Senate Votes to End Filibuster on Owen

LA Slimes ^ | May 24, 2005 | Maura Reynolds and Richard Simon

[upchuck]

A four-year filibuster that had blocked a vote on one of President Bush's most controversial appellate court nominees ended today when the Senate voted 81-18 to cut off debate, the result of an agreement that forced the Senate's leadership to stand down from a confrontation over federal judicial nominations.

The Senate was expected to vote later in the afternoon on the nomination of Texas Supreme Court Justice Patricia R. Owen, whose nomination to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans was the nominal cause for the showdown over the filibuster.

Bush, speaking in Greece, N.Y., praised the agreement that was reached yesterday by a maverick group of seven Democrats and seven Republicans.

"I'm pleased that the Senate is moving forward on my judicial nominees, who were previously being blocked," he said.

"The nominees have waited years for an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor," he added. "Now they'll get one."

"It's about time," he said, adding that "there was some progress made."

There was a palpable sense of relief in the Capitol's corridors as the agreement was announced Monday evening, with the lawmakers who struck the deal effusively congratulating one another.

"We have reached an agreement to pull the institution back from a precipice that would have had a damaging effect on the institution," said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who was among the leaders in the negotiations.

Another negotiator, Sen. Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), said: "This agreement is based on trust. We don't know what's going on in the future, but we do know we trust one another."

[upchuck]

The slimes chopped the graphic version into four pages that need to be downloaded one at a time. The link is to the printer friendly version that contains the entire article.

From the article:

"People at home are going to get very upset with me for a while," said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of the negotiators. But he added that the agreement would lead to a "Senate that functions for the common good."

"For a while?" Senator Graham, I sincerely hope you enjoy the rest of this, your first and only term in the Senate. You betrayed your constituents. I will campaign tirelessly for your opponent in the primary. Ya blew it big time. South Carolina is pissed at you!

[upchuck]

South Carolina Ping

Add me to the ping list. Remove me from the ping list.

Now it's our turn to, "Never Forget!"

[bkepley]

"had blocked a vote on one of President Bush's most controversial appellate court nominees"

Neat.

[mlstier]

Bush, speaking in Greece, N.Y., praised the agreement that was reached yesterday by a maverick group of seven Democrats and seven Republicans.

"I'm pleased that the Senate is moving forward on my judicial nominees, who were previously being blocked," he said.

Did Bush actually "praise" the agreement?, or is the (so called) journalist just making that up, based upon the second statement.

[Question Liberal Authority]

"We have reached an agreement to pull the institution back from a precipice that would have had a damaging effect on the institution," said Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who was among the leaders in the negotiations.

Speaking of institutions on the precipice, the Republican National Committee just called asking for a donation.

[COEXERJ145]

Doesn't sound like praise for the "deal" but simply saying he is happy that Owens is going to get a vote.

The media will simply tell us what they think President Bush really means.

[b4its2late]

"I'm pleased that the Senate is moving forward on my judicial nominees, who were previously being blocked," he said.

Until they filibuster the extraordinary circumstances.

[madprof98]

Speaking of institutions on the precipice, the Republican National Committee just called asking for a donation.

You're being sarcastic, right?

[Beth528]

Everyone in Washington, D.C., knows full well that these recent
disputes over judicial nominations are merely a prelude to the
tantamount struggle just ahead for the Supreme Court.
The 14 so-called moderates who struck this
deal. You might want to call a few of your "favorites" on
this list as well.

Mike DeWine (Ohio) 202-224-2315
Susan Collins (Maine) 202-224-2523
Lindsey Graham (SC) 202-224-5972
Lincoln Chaffee (RI) 202-224-2921
John McCain (AZ) 202-224-2235
John Warner (VA) 202-224-2023
Olympia Snow (Maine) 202-224-5344

Democrats:
Ben Nelson (NE) 202-224-6551
Joe Lieberman (CT) 202-224-4041
Mark Pryor (AK) 202-224-2353
Robert Byrd (WV) 202-224-3954
Mary Landrieu (LA) 202-224-5824
Ken Salazar (CO) 202-224-5852
Daniel Inouye (HI) 202-224-3934

[jdege]

Three nominees were confirmed, no nominees were withdrawn, the Democrats pledged not to filibuster unless they wanted to, and the Republicans agreed not to change the rules to stop the filibusters unless the Democrats filibustered.

All we did was get three good people on the bench and kick the can down the road a bit.

When the next group of judges comes up for confirmation, we'll be in exactly the same place we are now, except that the Dems are going to have to try to explain why that set judges were so much worse than this set of judges.

[jneesy]

when will the next group come up

[jmaroneps37]

Amazing isn't it? Owens was the worst thing since cancer yesterday and today she'll likely end up confirmed with ratskunk votes.

[johnb838]

Nobody has been confirmed.

[Ol' Sparky]

Graham and DeWine both should be thinking about a new occupation.

[RetiredArmy]

Bush praised . . . agreement that was reached yesterday by a maverick group of seven Democrats and seven Republicans.

ROTHLOL!!! Maverick GROUP!!! Oh, how funny. Now Bush is a comedian!

These slimeballs are not mavericks! They are deserters of the cause. They are losers. They are RINOs. They are members of the RINOcrat Party. They are the Sellout Seven. Agreement my ass. SELL OUT GEORGE! PURE AND SIMPLE, A SELL OUT!!! You might as well just give Fat Kennedy the keys to the Senate because those *@&^$(# sure as hell have sold it to the socialists! RINOcrats. That is what they are. Democrats in conservative clothing!

[Kylie_04]

Do tell that you gave them a talkin' to...

[Bigun]

All we did was get three good people on the bench and kick the can down the road a bit.

When the next group of judges comes up for confirmation, we'll be in exactly the same place we are now, except that the Dems are going to have to try to explain why that set judges were so much worse than this set of judges.

I absolutely agree! The Dim's were on the verge of having to back down and allow a cloture vote on the Owen nomination but their RINO buddies came to the rescue to get a little press.

The sum total of what has happened here is EXACTLY as you have described! The can has just been kicked down the road a bit and nothing more than that.

[Question Liberal Authority]

You're being sarcastic, right?

No. The RNC actually called me this morning. I said I was hopping mad about the backstabbing deal brokered by McCain. The lady tried to explain she was raising money for Kyl, and I admitted that Kyl had been nails on this issue. I could tell the solicitor was really frustrated too but unable to say anything because of her position.

Anyway, I told them I definitely wasn't giving them any money today, and that I hoped that they had a lot of trouble raising money today, if only so they could get some concrete numbers showing that the base is upset. Also, I told her that if she had some way to mark me down as being very upset about the deal to please mark me as such.

[Question Liberal Authority]

Do tell that you gave them a talkin' to..

Yes I did. I got the distinct impression I was not the only one.

[Chairman_December_19th_Society]

"We have reached an agreement to pull the institution back from a precipice that would have had a damaging effect on the institution,"

Yes, like actually getting some work done!