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Moderate Senator Fights for Top Judiciary Post
Reuters ^ | Nov 8, 2004 | Reuters

Posted on 11/08/2004 5:26:23 PM PST by mdittmar

Sen. Arlen Specter pledged on Monday not to oppose Supreme Court nominees just because they are anti-abortion as the moderate Republican fought to keep alive his bid to head the Senate panel that oversees judicial nominations.

"Absolutely not, and it's not just what I'm saying — I have done it. I have not applied a litmus test, and have voted to confirm pro-life judges," he said in a television interview.

But conservative critics kept calling for someone other than the Pennsylvania senator to be Judiciary Committee chairman in the newly elected Congress, and other Senate Republicans said little or nothing in Specter's defense.

Specter, who favors keeping abortion legal, is in line to replace the more conservative Sen. Orrin Hatch, Republican of Utah, as chairman based on seniority.

Peterson Jury Urged to Keep an Open Mind N.J. Governor Delivers Farewell Address Moderate Senator Fights for Top Judiciary Post He angered conservatives last week by saying he thought it unlikely the newly elected Senate — even with its Republican majority expanded to 55 — would confirm a Supreme Court nominee who wanted to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark case legalizing abortion.

The question of who wields the gavel in the Judiciary Committee is crucial. President Bush may make several nominations to the Supreme Court during his second term because Chief Justice William Rehnquist is ailing and other judges are thought to be close to retirement.

The Senate is expected to pick a chairman next week. First, the Republican members of the committee must nominate the chairman by secret ballot. Then, according to party rules, another secret ballot vote is taken by all Senate Republicans.

If they reject the committee's recommendation, the matter is sent back to committee with instructions for it to nominate someone else.


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: arlen; arlenspecter; borkespecter; notamoderateatall; rino; specter; specterspectre
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To: The Red Zone
He flip flops every time the year before his re-election.

That's standard fare for most, if not all, Congresscritters running for re-election, no matter where they are in the political spectrum, moreso with say for example, Democrat Congresscritters running for re-election in the red states.

121 posted on 11/08/2004 6:48:46 PM PST by BigSkyFreeper (Congratulations President-Re-Elect George W. Bush!)
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To: mdittmar

Specter is NOT A MODERATE!!!


122 posted on 11/08/2004 6:49:10 PM PST by PennsylvaniaMom (FreeMartha)
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To: BigSkyFreeper
If we're going to send Specter to the woodshed, we best send the whole GOP Senate there as well.

There's something called an "example" you know. "Flog a mocker, and the simple will learn wisdom."

123 posted on 11/08/2004 6:50:21 PM PST by The Red Zone (The reason they're trying to starve her isn't because she's dying, but because she isn't. [Supercat])
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To: wardaddy

So just when did you graduate from charm school you say?


124 posted on 11/08/2004 6:50:50 PM PST by OwnershipSociety
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To: reformed_democrat

So you'd rather we set back our gains about a decade. Because that's basically what you're advocating.


125 posted on 11/08/2004 6:50:54 PM PST by BigSkyFreeper (Congratulations President-Re-Elect George W. Bush!)
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To: Radioactive

If we destroy ourselves with infighting how many babies will that save?


126 posted on 11/08/2004 6:51:43 PM PST by OwnershipSociety
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To: reformed_democrat; smokeyb

Re: Specter's feet are being held to the fire

The WH, Frist and all Rep Senators know we aren't happy about Specter. He has had to do a media blitz for pete's sake to defend himself.

He is going to have to push through Bush's nominees because Bush knows this is important and Bush still supports Specter. Bush won't let him get away with any crap. Unless it becomes apparent that Bush is not happy with Specter, I don't want to overreach.


127 posted on 11/08/2004 6:51:48 PM PST by hansel
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To: Prime Choice; k2blader; BigSkyFreeper

Yep to all of ya.

It's been a wee bit muddy around here as of late determining friend from foe but I am still so friggin happy.....even a week later.

I saw two young watermelons at Blockbuster about to cry looking at Farenheit 911 on the rack....100s of them unrented...lol...asking each other how "this" could have happened?

I couldn't help snickering.

Pity....the young girl was a babelicious...I hate when I witness such a waste. I was also wondering why the young lad was wasting hormonal capital on politics talk with a babe at 20 or so. Forget politics....go get some beer.


