Posted on 03/10/2002 9:27:43 PM PST by Jean S
NO FIGHT LEFT
Senator Orrin Hatch has asked the Bush administration to withdraw the nomination of Judge Charles Pickering to a federal appeals court. Pickering had to endure several days of blistering attacks by liberal Democrats on the Judiciary Committee, including a now-infamous interrogation by presidential hopeful Sen. John Edwards. A vote on Pickering was scheduled for last week and was delayed at Hatch's request. "Pickering won't make it out, it's probably 10-9 to defeat," says a Hatch aide. "We'd rather have the White House pull him or have Pickering withdraw himself."
Pickering is a long-time friend of Republican leader Trent Lott. It was Lott who pressed the White House to nominate Pickering, and it is Lott, according to one member of his staff, who is pressing the White House to fight harder for Pickering's job.
"They could have done a better job of setting him up to win," says the Lott aide. "They've hung Judge Pickering out to dry and he deserved better."
Yet according to the Hatch aide and several Republican Judiciary Committee staff members, Lott did little to prep his side of the aisle for Pickering's nomination fight. This, even though the NAACP had listed Pickering as its No. 1 target in the first round of judicial nominations made by Bush.
"This whole thing was a clusterf--k from the get-go," says another Republican Judiciary staffer. "I feel sorry for Pickering, but his friends didn't do him any great shakes in this fight."
Bush better NOT withdraw this man. Let them refuse to vote out a nominee that they KNOW the votes are there for.
He has aided them at some curious times over the past few years.
FBI files?
affair?
The way they treated this man is beyond disgusting. I don't think they should withdraw his nomination, I think they should allow it to be voted down and then used as a campaign issue. These democrats should be made to go on record. Let them take a vote and have it recorded for history. Pickering will be exhonorated in the end and these dishonorable democrats will be stuck with egg on their faces.
Best scenerio? Republicans take the Senate by 5 minimum and Bush re-nominates Pickering.
no the cluster f--- is Trent Lott and the rest of the spindless senate Republicans that don't fight.
Hehehe .. wouldn't it ..
BTW .. Edwards was on Fox this morning quoting "Unpublished" Opinions from the 5th circut .. what the heck was that ..
You forgot one part:
LOTT IS REPLACED AS LEADER
I'm not all that thrilled with his total conservative credentials, anyhow.
The Judge is almost 65 years old. Let him withdraw his name graciously. There's something to be said for an occasional strategic retreat.
Then Bush should nominate someone younger and twice as conservative.
Leni
And I, for one, will be ready to smear John Edwards with it; I believe HE is the spearhead for this attack.
ANYTHING You forgot to type that they don't fight ANYTHING.
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