Posted on 05/17/2005 7:11:09 AM PDT by CWW
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - On the eve of a high-stakes showdown, a key lawmaker said on Tuesday it was unclear if a group of bipartisan U.S. senators could strike a deal on President Bush's contested judicial nominees.
"It's hard to say. There's a lot of cross-pressures. There's a lot of activity on both extremes of the political spectrum," Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, told CNN. "We'll know more today."
The Senate is to begin what's expected to be several days of debate on Wednesday on two of the seven appeals court candidates blocked by Democrats during the last Congress and then renominated by Bush after he won re-election in November.
Republicans have vowed that if Democrats again stop the nominees with procedural hurdles known as filibusters, they will move to ban such tactics on appeals court as well as U.S. Supreme Court nominees.
Republican leaders say they will have the 51 votes needed in the 100-member Senate to abolish such filibusters. But Democrats argue it is too close to call.
Efforts to find common ground persisted despite a breakdown in talks on Monday between Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican, and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat.
McCain and Sen. Ben Nelson, a Nebraska Democrat, are leading an effort to attract a half dozen largely moderate senators from each party to a last ditch-compromise.
Their proposal would clear the way for votes on some of Bush's stalled judicial nominees while blocking others.
Under the proposal, Republicans would promise not to eliminate judicial filibusters through the end of next year, and Democrats would vow not to use such tactics against any circuit court or Supreme Court nominee except in "extreme circumstances."
Republicans hold 55 of 100 Senate seats. A simple majority is needed to confirm a nominee, but 60 votes are required to end a filibuster.
The aim of Nelson and McCain has been to provide six Democratic votes to clear the way for confirmation votes on some of the disputed nominees and six Republican votes to preserve the judicial filibuster. Nelson was confident he had enough Democrats on board, but was still working to attract a total of six Republicans, an aide said.
Talks between Frist and Reid ended following months of futile efforts to find common ground.
"The negotiations are over," Reid said. "I've tried to compromise (but) they want all or nothing, and I can't do that."
Frist said in a statement, "Republicans believe in the regular order of fair up and down votes and letting the Senate decide yes or no on judicial confirmations free from procedural gimmicks like the filibuster."
Naw. 'Zonans have one of the best conservatives in the senate: Kyl.
My question is: Do they have a recall? I'd like to see JD Hayworth get McCain's seat. He was just re-elected. I'll call my dad and ask him. My parents live in Tatcher.
Yes just like liberals, McCain suffers from attention deficit syndrome, and will do whatever it takes to keep himself in the limelight!
What "mental image"??
I'm just a pimple-faced teen (in my late twenties) who's awaiting pre-op gender "reassignment" while of whom also happens to tawk like Tony Danza, AND wears stained "wife-beater" T-shirts 24/7 (burp).
Mcain needs to shut his stupid pie hole and sit down. Why on earth the people of AZ keep putting that ass back into office is beyond me.
Senator John McCainaic -- Ever the portrait of self-control and nuance.
Imagine that rageaholic with the nuclear football.
Lol, imagining McCain with a nail clipper would terrify me.
ROTFLMAO--I have one thing to say, "McCain-Feingold."
Individual rights my @$$!
Reid has NOT tried to compromise at all. The only thing he tried to do was lure in some republican suckers.
I "can't" tell you, but it's nothing like you described. :)
Want me to vouch for you? It's all true, not a single word of it. :o)
OH-HO arasina! LOL!
yawn.
I bet it is the other way around. Nelson can't find 5 DINOs. The rats are all rat today. They have purged men like Zell Miller from their ranks. The only thing they can do is obstruct. It is in the best interest of DINOs and rats to comprimise because they will be defeated otherwise, but the rats can't go back to their voters and explain a compromise. Sweet.
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