First President in US History to Have Voted to Filibuster...hopes for Clean Process

Political Punch ^ | 05/30/09 | Jake Tapper

[Big_Monkey]

President Obama's expressed hope today in his weekly address "that we can avoid the political posturing and ideological brinksmanship that has bogged down this (Supreme Court nomination) process, and Congress, in the past" runs against another historical first for the 44th president: his unique role in history as the first US President to have ever voted to filibuster a Supreme Court nominee.

So while there is little indication Republicans intend to filibuster President Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor, the GOP will likely invoke the President's unique history whenever he calls their tactics into question.

In January 2006, then-Sen. Obama joined 24 colleagues in a futile effort led by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., to filibuster the Supreme Court nomination of now-Justice Samuel Alito.

On January 29, 2006, Mr. Obama told George Stephanopulos on "This Week" that he would "be supporting the filibuster because I think Judge Alito, in fact, is somebody who is contrary to core American values, not just liberal values, you know. When you look at his decisions in particular during times of war, we need a court that is independent and is going to provide some check on the executive branch, and he has not shown himself willing to do that repeatedly."

Mr. Obama did seem to express some reserve about using the filibuster process, which in common parlance refers to a procedural Senate maneuver requiring 60 votes to end debate and proceed to a vote.

[Big_Monkey]

At least Tapper has the courage to point out Barry's hypocrisy.

[yongin]

Non issue. Hussein was just trying to make a statement about Bush letting blacks die in Katrina.

Of course the Messiah worshippers will eat it up.

[RED SOUTH]

We really should thank Barry. He’s giving the example we seem to need as a country every 30 years or so that liberals
are good for nothing except running the country in to the ditch. If you haven’t noticed , Barry is moving the country from center to right. People who have never seen the results of tax and spend liberalism are getting a mouth full and spitting it out. Look at the polling date.