republican leadership seems wedded to genteel, effeminate politics.

[hchutch]

Going in with a half-assed plan would only make things worse. Hell, why not toss in a little blame at Estrada for not having the gumption to see this thing through?

He's the guy who pulled the damn plug, not Bush or Frist! Estrada QUIT on them! How many damn cloture votes did Frist hold on the guy?

[floriduh voter]

Let the slander begin. Teddy and Chucky should receive some phone calls from their constituents. They tried to make it sound like Estrada was an extremist and blamed Bush. They had to get face time on TV and they thanked Leahy and Daschle for the fine work they've done in the last few weeks for the American people. TOTAL B.S.

Schumer is clueless. I hope Hispanics don't take this lying down.

THE JUDICIARY IN AMERICA IS OUTTA CONTROL TAKING THEIR CUES DIRECTLY FROM TEDDY AND CHUCKY!

Please help Terri Schiavo in Florida. Her situation is another JUDICIAL OUTRAGE and she needs help from all freepers!

see tag line. I'm done yelling...

[hchutch]

But Miguel Estrada is the guy who QUIT on Bush and Frist.

Sorry, if you want to toss stuff at `em, toss it at the guy who QUIT.

[OXENinFLA]

FRITS IS SPEEKING ON THE SENATE FLOOR ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW...

[floriduh voter]

Maybe Bush didn't do an executive order for strategery. Just a thought. Hispanic voters should have this issue for the voting booth next year. Democrat gangsters like Chucky and Teddy only play senators on tv. AND THEY BLAMED BUSH!