White House Rallies Activists For Pressure on Estrada Nomination

Crosswalk.com News (CNS News) ^ | 2-18-2003 | Scott Hogenson, Executive Editor

[unspun]

(CNSNews.com) - While Senate Majority Leader Sen. Bill Frist Friday was doing an about-face on his promise to keep the Senate in session over the President's Day recess and force Democrats to live with their threatened filibuster of Miguel Estrada's nomination to the federal appeals court, White House political operatives and conservative activists were readying their own strategy.

The Bush administration has targeted 11 states for an all-out grass roots effort to short-circuit Democrats and permit a floor vote on Estrada's nomination to the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals.

In a Friday afternoon conference call featuring Counsel to President Bush Alberto Gonzales, former U.S. Attorney General Edwin Meese and dozens of conservative activists from around the country, the White House sought to rally its allies in a public relations and media blitz during the recess.

"Our success in this particular effort will depend very much on what happens during the next 10 days," Gonzales said Friday, calling the Senate recess period "probably the most critical 10 days in the nomination of this very important nominee."

The urgency of the White House plan was underscored by Meese, now a fellow at the Heritage Foundation, who told more than three dozen activists, "The stakes in this could not be higher and as a result, we can't let the obstructionists prevail in this very difficult contest."

Meese and Gonzales urged conservatives to use their institutional communications to encourage activists to contact the media and the district offices of senators in calling for a floor vote on Estrada's nomination.

A considerable part of the White House strategy involves sending letters to the editor of local newspapers, particularly those in states with senators who have not backed an up-or-down vote on Estrada.

"The one thing that we know the senators read, and their staffs read, is the letters to the editor," said Meese, who urged letter writers to "criticize this obstructionist filibuster and indicate how important it is to follow the constitutional process."

The 11 states targeted by the White House include Florida, California, Delaware, Indiana, Arkansas, Louisiana, Hawaii, Vermont, West Virginia, New Mexico and South Carolina.

While the political stakes involve whether Bush will have his judicial nominees confirmed in a Senate with a slim Republican majority, the philosophical arguments involve the question of whether judges will be confirmed by 51 votes -- a simple Senate majority -- or the 60 votes needs to break a filibuster.

"A filibuster has never been successfully used in American history to block an appeals court nominee," said Gonzales, who called the Democrats' plan "an extreme tactic."

Aside from Estrada's qualifications, which include service in the Solicitor General's Office during the Clinton administration and arguing 15 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, Gonzales also stressed the personal background of Estrada.

Estrada barely spoke English when he arrived in the U.S. at the age of 17, and Gonzales called Estrada's personal history "A wonderful story that will resonate with the American people, I'm convinced of that." Estrada is the first Hispanic to be nominated to the D.C. appellate court.

Democrats have blocked Estrada's nomination since May 2001, most recently claiming that he hasn't sufficiently answered questions put before him during his confirmation hearing. But Meese characterized the Democrats' move as one that compels nominees to "commit themselves to a liberal litmus test in order to get confirmed."

"The only thing that he has refused, and properly so, is to answer how he would rule - either directly or indirectly answer how he would rule - on a case in the future," said Meese, who added that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg took an almost identical position during her confirmation.

"This is nothing but an obstructionist trick," said Meese.

[unspun]

"The 11 states targeted by the White House include Florida, California, Delaware, Indiana, Arkansas, Louisiana, Hawaii, Vermont, West Virginia, New Mexico and South Carolina."

It's the Eleventh Hour, for Estrada. Are you rallied? Do you know where your children are? Are they rallied?

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Looks as if Frist is continuing the GOP's missing backbone tradition.

[unspun]

As discussed in earlier threads, the public position on this was that his decision was made during the peak of the recent terrorism scare and that a few GOP Senators were out of commission and unavailable to form a majority.

[Cicero]

Thanks for the explanation. I missed seeing that. So far, Frist has certainly been no Trent Lott. But you can never be sure until the test comes. Trent Lott could breathe fire when he wanted to; it's just that he never did anything but talk.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

I'm rallying. Bill Nelson's office promised Nelson would vote to allow a vote. Graham will not touch this, pleading recuperation from surgery (though I reminded him that he could certainly put out a statement in support of Miguel from his hospital bed).

My letter to the Dems:

 

"We cannot ask a [judicial] candidate what he would do; and if we did and he should answer, we should only despise him for it." So sermonized President Abraham Lincoln to Rep. George S. Boutwell.."

 

LET MIGUEL HAVE HIS VOTE!

[CyberAnt]

Does anyone realize that there was a threat against the WH and the Congress - given to the congress by Tom Ridge. He told them they might want to get their families out of town.

Now ... what is more important - arguing with the democrats, or assisting your family out of town ...??

It just so happens there is a week-long recess coming up - right - that's this week. What better time to take off and get your family safely settled at another location.

If Frist had caved - you know Daschle would have called a big news conference and smirked and gloated about his victory. The fact that he didn't tells me there was NO CAVE-IN.

I don't think I saw any of that from any dem - in fact the dems were actually pretty quiet this weekend about Estrada. Are you all really ready to believe the dems would not be gloating over this supposed WIN ...??

Hmmmm? then perhaps there was another reason Frist continued the argument until next week.

Some of you seem waaaay to eager to call the GOP a bunch of names - and continue to assume they have done what Lott always did.

[mabelkitty]

If Graham is home recuperating, then he can't vote for fillabuster. Constitution states Senators must be present for a vote - Graham must not be present, so that is, in effect, one vote for our side.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

We don't expect more than a couple Dems. to actually vote to confirm Miguel, but we need 60 votes just to be able to vote to confirm. Graham, as infuential senior Senator, could rally support for Miguel among his fellow Democrats. He chooses to remain silent.

[votelife]

President Bush deserves an up or down vote on his judicial nominees. Estrada was nominated almost 2 years ago. Estrada deserves a vote. Liberal US Senators are hiding with war in the news, essentially running a sham filibuster.

EVERY ONE, ESP FLORIDA FREEPERS, call Sen Bill Nelson. Phone: 202-224-5274 Fax: 202-228-2183

http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

Let's put the heat on Bob Graham too. How can this man seriously consider running for President while he lacks the political courage to take a stand (ANY stand) on Estrada?

Time to give Bob Graham a FREEP! Phone (202) 224-3041 -- Fax (202) 224-2237 http://www.senate.gov/~graham/email.html

[votelife]

FREEPers, I have created the ultimate Estrada activism thread. On it you will find ways to contact Senators, newsspapers, radio/tv people, organizations etc. Go there and help support Estrada. Keep the thread bumped until we get him confirmed.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/847037/posts

[votelife]

BUMP

[votelife]

Check out this ad a Latino Coalition recently ran in Roll Call!

http://www.thelatinocoalition.org/news/pdf/EstradaRollCallAd.pdf

This ad could be of great use as flyers, etc!

[votelife]

The Freep for the day is Rush Limbaugh. Rush gets around 20 million listeners a day. He has drawn a lot of attention lately with Daschle and Clinton complaining about him...

So, we need to encourage him to keep talking about Estrada. Here is the info:

YOU can call The Rush Limbaugh Show program line between 12 Noon and 3PM Eastern Time at: 1-800-282-2882

You can e-mail Rush at: rush@eibnet.com

You can fax Rush at: 212-563-9166

You can write Rush at:
The Rush Limbaugh Show
2 Penn Plaza
New York, NY 10121

Everyone, it only takes a second to do this, let's show some support for Miguel and get this guy confirmed!

[votelife]

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.