A Few Thursday Notes
By AndrewHyman Posted in Southwick — Comments (4) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
The Daily News Record of Harrisonburg, Virginia had an editorial on Tuesday stating that, "If Sens. Warner and Webb could find a candidate who typifies the brilliance of a Wilkinson or Luttig, he or she would be a noteworthy addition to the court. Their bipartisan effort should be commended."
Meanwhile, PFAW is now attacking the Southwick nomination to the Fifth Circuit: "Southwick appears ready and willing to turn back the clock on fifty years of social justice progress in our nation." Although I'm sure there were some things about the U.S. that were better fifty years ago than today, many things were worse, such as segregation. Obviously, Southwick would not want to restore segregation, and in any event he will be in no position to do so. If Southwick is a segregationist then I'm Warren Buffet.
Unfortunately, moonbats on the left are now following PFAW's crazed lead. See, for example, an article by Howie Klein at Alternet, titled "Bush's KKK approved judicial nominee." Here's a clip:
"The latest nightrider nightmare that Bush is trying to foist on us is former Mississippi Court of Appeals Judge Leslie Southwick, a racist and bigoted asshole every bit as unacceptable to normal Americans as Pickering and Wallace."
PFAW is dangerously close to this same kind of rhetoric, when PFAW accuses Southwick of being willing to return the South to segregation. Among other things, Southwick was a Habitat for Humanity volunteer from 1993 to the present. He also served as board member and president of the Jackson Servant Leadership Corps, which provided leadership training, religious support, and housing for recent college graduates who served the inner-city community for a year. PFAW's character assassination must stop.
John
by BoBo
I actually think Southwick's Iraq service is what the Dems initially thought would make it easy for them to fast-track him. Who could criticize someone who has served honorably in Iraq, right? Wrong. I really think that Reid and Leahy did not anticipate the violent reaction of liberal activists like Ralph Neas and Nan Aron. I guess patriotism doesn't mean much to some people in the United States anymore.
Southwick: not to worry about PFAW et al
by Outsider
I still think this is ultra-liberal sturm and drang, not a real threat to Southwick's confirmation. The PFAW and associated Leftist rhetoric I've read is so over the top as to be patently ludicrous; this is an Air America type of attack--for truly loony leftwing idiots only. There seems to be nothing about Southwick that constitutes a real target, so they're immersed in a cesspool of their own creation. Even SJC Democrat Senators aren't going to base opposition on such obscene drivel--and there's apparently nothing else on which to base any opposition. The fact that Southwick remains on schedule for a June 7th Committee vote speaks volumes.
Take nothing for granted
by bk
The lefties feel they were sold out in the latest war funding vote and in the immigration deal, so they are going to expect to get SOMETHING from the people they supposedly control.
Southwick has also honorably served his country.
In 2005 Judge Southwick served in Iraq as a member of the Mississippi National Guard’s 155th Brigade Combat Team. While on active duty he served as Deputy Staff Judge Advocate and later as Staff Judge Advocate.
And if Soutwick was actually such an obvious racist then why would the left-leaning ABA give him a unanimous "well-qualified" rating?