The Senate Judiciary Committee postponed the confirmation vote for the Attorney General-designate, former Sen. John Ashcroft, prompting a mixed reaction from local experts.The delay, which pushes back the vote on President George W. Bush’s most controversial Cabinet pick from Jan. 24 to Jan. 31, will allow time for Ashcroft to answer about 360 written questions sent to him by Democratic senators.James Hutter, associate professor of political science, said the written questions were a political move by Democrats who feel Ashcroft is “asymmetrical and extreme.” The questions were “the way they delayed it, more than the reason for delaying it,” Hutter said.He also said Ashcroft, a Republican, and Democrats have several major conflicting view points. Ashcroft has taken conservative stances on issues such as affirmative action, abortion and gay rights, so Democrats are upset Bush selected someone who is a “full-blown horror” to supporters of those issues, Hutter said.”[Ashcroft] is not what Bush promised, which was reaching across party lines,” he said.Chad Barth, communication director for the Republican Party of Iowa, said Democrats are trying to distort Ashcroft’s record for their own political advancement.”It is a big political move,” he said. “They are trying to flex their political muscle by delaying the confirmation.”State Sen. Johnie Hammond, D-Ames, said Democrats are just showing concern.”He has made some remarks and done some things that can be interpreted as racist,” she said. “That is serious.”Hammond said Democrats are also offended by Ashcroft’s “extreme stand on abortion.”Barth said Democrats are at the mercy of special-interest groups for financial backing.”Left-wing groups are trying to tell [Democrats] that, if they don’t delay this, they wont get any political help,” Barth said. “They are using senators as their puppets.”Steffen Schmidt, university professor of political science, said Democrats have some serious conflicting view points with Ashcroft, but there is yet another possible reason for complications with his confirmation.”[Democrats] are sending a signal to Bush in case he tries to send very conservative appointees for Supreme Court nominations,” he said.Hammond said Democrats could be trying to get even with Republicans for their opposition to the Clinton administration.”I don’t like ‘get-even time,'” she said. “I hope that is not happening, but I would understand if it is.”Schmidt said Republicans are just as guilty as Democrats when it comes to party bickering.”Republicans tortured Clinton’s nominees, too,” he said. “They both need to just cut it out and get on with governing.”Hutter said it looks as if Ashcroft will be confirmed Attorney General, even without any Democratic support, because Vice President Dick Cheney is the tie-breaking vote in the Senate. He said it looks like a few Democrats will vote for Ashcroft, so there is no need to worry about a tie.”To have enough opposition, there must be some Republicans opposed,” he said, and as of now, no Republicans have come forward to say they will vote against the Attorney General nominee.Hutter said that if for some reason Ashcroft is denied confirmation, it might actually help Bush.”He would now be in a position to not be ramming down the throat something [Democrats] don’t want,” he said.