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.

[mware]

Paul Harvey just did a segment on Leahy and how he stated in 98 that all nominees have a right to a vote on the Senate floor.

Also mentioned that he said no nominee should be filibustered. Paul said shame on Senator Leahy.

And that is the rest of the story.

[jdontom]

Over Here

[Marysecretary]

I'm with you. I think this is a ploy by the White House to show the people just how shallow and stupid democrats are! Go pubbies, go! Show 'em.

[VRWC_minion]

The only way to win is to play tough and play politics.

Timing is everything. The timing needs to be after Iraq war is won.

[amexmike]

Here my two cents. I think this is a brilliant move on Bush's part. I read eariler today that three more Bush Appointees have moved though to a senate vote. So one of two things will happen. Either there will be this huge logjam of appointees that the Dems will not vote on. They will view and unveiled as OBSTRUCTIONISTS. second they try to ram the two or three of these new appointees through before Estrada to prevent themselves for looking like obstructionists. Then they will be view as anti-hispanic. Opps there goes the minority vote.

[hobbes1]

Actually it already is.....It just takes the Pro life format.

[justshe]

It's really a brilliant move and VERY similar to Bush's handling of other situations with the Democrats.

It is like he maneuvers them into a corridor where they willingly go...and he sits and waits and waits..and finally slams off the entrance to the corridor leaving the only way out thru the door he wanted them to go thru in the first place.

Yep...he's WUSS. Those who so quickly underestimate this man...and gnash their teeth and wail at the moon about how he has once again sold out (insert issue), have had two years to observe.......HE DOES WHAT HE SAYS HE'S GOING TO DO. But that apparently buys no trust.

IMO, many of the 'wusses' reside here, not in the White House.

[TLBSHOW]

Rush is talking about this and he does not understand the President and Rush is frosted about this whole thing. Says it is all about the constitution.

[Diddle E. Squat]

"Manna, manna, manna, all we have is manna. We are so tired of manna. Why were we led into the wilderness just to die?"

[TLBSHOW]

Rush may invent a new label for the commie left liberals, says he has never seen this in his over 40 years of life.

[justshe]

It's really a brilliant move and VERY similar to Bush's handling of other situations with the Democrats.

It is like he maneuvers them into a corridor where they willingly go...and he sits and waits and waits..and finally slams off the entrance to the corridor leaving the only way out thru the door he wanted them to go thru in the first place.

Yep...he's WUSS. Those who so quickly underestimate this man...and gnash their teeth and wail at the moon about how he has once again sold out (insert issue), have had two years to observe.......HE DOES WHAT HE SAYS HE'S GOING TO DO. But that apparently buys no trust.

IMO, many of the 'wusses' reside here, not in the White House.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Estrada's answer is that he fully suports Roe v Wade as an appellate court jurist. The problem is that the Dems don't want him to get a chance to change precedent as a SCOTUS justice and they know that allowing him this foot in the door will make it next to impossible to stop him from getting there.

[StevieB]

Some of you think courage would be to go 24/7, right now I think calling those moderate Dems bluff is pretty astute.

Put me in the camp of those who think we have some strategery going on right now ...

There is a part of me that wants to see a fist-flying brawl on the floor of the Senate -- but when I calm down a bit I remember that my objective is to win the battle and win the war.

There are some good combat analogies in this process. Frontal assaults are often very costly and often fail. (Trench warfare in World War I is a good example. For years millions died and the front line seldom moved more than a mile or two.)

Shifting strategies and flank attacks often produce the desired results, and that's what the Republicans are doing now. We have just spent a week getting the Democrats entrenched -- making them think they needed to get ready for a 24/7 filibuster and numerous quorum calls. And then there's an abrupt shift that leaves them wondering what's happened. The Democrats think they know what they need to do to deflect the assault, and then everything changes.

I wouldn't even be surprised if the reports (that the Republicans are starting to get tired of the battle) aren't part of the strategy. Let the Democrats think the center of the line is crumbling while you muster the forces on the flank for a crushing assault.

This is not the time to give up. The President and the Senators are still fighting, and they're using some innovative techniques.

I am looking forward to seeing just who does and who does not submit their questions. And I would love to see the press conference where the President reads off the list of names of those who did not respond!

[bray]

Everyone knows wetbacks are Democrats! Nothing worse than an uppity house servant.

Pray for GW and the Truth

[twigs]

I think the Dems are scared to death of Estrada. They have assumed for years that immigrants were theirs. That's not the case at all. If they let immigrant conservatives into leadership positions, their entire future as a party is threatened. They're fighting for their very survival, IMHO.

[twigs]

I think the Dems are scared to death of Estrada. They have assumed for years that immigrants were theirs. That's not the case at all. If they let immigrant conservatives into leadership positions, their entire future as a party is threatened. They're fighting for their very survival, IMHO.

[cyncooper]

Heads up. Rush is opening his show and mentioned the Estrada business and even he is under a FALSE impression about Republican intentions and strategy.

[amexmike]

I believe two scenarios are in play here. I read earlier that 3 more appointees made it out of the Jud. Committee for full senate confirmation. So, the Dems could stall them all until they get this Estrada thing finished. In which case they would be view and unveiled as OBSTRUCTIONISTS. Or they could try to breakup the logjam by trying torush through the other appointees quickly to show that they aren't holding things up. Then they will be villified as anti-Hispanic. That will lose big Hispanic votes. I don't think they would be able to spin out of that one. Either way I believe that this is great strategy by Bush.

[BJR]

I don't know if the pubs will cave or not, but when Bob Novak, who is as good as anyone in getting inside political information, says on CNN that Estrada may well be successfully filibustered afterall, I get REAL worried.

[cyncooper]

Heads up. Rush is opening his show and mentioned the Estrada business and even he is under a FALSE impression about Republican intentions and strategy.