Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Fr.Andrew · 01-08-2003, 05:10 AM

I see that Dubya has renominated Charles Pickering of Mississippi to be a Federal judge. Although he may have gotten the necessary 2/3 of the full Senate for approval the last time around, Pickering never got that far. He was rejected by the (then) Democrat controlled Judiciary Committee because it was determined by a majority of them that his record revealed "racial insensitivity".
The back and forth at the time (about the difficulty of finding a Southern Republican who was not a "racist") was but a prelude to the brouhaha that brought down Trent Lott last month. Other examples of Republican "racial insensitivity" (Bob Jones University, Confederate flags, Jesse Helms' political tactics, etc) were trotted out and there were loud cries from neocons about the GOP's need for an image change.
You'll recall that Dubya appeared on various forums to decry Lott's comments and to talk about how they no longer reflect the views of America.

In light of that, I find it difficult to believe that he's renominated Pickering...a personal friend of Trent Lott and a judge with racial baggage (justified or not, it's there) himself.
It seems he'd want to drop the race thing like a hot potato...get away from it. Instead, he's keeping the issue alive by feeding it.
It's almost as if he's testing the limits of his popularity at the expense of the Republican Party.

John Hancock · 01-08-2003, 09:05 AM

Yes Father

He truly is "The Lone Rider of Crawford Tx.".

Martin Buber

fromtheright · 01-08-2003, 06:12 PM

Fr. Andrew,

I'm not aware of Pickering's "racial baggage" but your comment that

justified or not, it's there

fuels the conservative point that for liberal opponents of conservative appointments it doesn't matter whether the accusations are true, only that they are made loud enough.

Fr.Andrew · 01-08-2003, 06:37 PM

(From the Right): I'm not aware of Pickering's "racial baggage"
(Fr Andrew): Do you follow the news:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...l%5Fnomination

(From the Right): but your comment that "...justified or not, it's there..." fuels the conservative point that for liberal opponents of conservative appointments it doesn't matter whether the accusations are true, only that they are made loud enough.
(Fr Andrew): That was my point, sort of. The Dems are sure to jump on this with both feet...and the GOP will continue to bleed.
In throwing Pickering's name out again, Dubya himself, provides the fuel. It just seems like a stupid thing to do right now, that's all.

[tried to fix link, its too long unfortunately, to access paste together the following three lines:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=68&u=/nyt/20030108/ts_nyt/
democrats_mobilizing_to_fight_bush_judicial_nomina tion

-99%]

fromtheright · 01-08-2003, 06:48 PM

(Fr Andrew): Do you follow the news?

I don't read the paper very often, no, so I really wasn't aware. I tried out the link but I got a "Document Not Found". I will do a search there later, though.

Fr.Andrew · 01-09-2003, 02:37 AM

(Fromtheright): I don't read the paper very often, no, so I really wasn't aware. I tried out the link but I got a "Document Not Found". I will do a search there later, though.

(Fr Andrew): I'm sorry...I don't know what happened to the link. Just google "Pickering nomination" and you'll get some news stories on it. The worst of his offences may be that he went to extraordinary lengths in 1994 to get the (federal) mandatory sentence of a KKK cross burner reduced.
I'll try one more link.

01-08-2003, 05:10 AM	#1
Fr.Andrew Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Betsy's Bluff, Maine Posts: 540	Pickering around I see that Dubya has renominated Charles Pickering of Mississippi to be a Federal judge. Although he may have gotten the necessary 2/3 of the full Senate for approval the last time around, Pickering never got that far. He was rejected by the (then) Democrat controlled Judiciary Committee because it was determined by a majority of them that his record revealed "racial insensitivity". The back and forth at the time (about the difficulty of finding a Southern Republican who was not a "racist") was but a prelude to the brouhaha that brought down Trent Lott last month. Other examples of Republican "racial insensitivity" (Bob Jones University, Confederate flags, Jesse Helms' political tactics, etc) were trotted out and there were loud cries from neocons about the GOP's need for an image change. You'll recall that Dubya appeared on various forums to decry Lott's comments and to talk about how they no longer reflect the views of America. In light of that, I find it difficult to believe that he's renominated Pickering...a personal friend of Trent Lott and a judge with racial baggage (justified or not, it's there) himself. It seems he'd want to drop the race thing like a hot potato...get away from it. Instead, he's keeping the issue alive by feeding it. It's almost as if he's testing the limits of his popularity at the expense of the Republican Party.

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01-08-2003, 09:05 AM	#2
John Hancock Banned Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mars Posts: 2,231	Yes Father He truly is "The Lone Rider of Crawford Tx.". Martin Buber

01-08-2003, 06:12 PM	#3
fromtheright Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 633	Fr. Andrew, I'm not aware of Pickering's "racial baggage" but your comment that justified or not, it's there fuels the conservative point that for liberal opponents of conservative appointments it doesn't matter whether the accusations are true, only that they are made loud enough.

01-08-2003, 06:37 PM	#4
Fr.Andrew Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Betsy's Bluff, Maine Posts: 540	(From the Right): I'm not aware of Pickering's "racial baggage" (Fr Andrew): Do you follow the news: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...l%5Fnomination (From the Right): but your comment that "...justified or not, it's there..." fuels the conservative point that for liberal opponents of conservative appointments it doesn't matter whether the accusations are true, only that they are made loud enough. (Fr Andrew): That was my point, sort of. The Dems are sure to jump on this with both feet...and the GOP will continue to bleed. In throwing Pickering's name out again, Dubya himself, provides the fuel. It just seems like a stupid thing to do right now, that's all. [tried to fix link, its too long unfortunately, to access paste together the following three lines: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=68&u=/nyt/20030108/ts_nyt/ democrats_mobilizing_to_fight_bush_judicial_nomina tion -99%]

01-08-2003, 06:48 PM	#5
fromtheright Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 633	(Fr Andrew): Do you follow the news? I don't read the paper very often, no, so I really wasn't aware. I tried out the link but I got a "Document Not Found". I will do a search there later, though.

01-09-2003, 02:37 AM	#6
Fr.Andrew Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Betsy's Bluff, Maine Posts: 540	(Fromtheright): I don't read the paper very often, no, so I really wasn't aware. I tried out the link but I got a "Document Not Found". I will do a search there later, though. (Fr Andrew): I'm sorry...I don't know what happened to the link. Just google "Pickering nomination" and you'll get some news stories on it. The worst of his offences may be that he went to extraordinary lengths in 1994 to get the (federal) mandatory sentence of a KKK cross burner reduced. I'll try one more link.

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