AFTER RACE

Am I the only one savoring the racial ironies of this morning’s papers? In one story, black and Hispanic lawmakers are thinking of joining forces with white conservative Republicans in opposing campaign finance reform – for very different reasons, to be sure. In another, a Republican president is proposing conservative-minded judges for Senate approval, a majority of whom are either racial minorities or women. Some Democrats may well be voting against minority candidates for judicial appointments on ideological grounds. Whatever the merits of each case, it’s surely wonderful that we’re muddying the racial waters here. It’s a positively good thing that some members of racial minority groups aren’t automatically assumed to be loyal Democrats or Republicans. Eventually, with any luck, we’ll begin to use the word diversity again in its original sense – a diversity of view, regardless of race or gender or background. Both parties deserve some credit for this. I’m impressed that Bush seems to be walking the walk on racial outreach. And I’d be truly depressed if the Dems voted for some judicial nominees on racial grounds alone.

JUDGES AND PARTIES: No, this isn’t about drugs. It’s just that I think that some conservatives are going overboard in their hostility to Democratic vetting of Bush’s judicial selections. Paul Gigot has a cow this morning about the temporary withdrawal of Chris Cox from consideration, under pressure from Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein. But the Senate’s role in advising and consenting on the judicial branch is a real and important one. I gave Bush the benefit of the doubt on cabinet selections, as I think the president deserves to pick his own administration. But the courts are different. For the last several years, Congressional Republicans have waged a scorched earth campaign against many of Bill Clinton’s court picks, even though most were perfectly respectable and qualified. The Congress is very evenly balanced. I think Bush is right to play this more moderately. And I think Republican and conservative wails are largely misplaced.