Posted on 04/25/2005 4:05:32 PM PDT by GB
WASHINGTON - In private talks with Majority Leader Bill Frist, the Senate's top Democrat has indicated a willingness to allow confirmation of at least two of President Bush's seven controversial appeals court nominees, but only as part of a broader compromise requiring Republicans to abandon threats to ban judicial filibusters, officials said Monday.
At the same time he offers to clear two nominees to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals for approval, officials said Sen. Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record), D-Nev., wants a third appointee to be replaced by an alternative who is preferred by Michigan's two Democratic senators.The officials spoke only on condition of anonymity, citing the confidential nature of the conversations between the two leaders.
Reid issued a statement during the day saying he has had numerous conversations with senators in both parties in hopes of avoiding a showdown. "As part of any resolution, the nuclear option must be off the table," the statement concluded, referring to the GOP threat of banning judicial filibusters.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
-- DAVID ESPO and JESSE J. HOLLAND, Associated Press Writers
Epso and Holland are either blatant liars or ignorant hacks. AP puts out such sludge.
Makes good copy though, doesn't it?
You are correct.
This is desperation on the part of the Democrats. For sure this wasn't leaked by Frist.
My concern is that the Republicans do not have a good track thus far in leadership. So rather than note the Dems desperation, my instinct is to warn the Reps to not even think about it.
But, yes, it should rightfully be noted the Dems are worried.
Only a Republican would deal when he holds all the cards.
This deal sucks. The republicans need to call their bluff and push the button.
The fact that there's anything resembling a *negotiation* going on with a Rat troubles me deeply. Core principles are NOT subject to negotiation, especially when dealing with a Rump party. Failure to realize this suggests the very sort of weakness the Rats would exploit.
Instead, Frist should be making it clear to the RINOs that their poltical careers face a certain end unless they fall in line.
Let's hope the Gentleman from Tennessee finds his backbone.
This is all about maneuvering for votes. If Frist doesn't have the votes, it won't happen. If he does, it will.
Why do we have to constantly worry and push these wimps to do the most simple thing?! You could elect 70 of these Republican wussies and gasbags and they would still go McCain on us.
Get rid of this absurd filibuster of Supreme Court and Appellate Court Justices, now and forever.
Don't like a nominee? Get 51 votes or win the Presidency.
If they're so bad, they won't get 51 votes.
I wager at this moment the Dems are in panic mode.
They gambled on Republicans caving. Reasonable to doubt our representatives Courage.
They didn't count on the base with news of the obstruction over Bolton proving the last straw blowing its lid and telling the GOP they either end this or kiss their jobs goodbye. Basically they didn't count on the spine of the base that got the Republicans where they are in the first place. They completely ignored us, likely because their own base is so easily bought off.
What happens from this point I do not know. I know Republicans only have two choices and the wrong one will not be met with re-election. I am certain the Dems are floating possible "compromises". I suspect most are warm, fuzzy, and absolutely useless for us but result in more power for them.
Just like my daughter's softball coach calling pitches - just accept what he calls but throw the pitch you need to throw! Frist ought to say OK, but then when they start blocking them, state that senators don't make deals and Reid must have misunderstood...I know, it's not gonna happen!
But Frist has the authority as Leader to define this issue as a Litmus Test vote for every member of his caucus. By doing so he would have the backing of the President, the Vice President, the national party machinery and the "juice" advocacy organizations.
Torie, he is the best person to make it clear to each of the RINOs that they can fall in line, or face the destruction of their careers. It's hard to imagine even the most soft-headed among them -- Snowe, Collins, Chaffee -- failing to understand that they too will face another sort of Nuclear Option ... in primary season.
Sen. Frist needs to be spending more time as a Hard Ass, Top-Down Leader, and less time as a Touchy Feely Negotiator.
Frist does not have the power to destroy Senate careers. Senators get their basis of support locally, and from interest groups. Senators are quite independent actors. That would be an empty threat.
Tell that to Rick Santorum, whose eyebrows are getting singed from his dalliance with RINOism.
Anytime you deal with Democrats, Democrats win.
Personally, I believe that somewhere down the line, the Republicans will cave.
Frist needs to change back to the Constitutional standard now.
Destruction of their careers. LOL! What do you think will be the response from such threats?
Chaffee, Snowe & Collins to Frist: We'll run as Democrats.
McCain to Frist: I'll be a hero on the alphabet networks.
Hagel to Frist: Global tyrants will make me the head of the U.N.
Let's get real. A little reality check. It's not Frist's fault. The fact of the matter is we've got at least half a dozen RINO's in the Senate and we've got a bunch of no-nothing voters who will vote for such...even in states like Arizona and Nebraska.
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