The American Spectator

Democrats attempts to delay and obstruct confirmation of well qualified judges continues. Chuck Schumer recently announced, "I will recommend to my colleagues that we should not confirm a Supreme Court nominee except in extraordinary circumstances." (Probably only in the event President Bush repeated his father's error in appointing another "stealth" Souter like nominee.) Moreover, Senate Democrats are now objecting to confirmation to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal Judge Leslie Southwick, rated well qualified by the ABA and an Iraq war volunteer. (He previously entered the reserve forces after receiving an age waiver.) The Democrats have claimed Judge Southwick is a "racist" based on a decision, which Democrats have chosen to misconstrue, he rendered on the Mississippi Court of Appeals. The case concerned the standard for review for an administrative decision not to fire an employee because use of a racial slur. Democrats choose to overlook the fact that the opinion specifically denounced use of the term and ruled on a common legal grounds, the degree of deference owed to an administrative agency. This type of intellectual dishonesty and shabby treatment of highly accomplished judges is precisely what ended the Senate careers of Tom Daschle and several Democrats colleagues. If there is anything that will galvanize the Republican base this is it. John McCain has weighed in and Fred Thompson has blogged on it. Both are to be commended.