Blogoland

Courtesy of the NYT's Carl Hulse in today's Week in Review on Democrats' opposition to Rice and Gonzales:

Republicans expressed surprise that their adversaries have aimed such intense fire at two Cabinet nominees who are seen by many as exemplary members of two groups whose votes are crucial to Democratic political success. And they wondered whether such tactics would come back to haunt the Democrats in the next election.

Several Republican legislators said they were surprised by the moves, adding that they thought the Democrats were making a mistake by attacking Ms. Rice and Mr. Gonzales.

Michael McKenna, a Republican pollster who studies Hispanic voters, said he thought Democratic opposition to Mr. Gonzales was particularly risky given that Democrats are in a struggle for the allegiance of Hispanics. "His presence in office will be a constant reminder to the community of how he was treated, and that is a community that is in play right now," Mr. McKenna said.

Reading assignment for Mr. Hulse: his own managing editor's book on racial politicking and Clarence Thomas. This cynical use of affirmative action by conservatives to appoint an unqualified, middling minority to a high-ranking post and then use that appointee's race as a bludgeon against any criticism is perhaps the sickest joke ever perpetrated on the country. Surprise, indeed.