Posted on 05/01/2005 7:36:25 PM PDT by nypokerface
WASHINGTON - An organization with strong Republican ties intends to spend $1.5 million on television commercials over next two weeks to help Senate GOP leaders in a showdown over President Bush's judicial nominees.
The group, Progress for America, "will also run $350,000 of radio ads on Christian stations," according to a memo describing the plans.
The effort underscores the political stakes in a struggle that revolves immediately around seven controversial appeals court nominees — but also has implications for any Supreme Court vacancy that occurs during Bush's term.
Democrats blocked 10 of the president's first-term appeals court nominees by filibuster, a parliamentary tactic that requires supporters to post 60 votes to assure a final vote.
The president renominated seven of the 10 after he won re-election. Democrats say they are prepared to block some or all of them again on grounds that they are too conservative to warrant lifetime appointments to the bench.
Republicans have responded by threatening to use their majority to ban juidicial filibusters.
"Senate Democats have abused the rules and refused to even allow a vote," says the television ad produced for Progress for America. "So courtrooms sit empty, while thousands of Americans have their cases delayed."
Progress for America scheduled news conference for Monday to unveil its plans, and officials declined to discuss them in advance. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the material to be made public.
The ad praises two of Bush's seven stalled nominees, Janice Rogers Brown and Priscilla Owen. It says it's the job of a senator to vote, adding, "Urge your senators to vote, up or down."
Jim Manley, a spokesman for Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, criticized the ad. "Apparently no one at Progress For America has studied the Constitution or a U.S. history book, because their advertising campaign is intended to undermine a carefully chosen system of check and balances that has served this country well for more than 200 years," he said.
Reid and Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee both outlined proposed compromises on the issue last week. At the same time, the two are trying to line up the votes needed to prevail in a showdown over doing away with filibusters on judicial nominations. There are 55 Republicans in the Senate, two of whom have publicly announced plans to side with the Democrats on the issue.
A relatively small number of senators is believed undecided or even vulnerable to political pressure on the issue, and the ad campaign is targeted toward those who are.
Progress for America intends to advertise in a half-dozen low-cost states in the coming week, Alaska, Arkansas, Maine, Nebraska, North Dakota and Rhode Island according to the memo. GOP Sen. Lincoln Chafee (news, bio, voting record) of Rhode Island has announced plans to vote with the Democrats while Republican Sens. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins are publicly uncommitted. Some Republicans also have expressed concern about Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski (news, bio, voting record)'s willingness to follow the party leadership on the issue.
The ad campaign includes $750,000 for one week of statewide broadcast and cable advertising in the six states, to be followed by a week of national cable television commercials.
Including its web site advocacy and other measures, Progress for America claims it will spend $3 million over the next two weeks.
The organization has previously advertised in favor of Bush's proposal for voluntary personal accounts under Social Security. It spent several million dollars last year in an independent effort to help Bush win a second term.
Somebody needs to.
CNN was on all the TVs in the airport I was in last week and every other commercial was either against the changing the filibuster or against SS Reform, I didn't see one pro-GOP ad. They're asleep at the switch.
Also overlooking my notes from the 2004 campaign, Progress For America was one of the best 527s we had.
They a lot of great ads, including "Ashley's Story"
Murkowski has her seat because her father gave it to her, than President Bush used his coattails to bring her barely to victory. This woman has been making mini McCain-ite sounds. The lady is on thin ice.
I welcome the re-inforcements from "Progress for America".
I was mad that Sen Frist had not pulled the trigger on this one, but am starting to realize that some patience may just pay off. The Democrats clearly have the losing arguments on this issue. But, if they are the only arguments that are heard, then they are, by default, the winning arguments.
I think that a little money well spent can help the Republicans point out how silly the dem arguments are. For example, "Checks and balances?" What the hell are the dems talking about? "Checks and balances" referes to each branch of government being co-equal so that power does not rest with anyone branch. "Checks and balances" has NOTHING to do with the minority running the Senate as if the world had turned up side down, i.e. the one with the least votes wins. "Checks and balances" are what the GOP is trying to restore by ensuring the appointment of judicial nominees who will not legislate from the bench. In other words, making the judicial branch co-equal.
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