[Dog]

So he didn't roll Frist at that dinner...

[QQQQQ]

Here is a misleading title, if there ever was one:

Democratic leader reaches out to Republicans

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=8507240


Then you read, that he is trying to get Republicans to defect and support the Dems. THAT is NOT "reaching out".



"With time running out for a possible compromise, U.S. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid appealed to Republican colleagues on Monday to break ranks in the battle over President Bush's judicial nominees.

Reid said if a handful of Republicans side with Democrats, they could preserve Senate rules that help check the powers of the White House by permitting procedural roadblocks, known as filibusters, against candidates for the federal bench.

"I'm confident and hopeful that there will be six Republican senators who will be profiles in courage," said Reid of Nevada in a Senate speech. "I believe there must be at least six out there."

[bamaborn]

I pray that Republicans in the Senate will do what's necessary to ensure that we are given an up or down vote on our judicial nominees.

The Homo-Leninsts must not be allowed to continue to rule our republic through the judicial branch. In order to be a more perfect union we need judges who are strict Constitutionalists.

The Constitution is to be used to interpret issues of the current day; not to itself be interpreted to fit what a few judges perceive as today's social climate.

This issue is quite possibly more of a threat to our republic than fanatical Islam.

[Libloather]

Reid ends talks on U.S. judges with Frist
By Thomas Ferraro
27 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Talks by the Senate's top two leaders to try and avert a showdown over President Bush's judicial nominees came to a halt on Monday.

"The negotiations are over," declared Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, as he emerged from a meeting with his Republican counterpart, Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee.

"I've tried to compromise (but) they want all or nothing, and I can't do that." Reid told reporters. "So now it will be decided on the Senate floor, hopefully this week."

That left it up to other senators -- including Republican John McCain of Arizona and Democrat Bill Nelson of Nebraska -- to find an elusive compromise to prevent a battle that could shift the balance of power between Congress and the White House.

Frist plans to begin several days of debate on Wednesday on two of the seven appeals court candidates blocked by Democrats during the last Congress and renominated by Bush after he won re-election in November.

If Democrats again stop any of them with procedural hurdles known as filibusters, Republicans threaten to move to ban such tactics on appeals court as well as U.S. Supreme Court nominees.

Republican leaders insist they will have the 51 votes needed to abolish such filibusters. But Democrats insist it is still too close to call.

Reid earlier called on Republicans to break ranks. He said if a handful of Republicans side with Democrats, they could preserve Senate rules that help check the powers of the White House by permitting filibusters against candidates for the federal bench.

"I'm confident and hopeful that there will be six Republican senators who will be profiles in courage," Reid said.

Reid, who has been trying for more than a month to reach a compromise with Frist, said: "I don't think Senator Frist is capable of working something out on this. I think he is going to try to satisfy the radical right."

Special interest groups from the political right and left have weighed into the battle since the federal courts decide such issues as civil rights, abortion rights and gay rights.

Reid and Frist had dinner on Sunday, but Reid said the conversation was limited. "The only talk last night was how good the duck was," Reid told reporters.

Republicans hold 55 of 100 Senate seats. A simple majority is needed to confirm a nominee, but 60 votes are required to end a filibuster.

Republicans contend senators, as part of their constitutional duties, should vote on all judicial nominees who reach the full Senate for confirmation.

McCain and Nelson have sought a compromise of their own. Their aim is to provide six Democratic votes to win confirmation of some of the disputed nominees as well as six Republican votes to preserve the judicial filibuster.

As part of their proposed deal, many of the specifics yet to be finalized, Democrats would pledge not to filibuster future judicial nominees except in "extreme circumstances."

"The problem (is) ... if you use the word 'extraordinary' or 'extreme circumstances,' how would that be defined and who would make the determination," Sen. Trent Lott (news, bio, voting record), a Mississippi Republican, told CNN. "That's very difficult to do."

But Lott, who has also tried to find common ground, said, "We should look at all options."

Nelson was confident he had enough Democrats on board for his possible compromise, but was still working to attract a total of six Republicans, an aide said.

[TeleStraightShooter]

Wow
not one mention of the "Nuclear Option in that (D) media organ sfGate.

Are the (D)s backing away from their "Nuclear Option of shutting own the Senate?
{Juxtaposed to the Republicans Constitutional Option {as trail-Blazed by Byrd in 1979}}

[thelastvirgil]

Reid will have no problem finding his six "responsible Republicans" from the ranks of RINO's. He knows this, and that explains why he has taken the initiative to stop the negotiations with Frist.

Get ready for it, folks, the RATS win again, and we'll end up with even more legislators on benches everywhere.

Any, A-N-Y, compromise and the Republicans are finished. In my book, anyway.

[VeniVidiVici]

except in extreme circumstances.

I'm sure the Dimocrats will claim every nominee here on out will qualify as "extreme circumstances".

I swear McCain was dropped on his head as a child or suffered through one too many beatings in Vietnam.

Either that or the Republicans just can't handle being a majority party. They are so used to compromising as the minority they think they still have to do that to be liked. (argh)

[theFIRMbss]

>Reid Says Showdown Imminent in Senate

Why don't they solve this
one way or the other and
get on with business?!

[tuvals]

Up or Down Vote is all it takes and these hucksters want to continue their filibusters. If this hot air is for the good of the country then I have a bridge I want to sell you. Is Harry Reid really:

[jackbill]

If any Republican senators take Reid's bait and try to throw overboard ANY of President Bush's nominees they should feel the full wrath of the Republican base. They should be hit by a firestorm that they will not soon forget.

[OldFriend]

Ole searchlight harry just can't wait to shut the gummint down. He's hopin and prayin for a fat gal in a thong to bring him pizza.

After all, it worked for bill!

[sirchtruth]

For their part, Democrats would commit not to block votes on Bush's Supreme Court or appeals court nominees during the same period, except in extreme circumstances.

Hel-friggin'-lo!!!

Yes, I realize that the repubs can sometimes seem rather dimwitted, but lately, the dems have looked like they've been absolutely pummeled by the stupid stick if they thought this would fly!

[Richard Axtell]

...saying their fate along with the future of long-standing filibuster rules will be settled in a showdown on the Senate floor.

Long standing filibuster rules... what has it been, 2 years?

[RoseofTexas]

Smart move by the dirty RATS! They are laying the foundation for pubs to get the blame if the Senate shuts down! With the help of the omWHORES they'll probably succeed!!

[Deo et Patria]

Alea iacta est.

[kittymyrib]

Who in his right mind would take the word of Dems on any "deal"? They would define "extreme circumstances" as any time the president nominates a conservative judge. His father was burned big time by lying Democrats in the "read my lips" fiasco, so W definitely knows they can't be trusted.

[AFPhys]

I'd like to see just ONE or TWO Demodogs who belong on the "Profiles in Courage" list.

Forget the Republicans... where are the HONEST DEMOCRATS?

[F.J. Mitchell]

Filthy Hairy Reid and the bullie boy dems are expecting another easy romp over the sissy nerd boy Repubs, just like so many times in the past. Hairy, apparently has never had the benefit of viewing "The Revenge of the Nerds".

Look for Reid, Porky Kennedy and company to be taken to school in the next few days.