Posted on 05/22/2005 9:36:11 AM PDT by wagglebee
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist reportedly has the votes to enforce the so-called "nuclear option" against judicial filibusters instigated by Democrats, despite claims to the contrary by Minority Leader Harry Reid.
After a Thursday meeting with Senate Democrats, Reid boasted he was ready for the coming battle. "It was one of the most pleasant experiences of my entire life," he told reporters. "We walked out of there so united. We talked about what's going to happen after Tuesday," when the filibuster showdown is expected to come to head.
But according to New York Times columnist David Brooks, Reid was blowing smoke.
"Harry Reid, told a small group of us Friday he was cautiously optimistic that he had the votes to defeat the nuclear option, but I think he's wrong," Brooks said Sunday.
"John McCain, Lincoln Chafee, John Warner and maybe Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe will vote against the nuclear option, but none of the other Republicans are likely to."
"Bill Frist has the votes," he predicted.
Brooks also reports that attempts by Senate moderates to hammer out a deal to avoid the filibuster showdown have collapsed.
"The talks stalled. Joe Lieberman didn't bother to attend the final meeting. Positions will probably harden over the weekend, making a deal less likely tomorrow," he said.
In the immortal words of Pres. Whitmore: Nuke em. Nuke the #@$%@&^*!
So? The Florida Supreme Court usurped the state constitution in the 2000 election with no ramifications.
Why would the rats worry about usurping anything ever?
True. Remember it was sKerry who was desperate to get him on the ticket as VP. Nobody else wanted him.
"Everyone forgets McManiac can pull a Ross Pirouette and run independent."
I think he would pull more democrats than Republicans if he did. He would be a traitor to Republicans, a savior to Democrats.
There's a lot of hate in 'Little-John'... and it's mostly focused on his own Party. I bet the happiest month of his life was when the press circulated the tale that Kerry asked him to be VP.
And in the next election he'll only carry the Gadsden Purchase.
Outstanding first benefit of the battle!
A long way to go yet (and the Dem's are trying to find a way to slime one more GOP'er).
And when the NYT admits the Dem's have lost before the game is even over....My antenna goes up? (and not in a good way).
Say anything you want about McCain's party loyalty; however, and less you have evidence to the contrary, it is insulting to all American servicemen and especially former POWs to imply that McCain was disloyal during his time in the Hanio Hilton. I have never heard ANYONE, and certainly none of his fellow POWs describe anything of the sort.
Thank you. I just wish I'd posted it with fewer typos. I was so excited to find a thread trashing McCain, that I didn't take the time to use spell check. I REALLY don't like him.
< Not if he runs as a Democrat.
If Reid doesn't have the votes to win on the nuclear option then the Dems will supply the votes necessary to get to the 60 needed for cloture, tuck their tails between their legs, stall the Senate in several minor ways, piss and moan, but in the end regroup to fight this battle on another day when they might be able to muster the one or two additional votes they need to beat Frist.
There will be no vote on the nuclear option. Neither side really wants and it won't be needed. For McPain and the other RINOs, their cover will be lost and they will have to go on record and vote up or down for a bunch of Bush nominees that are way too conservative for them. That is what all this deal making has been about. They don't want to go on the record one way or the other. They don't want to vote yes because they don't like the nominees. They don't want to vote no because it would hurt them with the party base. Much easier to just let the Dems kill the nominations. But it's not going to turn out that way. Frist will win.
" I have never heard ANYONE, and certainly none of his fellow POWs describe anything of the sort"
Really?
How would you like it in McCains own words?
Neither do I. McCain thought he should have been president. After all, the MSM loved him (didn't work for Kerry either). He thought he could go around criticizing President Bush and undo it all by campaigning for him. He authored the worst anti-First Amendment legislation this country has seen. I could go on, but I think you know all this alread :)
LOL. Then again, Sen. McKeating...er, McCain never could add.
I think we can rule out his being elected the Commisioner of Baseball, as well.
Absolutely. The Democrats claim the right of "endless debate" in the Senate, but they don't debate. Frist offered 100 hours per nominee, and they declined. We all know what this is about. Time to b*tch slap the Democrats and get on with the people's business.
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