Nat Hentoff, not a liberal by any stretch, but very good on civil liberties issues and great on bashing Ashcroft, has a new column today called Schumer v. Pickering--arguing that Pickering's record has been misconstrued by" lazy journalists."

Hentoff reviews the infamous cross-burning case--and points out some good sentencing decisions Pickering made on behalf of black offenders. A criminal defense lawyer we know and respect in Mississippi also sticks up for Pickering - big time.

We haven't changed our mind and we still oppose Pickering ( here's why), but today we thought we'd bring out the other side. Especially since we are far more opposed to Priscilla Owen and Miguel Estrada.

We hope that those who think we would oppose anyone Bush nominated will read our support of Edward C. Prado, currently a U.S. District Court Judge for the Western District of Texas, who was just nominated by Bush for a seat on the Fifth Circuit.