On the plus side (responding to my own previous post)

Both Sonia Sotomayor and Miguel Diaz have been confirmed and now go out to their respective posts. The first Latina on the Supreme Court, and the first Latino Ambassador to the Vatican. President Obama's Latin@ Outreach moves have had some marked success.

Obama's Latina/o Outreach Week

President Barack Obama not only named the first Latina nominee to the Supreme Court this week. He also just named Latino Catholic theologian, Miguel Díaz, as Ambassador to Vatican City. Díaz will be the first Latino to serve in that post since Ronald Reagan first started sending an ambassador there.