Biden nominees who aren't white men are mysteriously facing tough confirmation fights

[babylonsister]

They do like their old white men...

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/2/23/2017638/-Racist-sexist-partisan-double-standards-are-on-full-display-in-Senate-confirmation-process

Biden nominees who aren't white men are mysteriously facing tough confirmation fights
Laura Clawson
Daily Kos Staff
Tuesday February 23, 2021 · 10:08 AM EST


Go figure. For some reason, the Biden nominees facing the toughest confirmation fights are women of color. And it’s not just Republicans—conservative Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin more or less tanked Neera Tanden’s nomination to head the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and is publicly hesitating about Rep. Deb Haaland’s nomination for secretary of the interior.

Tanden, who is Indian American, would be the first woman of color to head OMB. Haaland, who is an enrolled citizen of the Laguna Pueblo, would be the first American Indian Cabinet secretary. These are the nominees Manchin has chosen to in the first case oppose and in the second case let it be known he has “remaining questions” and is undecided.

snip//

There’s a pattern here even beyond Haaland and Tanden. Of President Biden’s nominees to be confirmed to date, the closest vote was for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the first Latino and first immigrant in that role. Republicans are also threatening to hold up the nomination of Health and Human Services (HHS) nominee Xavier Becerra, the current California attorney general and a former House member. Becerra would be the first Latino to lead HHS. Republicans, after confirming non-doctor Alex Azar to be HHS secretary under Trump, say that not being a doctor means Becerra isn’t qualified.

The list goes on. Outside right-wing groups are launching attacks on Vanita Gupta’s nomination for associate attorney general. Democrats are concerned that Kristen Clarke, nominated to head the civil rights division of the Department of Justice, will face opposition. Gupta is Indian American. Clarke is Black.

”It’s been incredibly disturbing to see a pattern or a trend emerging where people of color and women seem to be at the bottom of the list in terms of hearings and getting their confirmations finalized,” Janet Murguía of UnidosUS told Politico. “It’s highly offensive to see this foot-dragging going on when we have such an incredible need to put these different leaders in place in these different agencies.”

And it has to be recognized for what it is. Republicans and Manchin alike can claim that race and gender play no role in who they find themselves comfortable with or concerned about, or in who they feel safe opposing. But their actions will tell the tale.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. Hey, don't you guys know that we have a female POC as the VP?

Obviously racism and misogyny are over in this country, just really not a thing anymore.

These confirmation problems are all just an unfortunate-looking coincidence!

in case needed

[JoanofArgh]

2. Thank you for posting this.

[electric_blue68]

3. Gee. I wonder whyyyyy... 🙄🙄 (grrrrrrrrrr) [to them not OP]