Norman Ornstein talking about Abe Fortas, leaving out important facts.
1. Fortas was already a Justice,
2. Fortas had been nominated by Johnson as Chief Justice
3. Fortas was filibustered for about one week
4. Fortas was filibustered because of ethics problems
5. Fortas eventually resigned from the Supreme Court because of ethics problems.
Republicans want to break the rules.
They just don't want to win, they are already winning.
They want to win all the time.
What fun! A question about Byrd's KKK past. Ornstein and Podesta belittle the question.
Michael Gerhardt says we've got to respect the rules, the rules of law. Ornstein says this isn't a big conspiracy to turn us into a theocracy, then quotes McCain as saying we've got to think about the time when we aren't in power. We've got to think of the larger danger, that we will sweep away the rule of law. Tom Delay came close to that over the Schiavo case. We mustn't allow passions to take over, which is what happened in Schiavo. We've got to have checks and balances.
Podesta asks for one last question, but one isn't asked so he asks for closing statements.
Gerhardt says he's upset how this is covered.
Ornstein says I love congress even when it gets frustrating. What I find most dismaying, and many share it, those of us who are dedicated to the congress, is how it's harming the senate, the lack of respect for rules....the senate is under seige right now, because they have the rings of power. We all ought to be concerned with regular order disappears. These abuses are now being taken to a new level, it's not a good development. Plenty of republicans are uneasy, like George Will. I hope more of them will step forward, he says.
Podesta is head of a Soros funded organization, I forget the name...which explains why this little whine fest was one-sided, with the other side not represented.