Mr. Moran:
“By being able to mute at least some of the firestorm of criticism that will descend on his SCOTUS choice, as well as pleasing a minority group that most analysts believe is still “up for grabs” electorally, the president has outflanked his GOP opponents.”
How you see this as any kind of “flanking maneuver” is a mystery to me.
This looks a lot more like an identity politics/pandering for Hispanic votes “frontal assault” to me.
“With the president playing identity politics to the hilt, naming a female Hispanic has probably assured her confirmation.”
He has the votes in the Senate, barring some spectacular misdeeds on her part, her ascension is a done deal.
Even you acknowledge this:
“Obama and the Democrats have the votes to confirm her easily.”
So why does your piece start out sounding like Obama is some kind of political Tiger Woods?
“With one stroke, he repaired at least some of the damage done over Guantanamo, his riling the left over his resurrecting the military tribunals, the CIA flap with Pelosi, and his most recent statement that we’re “out of money.”
Maybe for you.
“At the very least, he has pushed those stories off the front pages and into the background as the battle begins over Sotomayor’s nomination.”
That’s all he’s done, but the other issues are not going to go away.
