Posted on 04/26/2005 1:34:06 PM PDT by andyk
WASHINGTON -- Reacting to a Democratic offer in the fight over filibusters, Republican leader Bill Frist said Tuesday he isn't interested in any deal that fails to ensure Senate confirmation for all of President Bush's judicial nominees.
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid had been quietly talking with Frist about confirming at least two of Bush's blocked nominees from Michigan in exchange for withdrawing a third nominee. Story Continues Below
This would have been part of a compromise that would have the GOP back away from a showdown over changing Senate rules to prevent Democrats from using the filibuster to block Bush's nominees. But Frist, in a rare news conference conducted on the Senate floor, said he would not accept any deal that keeps his Republican majority from confirming judicial nominees that have been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"Are we going to step back from that principle? The answer to that is no," Frist said.
That means he and Reid are still at deadlock, because Democrats have said they would not accept any deals that would permanently ban them from blocking Bush's nominees to the Supreme Court or the federal appellate courts, the top two tiers of the judicial system.
"As part of any resolution, the nuclear option must be off the table," said Reid, referring to the GOP threat to change the filibuster rules.
White House press secretary Scott McClellan, traveling in Texas with Bush, said "our view is that Senate Democrats need to stop playing politics and give all judicial nominees an up or down vote."
"It's unprecedented, the steps they've gone to to prevent highly qualified judges from receiving simply an up or down vote on the floor of the United States Senate," he said.
Frist and Reid both acknowledged that they are constantly negotiating, trying to find a solution where the Senate does not have a showdown over whether Republicans will change the parliamentary rules to ban judicial filibusters.
Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said Sunday there had been a "a lot of negotiations to try to get three judges from Michigan" confirmed. Other senators have referred vaguely in recent days to discussions surrounding Bush's nominations to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, whose jurisdiction includes Michigan.
That proposed deal, officials speaking on condition of anonymity said, would include allowing the confirmation of Richard Griffin and David McKeague, both of whom Bush has twice nominated for the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. At the same time, Reid wants the nomination of Henry Saad scuttled. Democrats succeeded in blocking all three men from coming to a vote in 2004 in a struggle that turned on issues of senatorial prerogatives as well as ideology.
Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., has led the opposition to all three men. He said Republicans had refused even to hold hearings on two of former President Bill Clinton's nominees to the 6th Circuit.
The officials spoke only on condition of anonymity, citing the confidential nature of the conversations between the two leaders.
Frist would not talk about specifics on Tuesday, but said he would not advocate the withdrawal of any judicial nominee and would continue to insist they all get confirmation votes. "That would mean people in the past as well as the future," Frist said.
Republicans have threatened to use their majority to change long-standing senatorial rules that Democrats used to block 10 of Bush's first-term appeals court nominations. They fear a Democratic blockade could affect a Supreme Court vacancy if a high court seat opens in Bush's second term.
Democrats argue that the nominees are too conservative to warrant lifetime appointments to the nation's highest courts. They have threatened to block the seven nominees that Bush sent back after winning re-election, and any others they consider out of the mainstream of judicial temperament.
Democrats drew criticism when they threatened to slow the Senate's business if Republicans eliminate judicial filibusters. Democratic leaders began stressing an alternative approach Monday, attempting to force debate on their own agenda rather than the president's.
"I've always said that we'd make sure the Senate went forward, but we're going to do it on our agenda, not their agenda," Reid said.
Frist applauded what he called a move by Democrats to back away from their earlier threats to shut down the Senate. "I'm pleased that their caucus is moving away from that threat," Frist said.
Republicans can essentially eliminate judicial filibusters by majority vote, and Democrats concede Frist may be only one or two votes shy of the necessary total. At the same time, internal GOP polling shows lagging public support for such a move, and no showdown is expected until next month at the earliest.
Now, that is really disappointing.
Dr. Frist had better be able to back it up with hard votes, that's all I can say.
I hope he really means it this time.
That's good they are making a stand! Don't be pushed around by the Dems! If they give in now they'll pull this stuff over & over!
Bush should therefore be allowed to move on and appoint his nominees without Senate confirmation.
Why can't we just act like we have the Majority?
I hate wimpy spined RINOS.
Can you imagine What Reagan could have done with a Majority in the House and Senate?
Heads Up!!''Live Thread...Dingy Harry Reid..on the Senate floor, on Judicial nominations..C-span2..
It's over now but it was GOOD!!!
>>internal GOP polling shows lagging public support for such a move...<<
The Republicans had better stop worrying about the polls and do what's right. Support will come after they win.
Learned his negotiting skills from Hammas.
BFD. Most of the colonists opposed independence from Britain.
RR had a Senate majority for 6 years. When they lost 26 House seats in the '82 midterm elections, his working majority there was effectively cancelled.
I can only imagine what Reagan would have done with a majority in both houses. Unfortunately, politics has drastically changed from the Gipper's time. The Democrats are more corrupt and evil then they were back in the '80's, while the Republicans are just a group of spineless weasels who don't want to hurt the Democrats' feelings. At least the 2 parties have one thing in common...they don't give a crap about this country's best interests anymore. Maybe I'm just having a bad day, but I'm getting sick and tired of this joke we call a government.
Not to worry about what the polls show. Elections are over a year away, a lifetime in politics. You can bet that come next year the more popular issues (tax reform) will be on the board.
This doesn't sound like bipartisan compromise to me.
But then I'm not a politician. (sarcasm)
Just by looking at the posts in here, the people are quite pissed off by what is going on with Bolton and the judicial nominations. Any deal made by Frist would seem to anger the masses even more. So Mr. Frist don't change your mind and wuss out on us.
OK Repubs, time to go Constitutional on the Dems!
There were RINOs even back in Reagan's day. Warren Rudman was one of them.
Ladies and Gentleman!!
Spine detected in the U.S. Senate. And this time witnessed on the GOP aisle! McConnel just stood firm and took the fight right back to the Dems. Actually thought Reid was going to break down in tears.
The good doctor has a spine? Great to hear! Stick with it Senator, and thanks!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.