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You are here: Home / Politics / Domestic Politics / Gonzalez Confirmed

Gonzalez Confirmed

by John Cole|  February 3, 20057:56 pm| 31 Comments

This post is in: Domestic Politics

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Judge Gonzalez was confirmed by a vote of 60-36. Voting with the Republicans were Salazar, Lieberman, Nelson, Landrieu, Pryor, and Nelson (with both Nelson;s voting yea, does that make it a full nelson?).

For those of you foolish enough to think that this was about torture, I would recommend you remember the real memogate, as discussed here by Dahlia Lithwick. This wasn’t about torture, and it never was. This was about damaging Bush at all costs, and this was about the Supreme Court.

As the Democrat’s own secret memos stated, Judge Gonzalez, because he is Latino AND conservative, is ‘especially dangerous.’ This wasabout damaging an innocent man’s reputation to make any possible future nomination to the Supreme Court untenable. If you don’t believe me- ask Kos:

A few short weeks ago, Gonzales looked to sail through the nomination process unscathed, with the barest of opposition logdged against him.

Armando was a lonely voice of dissent, but amazingly, it grew. And I still can’t believe the entire Dem Senate leadership, and 36 Dems in total, made a principled stand against torture and voted “no”. That’s a huge victory, and yet additional evidence of that spinal transplant we’ve been hoping for.

This wasn’t about torture- if it were, they wouldn’t care to ‘scathe’ him. They, and I, would fight to keep the man from being confirmed. This was about partisan politics at its worst. Not that I expected any better.

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Reader Interactions

31Comments

  1. 1.

    flaime

    February 3, 2005 at 8:32 pm

    May not have been about torture to the politicians. It was about torture to me. And I am deeply disappointed in the Senate for confirming this man.

  2. 2.

    shark

    February 3, 2005 at 8:39 pm

    Flaime, are you “DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED” in the Senate Dems for holding a murderer so highly esteemed in their caucus?

    Just asking is all…

  3. 3.

    Oliver

    February 3, 2005 at 8:52 pm

    Why do you guys keep making it about him being latino. He could be purple, he still authorized torture – good man, indeed. You’d think that the right was obsessed about people’s race and gender. Oh, wait. They are.

  4. 4.

    smijer

    February 3, 2005 at 8:53 pm

    Someone on one of the big blogs said it pretty succinctly:

    For those Republicans who are anti-torture, a “yes” vote is partisan politics at its worst.

    For those Republicans who are pro-torture, Gonzales is a God-send.

    For any Democrat it’s a no-brainer.

    You can soothe your conscience by saying that the Democrats voting “no” were doing so for political gain, but that doesn’t change the facts that you know about Gonzales, about what he has done, and about what statement we make to the rest of the world about human rights and “democracy” when we give him that promotion.

  5. 5.

    Terry

    February 3, 2005 at 9:21 pm

    Oliver says that “…he still authorized torture…” It goes without saying that this is another of the Comfort Cushion’s big lies. As with the other lying scum on the Left, he continues to try to peddle this discredited story. A number of Democrats in the Senate have repudiated this lie, including Senator Salazar, another Latino that Oliver probably doesn’t like because of his skin color and ethnicity.

  6. 6.

    caroline

    February 3, 2005 at 9:30 pm

    Honestly, was there any good reason to confirm the guy other that it’s who Bush wanted?

  7. 7.

    ray

    February 3, 2005 at 10:36 pm

    Caroline, that’s the primary reason to confirm him. Read the Constitution. Art 2, sec 1:
    ” he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint … officers of the United States.”

  8. 8.

    narciso

    February 3, 2005 at 10:38 pm

    He made it possible for those who
    interrogated KSM and Ramzi bin Al Shibh, (remember them, the master
    mind of 9-11, and one of the
    alternate of the fliers that day;)
    not be prosecuted. Do you think just talking to them, will work,
    how about reading them their rights, so we can never get anything out of them.

  9. 9.

