Bush celebrates MLK by appointing racist judge

The day after laying a wreath at the crypt of Dr. Martin Luther King, George W. Bush chose to honor King with a "recess appointment," an end run around the Senate approval that he knew would not be forthcoming, giving District Judge Charles Pickering a lifetime appointment to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Pickering has a long, sad history on issues from civil rights to judicial misconduct. He has supported the Ku Klux Klan, opposed civil rights activists, coddled cross burners, and thrown cases against corporate polluters out of court on thin technicalities. He has solicited support for his nomination from lawyers who appear in his court. In short, he epitomizes the spirit of the Bush League. No wonder Bush considers him well qualified.