Dr. Cristina Beato of Albuquerque, nominated for a high position in the federal Department of Health and Human Services, has run into some scepticism about her resume. Sen. Pete Domenici backs her, though, and - we learn from a story in today's Albuquerque Tribune - he suspects politics may be playing a role in the questioning.
What does that mean? Here is the next paragraph:
"Several of President Bush's Hispanic nominees have faced trouble in winning Senate confirmation, he said."
In fact, the Bush Administration has put forward the names of a few right-wingers of Hispanic background and they have met opposition.
Domenici's comment - I wish we have a direct quote - hints that the oppostion is anti-Hispanic. How shall we characterize it? Let us be kind and say it is not perfectly frank.
Now I don't want to make a federal case of this. It's merely a slightly slimy demo of the art of partisan politics, nothing more.
But Pete Domenici advocates a program for school children called "Character Counts."
I would love to hear him explain to kids what his comments say about "character."