Salazar: Senator Under Scrutiny
By Paul M. Weyrich
February 3, 2005
Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO) is under the gun.
Does he vote his conscience or the wishes of the news media?
The news media's commentators in Colorado had been putting pressure on the newly elected Senator Salazar to backtrack for his expressed desire to consider seriously supporting the nomination of Alberto Gonzales to be Attorney General. Salazar introduced Gonzales at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Salazar explained his decision to do so because he knows Gonzales. "I met him in Colorado years ago when he spoke to the Colorado Bar Association." Salazar explained that Gonzales had attended the same law school as one of his key staff members.
One Denver Post columnist, Diane Carmen, wondered whether Salazar was providing "the first sign of a defection to the Republican ranks after using the Democratic Party to get elected."
Salazar told The Pueblo Chieftain that he had talked extensively with Judge Gonzales before deciding to introduce him. Salazar said: "I believe [Gonzales'] decision to reach out to me, someone who is from a different political party, is an indication of his interest in working with all of us in making our homeland more secure and at the same time protecting our citizens' rights and liberties."
Just in case anyone doubts that Salazar is independent, he made clear his support for the overall concept of the USA-PATRIOT Act but expressed his desire to seek prudent changes to ensure that over time the Act's measures are not used for purposes other than waging the War on Terrorism. He also informed several senior Democrats in the United States Senate, including Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Judiciary Committee Ranking Minority Member Patrick Leahy (D-VT), about what he intended to do. Salazar said they expressed understanding of his motive but noted that Gonzales would have some tough questions to answer about the advice he offered as White House Counsel. Salazar insists that there is a difference in the two positions. The Senator should know, having served in both capacities -- legal advisor to then Gov. Roy Romer (D) and as Colorado's Attorney General.
The fact that Salazar is the victim of a feeding frenzy by his home state media speaks volumes about the tone and tenor of modern-day politics. No longer is a Senator responsible to his conscience and his constituents. He must also satisfy the columnists and commentators -- invariably liberal -- who populate the editorial pages of newspapers and the airwaves. Fox News is a significant step forward in restoring the balance of opinion and fairness in reporting and the alternative news media has a more powerful presence now than it did even six years ago but the liberal establishment that predominates on the editorial pages will attempt to bludgeon conservative legislators into adopting their mindset...or else.
Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), a devout Catholic, found himself in the midst of a media-created hurricane in 2003 when he talked about a Texas case before the Supreme Court that had the potential to take our country down a slippery slope. Santorum said: "If the Supreme Court says that you have the right to consensual [gay] sex within your home, then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery. You have the right to anything." He argued that homosexuality is "antithetical to a healthy, stable traditional family." (Incidentally, the Texas sodomy law for which Santorum expressed support was overturned by the Supreme Court).
The Senator's remarks led the New York Times' Bill Keller, who became the newspaper's Executive Editor, to charge that Santorum was "a Catholic theocrat" and an order from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch demanding that Santorum "Just apologize."
Think of how Zell Miller, the former Governor of and U.S. Senator from, Georgia, was the toast of the media establishment in 1992 when he savaged President George H.W. Bush while addressing the Democratic National Convention. ABC "Good Morning America" news reader Mike Schneider insisted that the Democrats were "engaged in the time-honored tradition of attacking the opposition."
When Zell Miller decided last year that the Democratic Party had abandoned its belief in a strong national defense and support for the common man, to court liberal special interests he addressed the Republican National Convention. The liberal news media establishment turned on him for following his conscience. ABC's George Stephanopoulos charged: "The Vice President was very, very tough, but Zell Miller was on a tirade. I mean, he was red faced, red meat for the red states." That was one of the more mild critiques. Time's Joe Klein said of Senator Miller's speech: "I don't think I've seen anything as angry or as ugly as Miller's speech."
I hope Senator Salazar makes it a point to ignore the urgings of the Colorado establishment news media and takes it upon himself to continue his independent course.
According to The Washington Post, he defended Gonzales at a luncheon on Tuesday with fellow Senators of his party.
He may eventually decide to oppose Gonzales although I personally hope that is not the case. If he does I would hope it is for the right reason -- his conscience, not pressure applied by the liberal columnists and commentators of his state.
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Paul M. Weyrich is Chairman and CEO of the Free Congress Foundation.
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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA.