Few things infuriate the liberal left so much as brazen betrayal by the minorities they think their exclusive property. If you are black, Hispanic, or a Jew, you are owned and are not to leave the plantation. If you have the temerity to break with your race's obligation to the Democrats, you are asking for scorn and will have many enemies.

Nominations for high office can be particularly brutal. Just ask Justice Clarence Thomas. If anything, the left has gotten even more desperate today, as the Bush second term appointments face confirmation.

Miguel Estrada was kept from his rightful place in the federal judiciary by the anti—constitutional legal maneuvers of Democrat Senators who just couldn't abide a conservative Latino on the bench.
 
Dr. Condoleeza Rice was made to endure days of delay and vilification by a Kleagle a Boxer, a Kennedy, and a Loser, who won't admit the election's long over.
 
Alberto Gonzales, who has the nerve to follow a relatively hard line on terrorists and national security, has already been trashed with a strict party line vote against his confirmation at the committee level, and firing is set to commence in a full—Senate 'debate.'

The second term cycle is underway. The Jew gets it next.

Michael Chertoff has already been confirmed overwhelmingly by the Senate three times for posts in federal justice roles. A notable 'no' vote was cast by Hillary Clinton. Chertoff had worked as committee counsel during investigation of her Whitewater peccadilloes.

President Bush said:
 
In his stellar career, he has been a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit; he's been an Assistant Attorney General of the United States; he's been the U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, a federal prosecutor in New York City, and a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice William Brennan. [....]

Mike has also been a key leader in the war on terror. On September the 11th, 2001, he was managing the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, an 800—person operation devoted to enforcing our nation's criminal laws. In the days after September the 11th, Mike helped trace the terrorist attacks to the al Qaeda network. He understood immediately that the strategy on the war on terror is to prevent attacks before they occur. His energy and intellect put him at the center of many vital Homeland Security improvements, especially increased information sharing within the FBI and with state and local officials.
 
This is the man with impressively impeccable credentials and a résumé that could not be better tailored to the job of heading up the Homeland Security Department. He takes charge and he gets things done. He is brilliant, hard—working, and drives others to perform better. Just the sort of man to whip into shape an agency cobbled together from disparate chunks of other bureaucracies, and not as on—top of the problem as it needs to be.

The Bush—hating left regularly places its partisan agenda above winning our war with the Islamofascists. The old custom of allowing the president a cabinet of his choice no longer applies, especially if you are one of the big three Democrat minorities.
 
Lest any of the left miss the cue to begin setting their sights on this next target, marching orders, the New York Times, house organ of Liberal Left, gave front—page prominence to the headline:

Nominee Gave Advice To C.I.A. On Torture Law

The clarion call was right up there in 24 pt. Cheltenham Condensed Caps, the paper's largest typeface for single—column heads. In Column One, at the top corner of the page, the dreaded T—word thundered from the pulpit of the high church of liberalism.

The body of the story spoke of Chertoff's" involvement in evaluating how far interrogators could go."

Such an evocative word, involvement! In the fevered mind—swamps of the Bush—hating left, it is almost a synonym for 'implication,' particularly when you put it together with the concepts Jew and hard—liner. That's right, the cabal of neocons up to their nefarious activities. The Times is on the case.

As for sources, the Times doesn't stoop to rely on anyone with an actual name. They talked to:

One current and two former senior officials with firsthand knowledge of the interaction between the C.I.A. and the Justice Department.

Chertoff appears to have told the C.I.A what the law wouldn't prosecute — that is, what is clearly within the law, based on Justice Department Guidelines issued by the Office of Counsel.

Chertoff will face the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee today, Wednesday, February 2nd.

Barbara Boxer's marquee value and fund—raising ability have soared since she slurred the woman who would in a few days start extensive international travel, as the new Secretary of State. So ambitious lefty Dem Senators now understand that they, too, can gain precious national newscast face time with similar theatrics.

Thankfully, Joe Lieberman is the ranking member of the Committee, but he may not be able to constrain Minnesota Senator Mark Dayton, itching to prove himself a tough guy after having run away from his Senate office for a month, because he was afraid of a terror attack. Dayton is dumb enough to say something profoundly wrong, so fireworks may be ahead today.

Minnesota's Norm Coleman also sits on the committee. A confrontation between the two of them wouldn't be a fair fight. But it could be a great show.

So, keep tuned for the battle to keep the most qualified candidate from becoming the third of the 'owned' minorities to join Bush's cabinet in one of its most important slots as the left—wing chorus takes its cue from the 'paper of record' and joins in the clamor next up after the slings of slander and libel tossed at the uppity black lady and the self—made Hispanic.