Here are the president’s remarks on affirmative action and quotas

in a debate with Al Gore in 2000.

The

president firmly opposed both quotas and affirmative action as

traditionally practiced. He did endorse programs like the Texas 10

percent plan. The 10 percent plan is a facially race neutral plan that

guarantees college admission to the top 10 percent of graduating high

school seniors. It is not traditional affirmative action, and it is not

a racial quota. I am no a fan of fixed-percent admissions plans, since

even these technically race-neutral plans weaken merit-based college

admissions. Even so, it was clear in that debate that the president

opposed the sort of race and gender set-asides that Miers

enthusiastically endorsed. I still remember that moment in the debate,

and how important it was to my support for the president. It gave me

hope that we would indeed get justices in the mold of Scalia and Thomas,

the sort who would clearly oppose the de facto quota system that

affirmative action has become. Given what we’ve learned about Harriet

Miers “passion” for racial quotas, I think it has to be conceded in

nominating her, the president is reneging on a critical campaign

promise. I strongly oppose her nomination.