    Bob

    February 3, 2005 at 11:22 pm

    It was about torture, plain and simple. The right-wing spin machine may want to make it out to be something different, but it’s about torture. It’s about torture, it’s about due process, it’s about lying to the Senate committee. Other than that and my irrational attachment to habeas corpus, nothing.

    shark says something about holding “a murderer so highly esteemed in their caucus,” which I presume is a reference to Ted Kennedy. I hope you are not justifying the appointment of Gonzales because Ted Kennedy was involved in a motor vehicle accident 35 years ago which resulted in someone’s death. That’s pretty thin intellectual gruel. Heck, Laura’s got a vehicular manslaughter under her belt, doesn’t she? In any case, neither of them have anything to do with what they do in government. Ted Kennedy runs for Senator from Massachussetts. He wins. The rest of the Senate has no say unless they want to impeach him, and if they do there will be wholesale dirty laundry, which I personally would enjoy.

    That’s different from dismissing legal and moral contraints of torture because his boss is a cruel, sick son of a bitch rich boy. The difference between you and Bush is when you are feeling mean you call someone an asswipe. When Bush is feeling mean someone is tortured unto death. It wasn’t just Lyndee and her beau.

  10. 10.

    capt joe

    February 3, 2005 at 11:46 pm

    BullDoodoo Bob and Ollie

    You guys hate any conservative minorities. You figure all minorities beyond to you and if they don’t then you consider them as race traitors. It is beyond your capacity to even imagine that a minority would willingly choose the right side of the political spectrum.

    That is why you hate them. So sorry to be you.

    Just keep telling yourself that it was about the torture, but we know the real score don’t we. ;)

  11. 11.

    Aaron

    February 4, 2005 at 12:04 am

    After 9/11 everyone is up in arms.

    You write some memos about a real problem: how to classify the dudes we are picking up in weird places.

    You also have to think about what level of interrogation is acceptable (always a fine line.) Maybe even consider torture…after all, the public is screaming about 9/11.

    But now, Democrat cooler heads prevail and we know to attach lawyers to our special forces teams, keep a chain of custody, and release the “accused” when we can’t prosecute them.

    Oh, and you can’t even poke someone in the chest. That would be torture.

  12. 12.

    Kimmitt

    February 4, 2005 at 2:37 am

    No, you don’t understand:

    When someone left-of-center opposes a white conservative it’s irrational hatred.

    When someone left-of-center opposes a conservative of color, it’s racism.

    It’s never about principles, because people who don’t share John Cole’s views don’t have principles.

  13. 13.

    wolverine

    February 4, 2005 at 9:25 am

    Kimmitt – so, anyone who doesnot agree with Prof Cole is an unprinciples person, and thus nothing they say or do is worth respecting, eh? If that isnt a Stalinist way of looking at the world, I dont know what is. So, I bet you will hate me too, a “person of color’ who does not buy into the liberal-left, Democratic Underground kind of worldview.
    I betcha, even Prof Colem a fellow Ann Arborite, wouldnt make as blanket, and as stupid statement as you did.
    Have a great day.

  14. 14.

    Bob

    February 4, 2005 at 9:41 am

    capt joe, so what’s your opinion on the US torturing prisoners?

  15. 15.

    Ricky

    February 4, 2005 at 10:05 am

    You’d think that the right was obsessed about people’s race and gender. Oh, wait. They are.

    Are they obsessed with handkerchief heads?

    Maybe they’ll become enlightened and implement racial quotas (but call them “goals”) for convention delegates, eh? Let’s ask the Dem-backing NAACP if the right is obsessed about race. What does NAACP stand for, again?

    Heh.

  16. 16.

    Oliver

    February 4, 2005 at 10:13 am

    You see, lying Ricky, the Democrats actually have black people (you know what those are, dontcha?) on their side and don’t have a couple paid-for shills that front for the camera for them like with the RNC.

    BTW, have you had your obsession with me looked into? It’s kind of unhealthy.

  17. 17.

    Robin Roberts

    February 4, 2005 at 10:18 am

    But not near as unhealthy as your load of bile, Baghdad Blob.

  18. 18.

    Robin Roberts

    February 4, 2005 at 10:20 am

    And by the way, Baghdad Blob, it remains a lie for you to claim that Gonzales “authorized” torture. That misrepresents the content of his memos ( a dishonesty you share with Kimmitt ) and misrepresents his authority in the administration at the time.

  19. 19.

    jeff

    February 4, 2005 at 10:41 am

    Hey Oliver, since you’re so concerned with what’s “unhealthy”, it should be pointed out to you that being sixty pounds overweight is unhealthy too.

