So, it looks like a real fight is coming over the Gonzales nomination

[NewYorkerfromMass]

I got an email from PFAW today asking to contact my Senators, and there is this news story today:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1200002

I'd say we have a real fight to give them here.

http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=16842&action=1516

[bryant69]

1. I don't know whether we can stop the confirmation

If the REpublicans remain united, they can probably get him in. But we can at least show the Bush administration and the world that we don't support this. And we can get the American people to think about what America means and if torture is consistant with that.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. It will be a harder fight than the Rice hearings

whatever the outcome, this won't be easy. There is also dissent from the Latino community...

http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/news_print.asp?id=20069

The above article contains this heartbreaking quote:

Opponents argue that Gonzales should be evaluated on his legal positions, not his ethnicity. But coming out against a historic appointment for a traditionally underrepresented population can create a special kind of anguish, said Eva Paterson, executive director of the Equal Justice Society, which also opposes Gonzales.

"For a Latino, it's `Why are you trashing this fellow Latino?'" said Paterson, who is African-American. "For a black person, given tensions between blacks and browns, we don't want to make the tensions worse."

Paterson added, "It speaks eloquently about how messed up we still are about race."

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

4. That's like saying Alan Keyes represents "dissent in the black community"

Sorry, but one or two people does not dissent make. I don't buy it.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

5. Congressional Hispanic Caucus is opposed to Gonzales

Hispanic Lawmakers Rally Against Gonzales

January 27, 2005

Hispanic Democrats in the US Congress rejected Alberto Gonzales as nominee for attorney general, breaking with major US Latino groups....

The Hispanic caucus said it was told that Gonzales was too busy responding to written questions from the judiciary committee to meet with the group and that a meeting would have to wait until after his confirmation.

"The historic nature of his nomination is rendered meaningless for the Hispanic community when the nominee declines an opportunity to meet with the group of Hispanic members of Congress who have worked for so many years to open the doors of opportunity to fellow Hispanics," the caucus said in the letter sent Wednesday.

Three major Hispanic organizations have endorsed Gonzales: the League of United Latin American Citizens, the National Council of La Raza and the Latino Coalition.

http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/news_print.asp?id=20523

There is dissent to be sure.

[genius]

9. The Hispanic Caucus and MALDEF oppose Gonzales

If we DON'T filibuster him, the Latinos will be up in arms against up.

[trochanter8]

8. i agree

it'll be a tough fight but he'll eventually get in.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

3. It's a "real fight" because it's a better fight.

Condi might've fucked up Iraq, but she stood by Bush's plan all the way, so it was Bush's choice to make. Especially since the sheeple seem to still like that we fucked up Iraq.

Gonzales, on the other hand, made it okay to become a human rights violator. That's a much, MUCH better argument to make, especially when Abu Gharib really did piss off more Americans than it pleased. While this still isn't a winnable battle, at least we're going to get somewhere positive by fighting this one.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

6. kos thread

Good discussion going on there
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/1/31/131254/024

[joanski01]

7. I got an e-mail today, also,

although at the moment I can't recall the organization. I went to the website and filled out the form and wrote a message asking my Congresspeople to vote NO. It went to Specter and Santorum.

[Pam-Moby]

10. Lets watch and see

what our rep senators vote because like I've said before, we need to hold the dem dissenters accountable for their actions. Gonzalez should not even be a mouth piece for B*sh in the first place but it shows what his administration is about!!!

[moggie12]

11. Dems may get cold feet in light of "election of the century"

BUT:

1) Didn't Joe Biden say he was going to vote against him? (that's pretty amazing for a guy like Biden to come around like that -- did I just hallucinate that or is that for real??)

2) They've got a lot of generals on their side, which always helps

3) Hispanic Caucus coming out against him provides "cover" that, to my knowledge, they didn't have with Rice


If they were smart, they'd come out swinging against Gonzales -- Americans like when people stick to their guns no matter what. (Like Bush does)

[NewYorkerfromMass]

12. everybody called their Senators? kick

[cyn2]

13. I've called both my senators in their DC offices

The encouraging news was the Susan Collin's office person said, "I'll add you to the list!"

Probably a snowflakes chance....both Sens. Snowe and Collins are R, but they are pretty good senators.