I had a very spirited MSNBC discussion about the fight over the holdup to Loretta Lynch’s confirmation as Attorney General on Melissa Perry-Harris’s  talk-show “Nerdland.”  Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)  set the stage by declaring on the floor of the Senate that “[Lynch]… is asked to sit in the back of the bus when it comes to the Senate calendar…” Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) called that “offensive” and called on Durbin to apologize to Lynch, the Senate and to all Americans.

When Melissa turned to me, I told her it was “the worst kind of race-baiting,”—when Durbin voted against Condoleeza Rice was he being racist? Of course not.

And then I pointed out the obvious:

“The only reason why this is taking so long at this point in time is because the Democrats are intent on subverting the consensus policy that we have had with the Hyde Amendment of the federal government not providing funding to abortion.  It is radical abortion tactics, if anything, that is holding up Loretta Lynch’s confirmation.”

Needless to say, not everyone on MSNBC agreed with me, but I think I made my point.

Alfonso Aguilar is the executive director of American Principles in Action’s Latino Partnership.