    Take your head out of Brock’s lap and go to a gym.

  20. 20.

    Ricky

    February 4, 2005 at 11:13 am

    It’s kind of unhealthy.

    Thanks for the heads up! I was looking in the mirror the other day and could only see four of my abs instead of 6, so I realized that I needed to review the diet plan. I appreciate the helpful advice on what’s healthy and what’s not healthy coming from you, Oliver.

    As we all do.

    As you can probably ascertain, it would be unwise for you to continue a personal campaign full of ad hominem attacks, so it would be advisable to put forth a cohesive argument to use in a debate. Are you bright enough to do that? It really does display a lack of an intellectual foundation when one resorts to little more than pre-teen trash talk from the comfort of their keyboard.

    I’m open to read anything substantive, though.

  21. 21.

    Oliver

    February 4, 2005 at 12:47 pm

    The greatest body can’t hide a diseased mind, Ricky. And you’ve set forth nothing more than personal attacks and lies.

  22. 22.

    dylan

    February 4, 2005 at 2:00 pm

    Wow!.. Robin. Baghdad Blob, that’s some good stuff. Ricky.. four to a six-pack. Screw the six-pack..I wanna see a twelver! Even the good old fashioned “Fat Oliver” jokes are injected with personal vanity.
    I think discussing one’s supposed softening abs would fall under “pre-teen,” rather than one with an “intellectual foundation.”

  23. 23.

    Ricky

    February 4, 2005 at 2:05 pm

    Sheesh, ya can’t even thank someone for a reminder about what’s healthy nowadays.

    Now, now, be nice. If arguing substantively is too much to ask for, at least PRETEND to have an intellectual foundation (that goes for backslappers, as well).

  24. 24.

    Misha I

    February 4, 2005 at 2:34 pm

    capt joe, so what’s your opinion on the US torturing prisoners?

    I’m not Capt. Joe, but for what it’s worth:

    Red is positive, black is negative.

  25. 25.

    Ricky

    February 4, 2005 at 2:59 pm

    The greatest body can’t hide a diseased mind, Ricky.

    I’m sure that it helps in the babe department, though, when the nights get cold and the wrist gets awfully sore from overuse.

  26. 26.

    M. Scott Eiland

    February 4, 2005 at 3:13 pm

    Interesting that the newly minted Senator Salazar was on the list–he was also hinting in a post-SOTU Address interview on FOX that he wasn’t going to fanatically oppose every single proposal regarding Social Security that GWB proposes. It goes to show–except in the bluest of blue states, the best way for a Democrat to get elected to the Senate is *not* to sound like Howie Dean or Joshy Marshall.

  27. 27.

    HH

    February 4, 2005 at 4:36 pm

    The Dems were caught dead to rights, that their opposition was to this “dangerous” man at least partially for being a Hispanic conservative. So don’t be surprised when they’re accused of opposing a man for being a Hispanic conservative!

  28. 28.

    Kimmitt

    February 5, 2005 at 1:30 am

    Red is positive, black is negative.

    Mikey! Good to see ya. Eat any good books lately?

  29. 29.

    Bob

    February 5, 2005 at 11:02 am

    Robin Roberts, Gonzales didn’t authorize the torture. Bush authorized the torture. Bush is a mean, cruel son of a bitch rich boy who poses as a good ol’ God-fearin’ country boy when he’s out on the stump.

    You know, when someone claims that God is telling him what to do, and then he is responsible for the deaths of thousands and the torturing of innocents, you are dealing with a very dangerous person. John Wayne Gacy with political backing.

  30. 30.

    Misha I

    February 5, 2005 at 10:28 pm

    Mikey! Good to see ya. Eat any good books lately?

    Nah, Kimmie.

    Paper quality has gone way down lately. Heck, they don’t even burn as well as they used to.

  31. 31.

    Oliver Witless

    February 5, 2005 at 11:01 pm

    “BTW, have you had your obsession with me looked into? It’s kind of unhealthy.”

    That’s what I told that evil liar Glenn Reynolds when he stopped linking to me. He was like, “DAYUM, you got me, Ollie!” Another big win for the O-Tub.

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