Okay so the deal with Estrada isn’t that there’s no way to determine how the guy feels about anything, because he’s not providing any information about his record.
In fact, the root of the problem is that there’s no way to determine much about him for sure, one way or the other. He has never served as a Judge anywhere else, so there’s no way to judge him on past decisions. He’s not a scholar so there are no academic writings from which his values can be derived.
He refused to provide the Senate with a single Supreme Court Decision he disagrees with, for instance. (Yes, in the entire history of the Supreme Court.)
There simply isn’t enough information about the guy, and it appears that Estrada has been instructed by the Shrub Administration to not make any statements about anything — even to the Senate attempting to evaluate him.
“He has refused to answer any basic questions. And he has no record…
The people deserve better,” said Senator Tim Johnson (D- South Dakota)
“I hope that never again will we see this kind of stealth process.”

Yeah, I’m recording it….Don’t worry…And on VHS because my TiVOs so full these days. (How quaintly retro.)
Right now Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia) is really hamming it up about Estrada being Hispanic, and working his way up from nothing as an immigrant, etc. “We think you’ve come far from a lowly background…and he’s taken advantage of the opportunities that have been given to you….”
Anyway, tune in for yourself if you’re interested…

Democrats Prepare for Estrada Filibuster
AP story by Jesse J. Holland.

The White House on Wednesday refused to release internal Justice Department (news – web sites) memos written by one of President Bush (news – web sites)’s nominees to an important appeals court, setting up a partisan showdown over Miguel Estrada.
Democrats say they will use a filibuster to keep Estrada from being confirmed for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit until the Washington lawyer answers more of their questions. They also want internal Justice memos Estrada wrote while working for the solicitor general’s office. Democrats say those writings would reveal how Estrada would think as a judge…
Democrats said the refusal means the Estrada debate will drag on. “I regret that the White House remains recalcitrant and continues to stand in the way of a solution to this impasse,” said Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record) of Vermont, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee (news – web sites).
Bush said the Democratic plan to block his nominee, who would be the first Hispanic judge on the appeals courts, was “shameful politics.” Senate GOP leader Bill Frist warned Democrats that he might force them to stay in the Senate chamber at night and on weekends until he gets a final vote on Estrada.
“I think it is important for America to understand that your side of the aisle is