CNN: Anti-Alito filibuster soundly defeated ~ campaign .. ...fizzled Monday evening.

CNN ^ | Monday, January 30, 2006; Posted: 7:56 p.m. EST (00:56 GMT) | staff

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Final confirmation of Supreme Court nominee expected Tuesday

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Judge Samuel Alito stands just one step away from a lifetime appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court after a spirited ninth-inning campaign by some Democratic senators to block his nomination fizzled Monday evening.

The final vote on Alito's nomination is now scheduled for Tuesday morning, and, with at least 57 senators on board, approval is virtually assured.

Alito's supporters in the Senate, as expected, cleared the final roadblock Monday when senators, by a vote of 72-25, decided to cut off debate and proceed to a final vote, rebuffing an attempt by a cadre of liberal senators to talk the nomination to death.

The vote easily exceeded the 60 votes needed to pass the motion. ()

In the end, only 24 of the chamber's 44 Democrats went along with the filibuster, a maneuver allowed under Senate rules to block a vote by extending debate indefinitely. It was also supported by the chamber's lone independent, Sen. Jim Jeffords of Vermont.

Arguing against cutting off debate, Sen. John Kerry -- who spearheaded the filibuster effort with his fellow Massachusetts Democrat, Sen. Ted Kennedy -- said Alito's record during his 15 years on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has given "the extreme right wing unbelievable public cause for celebration."

"That just about tells you what you need to know," Kerry said. "The vote today is whether or not we will take a stand against ideological court-packing."

But Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said the move to cut off debate fulfilled a "very straightforward principle -- a nominee with the support of a majority of senators deserves a fair up-or-down vote."

"The sword of the filibuster has been sheathed because we are placing principle before politics, and results before rhetoric," Frist said.

[gathersnomoss]

Cry Me A River. Bwahahaha, another win!

Go Steelers!

[JohnnyZ]

Well, my prediction has always been no filibuster, 57 votes in favor. But there will probably be more votes in favor -- I haven't been wrong about anything in over a year and I'm due.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Arguing against cutting off debate, Sen. John Kerry -- who spearheaded the filibuster effort with his fellow Massachusetts Democrat, Sen. Ted Kennedy -- said Alito's record during his 15 years on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has given "the extreme right wing unbelievable public cause for celebration."

Hey... John...

... better go put some ice on that!

[Michael.SF.]

Sen. John Kerry -- who spearheaded the filibuster effort

Actually, that was the NY Times, not kerry.

[IncPen]

Merry Fitzmas, libs!

[OldFriend]

There really are now words for the vile vicious comments by the likes of Kennedy and his ilk.

They shamed themselves and the senate.

[SunStar]

...Alito's record during his 15 years on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has given "the extreme right wing unbelievable public cause for celebration."

Sounds good to me...

[Theresawithanh]

lifetime appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court
lifetime appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court
lifetime appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court
lifetime appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court
lifetime appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court

Music to my ears! This is almost as good as election 2004!

[frankjr]

I, for one, would like to congratulate Senator Kerry for single-handedly devising the plan to make what would have been a decent victory for President Bush with the confirmation of Judge Alito into a HUGE win for the President!!!!!

[onyx]

Court packing...lol.
Court packing is exactly what KKK want to do.

[technomage]

One sound bite that stands out for me was Senator Ted "The Swimmer" Kennedy saying (and I am paraphrasing from memory): The people are just now getting interested in the Alito confirmation. What's the rush? What's next on our agenda: Asbestos? That's really interesting.

In that sound bite it shows how completely out of touch and dangerous the DeathoCrats are. The next thing they are going to take up is asbestos?

No mention of what will prove to be the greatest world crisis since the Cuban Missile Crisis: Iran and Hammas. Not one word from any DeathoCrat. Just ignoring the problem until it bites them in the ass!

Proof that they are unfit for the office they hold and should be removed. By ignorning this situation they are putting all Americans at risk.

Thank GOD President Bush is standing firm against Iran and Hammas!

[TheForceOfOne]

Well, not all the news is bad for John Kerry. Helen has decided to wave her normal $20.00 fee for her services.

Looks like you're getting a freebie tonight Johnny!

Woo Hoo! :P

[maggief]

Celebrate good times ... Come on!

[syriacus]

The Pied Piper of Davos
John Kerry made news with his yodel,
From a room in his Switzerland hotel.
The Libs' wild-eyed Piper
Has made them too hyper.
They'll soon be extinct like the Dodo.

[putupjob]

My goodness, that cloture vote was pathetic to all the filibuster packing RATS. It shows how effective it is to be mustering a filibuster from a Swiss ski resort.

[Buck W.]

Just found this post at DU--so clueless, thought it might be a Freeper:

OnRee (9 posts) Mon Jan-30-06 07:46 PM
Response to Original message
16. WHY do we keep losing?????????????????
WHY? If we're better people, and have better ideas, and are better for the world--WHY DO WE KEEP LOSING?

[smoothsailing]

GO ALITO!

GO STEELERS!

[adorno]

I, for one, would like to congratulate Senator Kerry for single-handedly devising the plan to make what would have been a decent victory for President Bush with the confirmation of Judge Alito into a HUGE win for the President!!!!!

You might be celebrating this republican/Bush victory too soon. If Kerry's and Kennedy's history are to be taken seriously, look for them to appear on the senate floor tomorrow morning with belts full of explosives around their waists for their last ditch attempts to stop Alito from getting into the court. They ain't going down without thoroughly terrorizing Alito and his wife and holding the rest of America hostage..

[mhx]

Hmm, belts of explosives, eh?