The Washington Monthly

November 6, 2009

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION FOR SOUTHERN WHITE MALES.... Curt Levey of the far-right Committee for Justice doesn't approve of President Obama's judicial nominees. Sure, there are the usual conservative reasons -- the president, for some reason, refuses to nominate right-wing jurists for lifetime positions on the federal bench -- but Levey is especially incensed that there's a lack of southern white guys among Obama's selections.

[O]nce again we have to wonder whether a Democratic bias against southern white men serving on the federal appeals courts is at work. [...]
Does President Obama or his advisors believe that southern white men are likely to be bigoted, making them unfit to serve on the second most powerful court in the land? We hope not and readily concede that it is difficult to know if any such stereotype lurks in the White House. The absence of southern white male circuit nominees could, instead, be an innocent coincidence or the not-so-innocent byproduct of a judicial selection process dominated by racial and gender preferences.

But regardless of the reason for the pattern we noted in 2007 and again now, even the appearance that Democrats are biased against southern white men is a potential problem for the party generally, and for President Obama's goal of transcending old racial divisions. At the very least, the pattern merits further thought and discussion, both outside and inside the White House.

Levey specifically points to the southern circuits -- the Fourth, Fifth, and Eleventh -- where President Obama has neglected to nominate southern white guys.

Kyle at Right Wing Watch reminds us of some of the relevant numbers here. Of the 37 seats in these circuits, 20 are already filled by white guys. Of the 157 circuit court seats nationwide, 95 are filled by white guys. It's awfully difficult to make the case that the president is neglecting an unrepresented "minority" -- white guys -- when they already represent a majority.

Adam Serwer added, "Just to put this in perspective, a whopping 18 percent of judges on the federal bench are people of color. But in the eyes of this conservative group, assigning more white men to the federal bench 'transcends racial divisions,' and that doing otherwise reflects a selection process 'dominated by racial and gender preferences.' Conservatives regularly try to cast affirmative action as racially discriminatory, but rarely does someone openly admit that their only issue with the process is simply who is being discriminated against."

—Steve Benen 2:55 PM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (15)

Comments

It is condescending to "self persecuted" minorities like white southern males that they need affirmative action to succeed and demeans them that their got their positions because of "whining and bitching."

Same rules for white folk as all those other tinted folk right? Right? Right? Bueller?

Posted by: Former Dan on November 6, 2009 at 3:09 PM | PERMALINK

They just don't even try to hide their racism/sexism anymore, do they?

Posted by: maggie on November 6, 2009 at 3:11 PM | PERMALINK

"Does President Obama or his advisors believe that southern white men are likely to be bigoted...?" And why not? What evidence does this Curt Levey have to the contrary? Show me a preponderance of evidence that southern white men have a record of unbiased judicial decisions, and I'll listen to your argument...otherwise, remain quiet.

Posted by: st john on November 6, 2009 at 3:11 PM | PERMALINK

See that river over there, I'm crying right now..

Posted by: White Male Trollop on November 6, 2009 at 3:15 PM | PERMALINK

Levey writes:"But regardless of the reason for the pattern we noted in 2007. . ."

Let's see; 2007- ancient history, I know- but the President was, help me out here. . .a Southern White Man. . .

Posted by: DAY on November 6, 2009 at 3:18 PM | PERMALINK

As a white male in my 50's, I find Levey's observations preposterous - the thoughts and ideas of an ignorant 14 year old! -Kevo

Posted by: kevo on November 6, 2009 at 3:35 PM | PERMALINK

Maybe I am missing something but the group least likely to have voted for Obama is "southern white men". (if they ain't the least likely then they are damn close to the least likely.)

Amazingly, Obama wants to appoint people who genereally agree with him, and might have even voted for him, so that means that he will appoint fewer southern white men.

Posted by: neil wilson on November 6, 2009 at 3:52 PM | PERMALINK

even the appearance that Democrats are biased against southern white men is a potential problem for the party generally

Absolutely. We might lose the remaining three white southern male votes we've got.

Posted by: shortstop on November 6, 2009 at 4:03 PM | PERMALINK

Four, shortstop. Unless you're just counting the natives, and not immigrants like myself.

Posted by: dr sardonicus on November 6, 2009 at 4:42 PM | PERMALINK

Dr. Sard -- if you are an immigrant, then you are *not* a "southern white man" (no matter how white or manly).

Posted by: Ian on November 6, 2009 at 4:46 PM | PERMALINK

The wingnuts promised if we elected Obama we'd get whitey... and, by god, now we're doin' it. Yahoo!

Posted by: neill on November 6, 2009 at 4:55 PM | PERMALINK

They are lucky to have a guy like you, dr. sardonicus. And they'd best not ever forget it.

Posted by: shortstop on November 6, 2009 at 5:05 PM | PERMALINK

Damnyankee and proud of it, Ian.

Posted by: dr sardonicus on November 6, 2009 at 6:00 PM | PERMALINK

Of the 37 seats in these circuits, 20 are already filled by white guys. -- Steve Benen

Yes, but Are They SOUTHERN??? 'sides, 20 isn't nowhere near enough. 35 should be the minimum reserved for them, with the remaining two divided, fairly, between blacks and wimmin. Cant say fairer than that.

Posted by: exlibra on November 6, 2009 at 7:20 PM | PERMALINK

exlibra, be practical! You could put a black woman on the bench and thereby save another seat for a white Southern man.

Posted by: shortstop on November 6, 2009 at 7:47 PM | PERMALINK