Landrieu bragged about support for Estrada in campaign ads.

Byron mentions Mary Landrieu's 2002 campaign ad targeting Hispanics. Here's the text (in translation), according to the email GOPers are sending around: "We need a Senator that serves our community better, so we have better teachers and can offer our children a better education. We need a senator that understands the needs of our community, economy, culture and society. Mary Landrieu has worked close to the Hispanic Community. Immediately following the destruction of Hurricane Mitch in Nicaragua and Honduras, Mary Landrieu was the first representative of the US to visit Honduras and involve herself with the relief effort for those affected by the hurricane and she obtained 11 million dollars in support of the affected families. Mary Landrieu ALSO SUPPORTED THE CANDIDACY OF THE HONDURAN MIGUEL ESTRADA FOR THE FEDERAL COURT OF APPEALS. Mary Landrieu has always been close to our community, she has grown, socialized and worked along our side. An announcement paid for by friends of Mary Landrieu."

from National Review On-line:LANDRIEU'S FLOP [Jonathan H. Adler]

During her hotly contested Senate reelection campaign, Senator Mary Landrieu ran spanish-language ads stating that she supported the confirmation of Miguel Estrada (see here). Now, her reelection in hand, Senator Landrieu is supporting the Democratic filibuster of Estrada. Landrieu explains the flip-flop as follows: [M]y campaign ran an ad that was intended to convey only that I did not oppose his nomination, instead it read as if I had already decided to support him. Unfortunately, some of my supporters in the Hispanic community who helped us produce this commercial misinterpreted my neutrality as a statement of support. I take personal responsibility for the error and I apologize to anyone who was misled by these ads, which ran for less than 2 weeks on one radio station in New Orleans.

Dear President Bush,
With the Surpeme Court session getting ready to close, it may well be time for perhaps the most important domestic decision of your presidency: the appointment of a Supreme Court Justice(s). The main reason why I supported you in 2000 and why I wanted Daschle out of power in 02 (and 04) has to do with the courts. I want America courts to interpret law, not write law. During your presidential campaign you said Thomas and Scalia were your two model justices. Those are excellent models. The High Court needs more like them. Clarence Thomas recently said to students that the tough cases were when what he wanted to do was different from what the law said. And he goes by the law. This should be a model philosophy for our justices. Your father, President Bush lost his reelection campaign for 3 main reasosn, as far as I can see. 1. he broke the no new taxes pledge 2. David Souter 3. Clinton convinced people we were in a Bush recession (which we had already come out of by the time Clinton was getting sworn in)

I urge you to learn from all three of these: 1. on taxes, you're doing great. Awesome job on the tax cut. 2. good job so far on judicial appointments. I want to see more of a fight for Estrada, Owen, and Pickering, but I commend you on your nominations. 3. by staying engaged in the economic debate you'll serve yourself well

I have been thoroughly impressed with your handling of al Queida, Iraq, and terrorism. You have inspired confidence and have shown great leadership.

But I want to remind you that your Supreme Court pick(s) will be with us LONG after you have departed office. I urge you to avoid the tempation to find a "compromise" pick. Go for a Scalia or Thomas. Don't go for an O'Connor or Kennedy. To be specific, get someone who is pro-life. Roe v Wade is one of the worst court decisions I know of, and it's the perfect example of unrestrained judicial power.

I know the temptation will be tremendous on you to nominate a moderate. But remember who your true supporters are. I am not a important leader or politician. I am "simply" a citizen who has been an enthusiatic supporter of you. I am willing to accept compromise in many areas of government but I will watch your Court nomiantions extremely closely. What the Senate Dems are doing right now is disgusting, but as the President you have the bully pulpit to stop it. Democrats will back down if you turn up serious heat on them.

Moreover, I think public opinion is shifting towards the pro-life position. Dems will want you to nominate a moderate, but almost all will vote against you anyways. Pro-choice Repubs will likely still vote for you if you nominate a Scalia, after all, you campaigned on it. So Mr. President, I urge you to stick with your campaign statements and nominate justices who believe in judicial restraint, like Scalia and Thomas.

Happy Memorial Day and may God bless you and your family.

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