128 posted on 11/08/2004 6:53:07 PM PST by wardaddy (The only thing we share with collectivists and ragheads is death.)
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To: OwnershipSociety

It's inherent in any southerner born before 1975.


129 posted on 11/08/2004 6:53:47 PM PST by wardaddy (The only thing we share with collectivists and ragheads is death.)
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To: Prime Choice
There's an old saying which goes,
"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
And, from www.snoopy.co.jp:


130 posted on 11/08/2004 6:54:01 PM PST by RonDog
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To: OwnershipSociety
Evangelicals have to give the majority coalition in which they are dominant part the opportunity to deliver political accomplishments over a period of time, and they must accept less than perfection on the part of the coalition --because it is a coalition, not a pure majority.

We got an emergency on our hands. Rehnquist, barring a major miracle, is going to see those pearly gates in a very few months. We need to exorcise any specter that will bleed conservatism OUT of the court... let alone keep it from being added back in. There is not time for fermenting this wine in fine old kegs.

131 posted on 11/08/2004 6:55:58 PM PST by The Red Zone (The reason they're trying to starve her isn't because she's dying, but because she isn't. [Supercat])
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To: BigSkyFreeper
So you'd rather we set back our gains about a decade. Because that's basically what you're advocating.

Please explain how you came to that conclusion.

132 posted on 11/08/2004 6:57:21 PM PST by reformed_democrat (Just a red-state woman trapped in a blue-state nightmare.)
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To: hansel

Bush came in at the last moment of the primary and saved Specter's tail. So what did he say not 48 hours later ? "I'm not a rubber-stamp for the president" You think he would have learned from that one. Yeah, we can count good ol' loyal Arlen.


133 posted on 11/08/2004 6:58:26 PM PST by smokeyb
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To: RonDog

good cartoon bump


134 posted on 11/08/2004 6:59:30 PM PST by The Red Zone (The GOP is Charlie Brown, the football is the lives of millions of unborn, and Specter is Lucy.)
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To: hansel
Bush won't let him get away with any crap.

How will President Bush -- or anyone, for that matter -- stop Specter once he's named Chairman?

I guess what I'm asking is, do you believe Specter will straighten up if the President tells him to?

135 posted on 11/08/2004 6:59:48 PM PST by reformed_democrat (Just a red-state woman trapped in a blue-state nightmare.)
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To: RonDog

good cartoon bump


136 posted on 11/08/2004 7:00:50 PM PST by The Red Zone (The GOP is Charlie Brown, the lives of millions of unborn is the football, and Specter is Lucy.)
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To: reformed_democrat
Please explain how you came to that conclusion

I read and responded to your post.

137 posted on 11/08/2004 7:01:25 PM PST by BigSkyFreeper (Congratulations President-Re-Elect George W. Bush!)
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To: reformed_democrat

There would have to be some pretty heavy duty quid pro quo at stake. Like opening up a dozen new military bases in Pennsylvania.


138 posted on 11/08/2004 7:02:02 PM PST by The Red Zone (The GOP is Charlie Brown, the lives of millions of unborn is the football, and Specter is Lucy.)
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To: RonDog

AHH ! The California Dog ! I always enjoy your posts !Love the cartoon !


139 posted on 11/08/2004 7:02:16 PM PST by smokeyb
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To: Radioactive
CONSIDER THIS:

Just WHAT in our conservative quiver do we have in the way of arrows to bring our power to CRITICAL MASS outside just the usual phone calls, faxes, signing internet petitions, etc?

There must be some REAL FEAR instilled in the power elites of our Party on the Senate side, especially within the Senate Judiciary committee.

Otherwise, this will go the way all things on the Hill.

Again, I'm talking threats and promises here by the energized Conservative Base of the Country towards the powers that be in the US Senate on the GOP side, and the SJC on the GOP side.

What is our trump card? What is our weapon? Without one, they'll listen to the calls/faxes/petitions alright, but STILL vote to keep Specter and will reason that "it will all die down after awhile."

140 posted on 11/08/2004 7:02:38 PM PST by AmericanInTokyo (Troops! Repudiation and Silencing of Senator Specter is our remaining "Electoral Vote" outstanding.)
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