One of the less covered aspects of the Alberto Gonzales fiasco is how it is affecting Hispanics. Many Hispanics that had political differences with Gonzales were nonetheless proud and encouraged to see him rise from humble beginnings to become the head of the Department of Justice. You might remember how Bill Richardson was reluctant to call for Gonzales’s resignation.
Presidential candidate and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) said Monday the reason he has not called for the removal of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is that the two both have Hispanic backgrounds.
Richardson, in an interview with The Hill, said he is “pretty close” to making such a call, but added that he is reluctant to do so before Gonzales’s Senate testimony despite the high-profile involvement of New Mexico in the U.S. attorneys scandal.
[Richardson says] “The only reason I’m not there is because he’s Hispanic, and I know him and like him… It’s because he’s Hispanic. I’m honest… I want to give him the benefit of the doubt.”
Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) only called for Gonzales’s resignation yesterday. And he expressed some of the same sentiments.
Salazar said that he admired Gonzales’ history as someone who grew up in the projects and went on to rise to the nation’s top law enforcement post.
“I arrive at the decision with a heavy heart and disappointment,” Salazar said. “I very much wanted him to succeed as attorney general.”
In general, I find this solidarity based on race to be a little disturbing. I understand it in an abstract sense, but it’s hard to see how anyone with a moral compass can consider Alberto Gonzales their friend. But I can also see how Hispanics took pride and found hope in Gonzales’s successes, despite political differences. And it’s sad to see their disappointment. Gonzales has let a lot of people down.
“In general, I find this solidarity based on race to be a little disturbing. I understand it in an abstract sense, but it’s hard to see how anyone with a moral compass can consider Alberto Gonzales their friend.”
I agree. Ethnicity should not weigh here. Strike Bill Richardson, he has personal challenges. Lucky for him to be a third tier candidate so he’s not being mucked..
Kudos to Ken Salazar for his courage. As I mentioned in my diary here, ..”it was Salazar who endorsed Gonzales and introduced him at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. When your friend won’t stand for you, stuff happens.”
Nah. If he’d had courage and principle he never would have nominated Gonzales.
See my post below on Salazar.
This is like way late but in regards to Richardson’s hesitation, maybe the delay is more loyalty to a friend as opposed to ethnic bias. Not saying that card isn’t a part of it, family and extended family are a part of this. Just that Richardson seems to have a little more integrity and world experience than to be completely tied into ethnicity. (disclosure – I’m Hispanic too).
of racial equality is to give everyone, regardless of their race, an equal opportunity to be an asshole.
It’s just like women are expected to be supportive of Hillary Clinton in her presidential bid…though many have serious questions regarding her stand on the Iraq War and her willingness to fight for key issues facing this country (universal health insurance, pay equity, health care equity, etc.).
Dr. Martin Luther King said that he had a goal that people should be judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their characters; by that measure, Gonzales has come up far short no matter what his racial background…
I think he’s dangerous, and I don’t think he’s in for anyone else except for a coterie of Latinos.
I’d hate for the same kind of race and class dynamics that inform Mexico and Latin America to mess up everything for black people in the United States. Because in those countries, black people are the lowest of the low, lower than here in the United States, even though they may speak the same language and share in the country’s culture.
That first link says that he’s finally called for the ouster of Gonzales while essentially saying, he’s one of us, and I don’t like it when we’re being dissed like this. He’s repeating the same idiocies he muttered during the first Dem debates.
This is for you, Richardson:
“Don’t make a mistake…and go down with him.”
I think he already did.
when certain black politicians are excoriated for graft and corruption, general misbehavior and other ethical sins, they’re given an inch by the black community, even though some may privately admit that the idiots have got to go.
Why? The way that the deck is stacked, as we sometimes see it, against black politicians in general–from Adam Clayton Powell on up. Err, and the fault reflects back on the community; whereas if it is a white politician whose sins are as great or greater, he gets to walk or he’s given a slap on the wrist because of his connections.
Powell was a great man and did a lot of good things. But he was publicly a hard partying guy–just like a lot of white male congresspeople at that time–thanks to the media. Two of his wives were entertainers. Eventually, his own corruption caught up with him. When his constituents finally washed their hands of him as well as Congress, he was a goner.
See how Cold Cash Jefferson, the Louisiana congresscritter who stashed $90,000 in cash in his freezer, was able to recover? He blamed whites who wanted him to fall. The constituency largely bought it, not wanting to have to kick out a black congressman in post-Katrina New Orleans, and feeling just as beleaguered and under strain as he was. It was a ‘circle the wagons’ moment.
Me, I would rather call out the corruption and the disgrace. Others don’t want to, because people who make it big like Gonzales are the face of the community, the role models for the kids growing up, and the pride that someone–goddammit–is a leader.
Which is why I really get frosted when some nitwit tells me that Condi and Colin Powell are lifting my race higher. Hell, no.
Because this is not what black folks prayed for to represent us. Who and what they are does not represent our best interests. They do not care about us.
They care about the money.
I have a black friend who is quite liberal, but nonetheless gaga over Condi. She say “sure she’s playing for the wrong team, but she’s a great role model.” I don’t know what to say.
I wich we would all judge people not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character, as MLK said.
What Richardson said should be an embarrassment for every Latino. What he did was to lower the bar just because Gonzales is Latino. Instead he should have raise the bar, and expect him to excel.
When I heard him, that was the instant I decided not to vote for him.
He justified putting up Gonzales’ name because he 1) grew up poor 2) was Hispanic and 3) was a friend. We wrote a very strong letter telling him we considered none of those qualifications for the post of Attorney General. That is was instead a combination of racism and cronyism.
We wrote him again as all the scandals began to break and got a letter back saying if it became necessary he would ask for Gonzales’ removal. We intend to write again and say that if he had looked for someone fully qualified for the job instead of someone of his own ethnicity–qualifications be damned–we wouldn’t be where we are today. And that he should be deeply ashamed of himself for betraying the principles of our democratic government.
Why should anyone’s origin excuse immoral, dishonest behavior?
Advocating torture should not be an admirable quality.
hey boo- “a little disturbing”? Are you serious? A little disturbing is 5th e same kind of comment as “the check is in the mail”! What the hell is wrong with you? The asshole is a effing racist. Disturbing my ass. He should be ripped a new asshole by the rest of the dems but you can bet your bottom dollar that the weasles won’t say a word.
Vote GREEN- the dems are dead