How Some Senators Plan to Vote on Roberts (At Least 13 Dems Will Vote Yes)

Associated Press ^ | September 26, 2005

[RWR8189]

All 55 Senate Republicans are expected to vote to confirm John Roberts as chief justice of the United States. The 44 Senate Democrats are less unified, and independent James Jeffords of Vermont has not announced his position.

Democrats who have announced their support for Roberts (13):

Max Baucus of Montana, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Tim Johnson of South Dakota, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Bill Nelson of Florida, Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Ken Salazar of Colorado.

Democrats who have announced their opposition (16):

Evan Bayh of Indiana, Joseph Biden of Delaware, Barbara Boxer of California, Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, Jon Corzine of New Jersey, Mark Dayton of Minnesota, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Dianne Feinstein of California, Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, John Kerry of Massachusetts, Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, Barack Obama of Illinois, Harry Reid of Nevada, Charles Schumer of New York and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan.

Democrats who have not announced how they will vote (15):

Daniel Akaka of Hawaii, Maria Cantwell of Washington, Tom Carper of Delaware, Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, Byron Dorgan of North Dakota, Tom Harkin of Iowa, Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, Carl Levin of Michigan, Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, Patty Murray of Washington, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, Paul Sarbanes of Maryland and Ron Wyden of Oregon.

[Simmy2.5]

DUmmies are not going to like that. Even if the Dems are doing this so that they can focus their resources on the next nomination. Strategy be damned!

[boomop1]

Bush's only legacy will be who he gets on the SCOUS. The end, that's it.

[KoRn]

"Evan Bayh of Indiana"

I find that interesting.

[goldstategop]

All of the Democrats voting for Roberts come from Red States and a number of them are up for re-election next year.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[samadams2000]

Roberts should say "get lost loser" to whoever approaches him for the camera handshake even after they vote no...

[dawn53]

So 55 republicans plus 13 dems so far...that'll do.

[Loyal Buckeye]

The article omits one Democrat, George Voinovich, OH

[appleharvey]

You know he's running in "2008". He has to appeal to the moonbats.

[goldstategop]

The only Blue State Senators voting for the nominee are Kohl and Feingold from Wisconsin. Harry Reid and Evan Bayh are the only Red State Democrats voting against Roberts.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)

[NeoCaveman]

So, in general, red state Democrats will vote Yes, blue state ones will vote No.

[Sometimes A River]

That's the strategy.

If they presented a united front against Roberts, they would have zero cred in opposing anyone else.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

Three come from blue states.

[WinOne4TheGipper]

You forget Senator Leaky Leahy.

[Clintonfatigued]

That's 68 votes for John Roberts. The next nomination will be The Big One.

I hope that Bush and Rove have thought it out carefully and found a teflon nominee.

[NeoCaveman]

I think Bush needs a fight to help improve his approval numbers and stoke up the base for 2006, which isn't looking so hot right now (and yes, I know it is early)

[Cobra64]

Roberts should say "get lost loser" to whoever approaches him for the camera handshake even after they vote no...

I'd bet that Judge Roberts has too much class to take that approach.

[RWR8189]

I hope he picked Janice Rogers Brown and bought Frist some neuticles and a nuclear trigger.

[OldFriend]

LOL.....you mean crybaby voinovich

[Jim_Curtis]

All the yes rats are from states that are not safely Democrat except for Leahy but that is for the purpose of having some authority to reject the next nominee, two for this purpose in committee instead of just Feingold.

Feingold would be destroyed if Bush sends up a steady stream of conservatives that would be subject to rat rejection. It would hurt Democrats in a lot of ways if Bush did this but Feingold would be the first obvious casualty because the false perception of his bipartisanship would be destroyed.