[NormsRevenge]

Senate leaders and the top two lawmakers on the Judiciary Committee speak with members of the media, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2005, after a White House meeting with President Bush to discuss the second vacancy on the Supreme Court. The meeting was similar to one Bush held in July, one week before he nominated Roberts to fill the shoes of the late Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist. Left to right are Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Arlen Specter, R-Penn. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

[MNJohnnie]

Democrat, Patrick Leahy

Just bowing to the inevitable and positioning himself as a "moderate" to create political cover to justify filibustering the next one.

[NormsRevenge]

[Ninian Dryhope]

"confronted by television producer Norman Lear"

Gee, from watching his television shows, who would have thought that Norman Lear was a left wing democrat?

[FreedomSurge]

I still hope they fillibuster.

[hsalaw]

Arlene Spectre drives me crazy. And, by the way, where did this idea that a swing-vote (O'Conner) could only be replaced by a swing-vote? I don't recall seeing anything like that in any of our founding documents. Replacing swinging door O'Conner with a solid conservative would be the right thing to do.

[frankjr]

"Roberts is "very well credentialed," Landrieu said Wednesday."

She then added "unlike myself."

[smonk]

there isn't an exploded head in all of DUmmie land.

:)

[NormsRevenge]

Leahy, who has led filibuster fights against Bush's lower court nominees, said in a speech on the Senate floor, "I do not intend to lend my support to an effort by this president to move the Supreme Court and the law radically to the right."

But Roberts "is a man of integrity," said Leahy. "I can only take him at his word that he does not have an ideological agenda."

Other Democrats, including Tim Johnson of South Dakota and Max Baucus of Montana, also have announced their support. Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana are leaning toward voting for Roberts, and Kent Conrad of North Dakota is viewed as a possible vote for him as well.

Roberts is "very well credentialed," Landrieu said Wednesday.

The other six Judiciary Democrats — Joseph Biden, Herb Kohl, Charles Schumer, Dick Durbin, Russell Feingold and Dianne Feinstein — have yet to announce their votes.

[jmaroneps37]

leaky's support is just show biz. Dusty will give co(m)rade and wooden head nelson a pass to vote yes. This fool from the AP thinks he's telling us something. He aint. These mutts had this worked out after day one when they saw they had no chance of beating Roberts. The rest is show biz. The next one will be all smoke and no real fire. They will ALL vote against the next nominee in the committee. wooden head and bennie nelson will vote right. that will be enough to pass whomever comes up without at least two rino defections. The funny thing is that wooden head won't fool anybody. Harris will kick his ass anyway. Ben will be gone as well. Comrad Conrade will go down no matter how he votes on either or both of these judges.

[BushisTheMan]

Specter suggested that the president wait awhile, and said he had talked to O'Connor about staying on through the full 2005-2006 term.

No way! We waited for years on a couple of lower court appointments so forget it Specter. Get these people through the BS known as the Judicial Committee.

[Republican Red]

Anyone know when the actual vote is scheduled for or does each Senator now just announce their vote to the press and bypass the formalities?

[XpandTheEkonomy]

Specter is a double agent, a poison pill, and apparently the most unpopular man in congress according to colleagues and aides. Not too mention his disgraceful resume.

What a life.

[ex-snook]

Reid, Kennedy and Kerry are shown to be the horses a##es they are.

[Reagan Man]

I still say, if Roberts gets the 66 votes of approval that Justice Rehnquist received in his floor vote for Chief, it will be a significant success. Rehnquist garnered 67 votes back in 1972 in his first set of hearings.

[SmithL]

Has the Hill-debeast announced her intentions, yet?

[new yorker 77]

President Bush has wanted John Roberts to be Chief Justice since he was elected in 2000. The "Teflon Bork" will be the Libs worst nightmare.

[AmishDude]

I wonder what the motive here is. The best strategy is to show a united front. All the D's vote no, but no filibuster and it gives them credentials for the next one. I thought that Harry Reid's announcement was not after meeting with party leaders but as a pre-emptive strike. He was trying to make the others vote with him.

This may be Leaky's attempt at a little power struggle.

[agrace]

"It would be quite a sacrifice for her, but she's prepared to do it if she is asked," Specter said. "By next June we'll know a lot more about Judge Roberts ... than we do today."

You couldn't possibly be suggesting that the next nominee should be determined by the political leanings of Judge Roberts' first year rulings, could you Arlen?

[zendari]

Biden's a NO.

Senator Joseph Biden (D-Del.) will vote against the confirmation of John G. Roberts as Chief Justice of the United States, a source who has spoken to the senator told The Huffington Post.

Last Wednesday, Biden told Roberts, "We're rolling the dice with you, judge because you won't share your views with us. You've told me nothing in this Kabuki dance. The public has a right to know what you think."

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid announced he would vote against Robert’s confirmation yesterday.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2005/09/21/biden-to-vote-against-rob_n_7684.html


Whatever. Its completely ridiculous how this is a 100% political process and these senators whore out their votes. No wonder it takes 3 months for nominees to get confirmed.