Frist Said to Have 'Nuclear Option' Votes

NewsMax ^ | 5/22/05 | Carl Limbacher

[cbkaty]

"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."

I have prayed for the day that their votes would become irrelevant..... I pray that my prayers have been answered.

[gakrak]

And hopefully his political career as well. Amen,

[Rodney King]

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. Which means of course that you can count on Frist not to go through with it but to cut a deal to try to look like a "statesman" for his presidential bid.

[BobL]

" ............and any funding that benefits Chaffee, McCain, Snow, Warner, and that band of pathetic wimps!"

Just keep in mind the states that Chaffee and Snowe are from (and Collins). If you look at their voting record on judges and much of Bush's agenda, they are pretty darn good (with the exception of Chaffee much of the time). These guys have to get re-elected

On the other hand, McCain, Warner (and especially Hagel), have NO EXCUSE for playing footsie with the Dems. They are despicable Republicans for even going this far.

I'll still take Chaffee, Collins, and Snowe over virtually ANY Dem in the Senate (with the possible exception of Nelson).

[strategofr]

"this vote, if its true, will end McCain's presidential bid."


And start his VP bid---Hillary/McCain in 2008!

[sirthomasthemore]

Then Cheney gets to vote.

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Dem loser,

In an ideal world, the GOP will have worked this out. They let the five Rino's cover their butts, but make sure that they win 51-49 so as not to let it fall on Cheney's shoulders.

But, that's only if they are thinking as a responsible party.

[georgiarat]

Even though I despise what McCain is doing now, I cannot fault him for his time as a POW. Nothing I have seen points to him being disloyal to this country while a prisoner in Vietnam. Let's be critical where it is due but not in that area.

[Soul Seeker]

McCain actually said he had "conservative" support? Is Mccain trying to re-define conservative? Outside of a few RINO's and the press...and his own solitary state...McCain has no support. The conservative base universally despises the man.

[SkyPilot]

But according to New York Times columnist David Brooks, Reid was blowing smoke.

According to SkyPilot, the New York Times is blowing smoke by denying Frist has the votes.

[middie]

The GOP will be in the same relative position in 2008 as the Dems were in during the Reagan and Bush-the-Elder period. Namely, any candidate capable of winning the primaries, and hence the nomination, will be unable to win the national election. The noise-makers within the party have moved so far to the extreme right and are a component of the religious fanactical cabal that the nominee will inevitably be unacceptable to the general public. The Dems suffered from that syndrome after Jummy Carter and their convention rule changes. It was only because of Bill Clinton's consummate political skills that they captured the White House for eight years.

The truism that "what goes around comes around," will haunt the GOP in the future if we do actually change the Senate rules and silence the minority. We Republicans will live to regret our ill-temper and impulsive inability to resist political muscle flexing.

[strategofr]

"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)."

I'm with you. This is no time for Conservatives to slacken the phone calls. For one thing, I would be surprised if there was not a surprising last minute delaying tactic. Something designed to fool Frist into waiting just one more week before the vote. If there is a trick Frist hasn't fallen for as Senate Leader, I don't know what it is.

[ShowMeMom]

You forgot the </sarcasm> tag, right?

[Just A Nobody]

I was so excited to find a thread trashing McCain,...

ROTFLOL!!! Rough day, huh. Life - it's all good.

[BobL]

" The truism that "what goes around comes around," will haunt the GOP in the future if we do actually change the Senate rules..."

Oh come on. The Dems today in the Senate are the most vicious, evil bunch ever in the US Government. Do you really think that they will respect Republican rights for one moment, should they have power back, and should the Republicans try to pull this crap?

NO. The Republicans will be diced up and spat out on the same nuclear option that we were afraid to use, and all the 'comity' that we were expecting by yielding to them this week will be conveniently forgotten. Just as the Dems seem to have "forgotten" their stand on using the filibuster as a tool of obstruction.

In other words - what happens this week HAS NO BEARING as far as future Republican minority rights are concerned in the Senate. But if we lose - then the courts are finished, as they will block everyone until they get their president and majority back.

Get with it.

[Godebert]

"We Republicans will live to regret our ill-temper and impulsive inability to resist political muscle flexing."

The first time in recent memory that the republicans actually show a spine and you go all mushy moderate. Did you take that line directly from McLame's own mouth? Pathetic.

[strategofr]

"He can't start getting to the bigger prize if the cloture motion passes."

Unfortunately, I think you are laying out the roadmap for Dem victory. By the rules of engagement (ROE) Frist has defined, he is not "allowed" to call for a rules change vote until the Dems block cloture. Hence, the Dems can repeat the current drama as many times as they want to, until the Repub coaliton hits a weak spot.

In other words, Frist has given tne Dems the choice of when the critical battle will take place. This ensures they will win. Or am I missing something?

[Tunehead54]

With approximately the same results.

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Yes - still not good. Perot lost, so would McCain but in 1990 it gave the presidency to x42 with only 42% of the electorate voting for him. It could be a similiar situation with PIAPS in 2008. Not good. :-(

[ShowMeMom]

By the rules of engagement....

Captain Jack Sparrow: "They really aren't rules exactly...more like guidelines".

[wagglebee]

Don't get me wrong, I can't stand McCain. However, the fact that he told the NVA guards that he would give them information in return for medical care doesn't mean he actually gave them any information. Nor does his conduct after the war have anything to do with his conduct while a POW. I never want this guy to be president, but I don't think that trying to discredit in this way will help matters. This is completely different from what happened with sKerry, we are speaking about Senate POW committees that met a decade or more after the war ended.

Until one of his fellow POWs will go on record and publicly relate specific acts of dishonor while in NVA captivity (and giving the enemy misinformation in return for medical care was not very unusual), I do not think that McCain's POW status should be questioned.

[Bernard]

From John McCain's perspective, most people are conservative. At least most Republicans.