LIVE THREAD Senate Debate on Nomination of Samuel A. Alito

C-Span2 ^ | Jan 26, 2006

[katieanna]

Debate continues in the Senate today on the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. At present no time has been announced for a final vote. Stop by and discuss.

[Bahbah]

I'm listening. IT's the history of the whole delay tactic.

[Cboldt]

Frist closing shop for the night.

Reiterates the timing of cloture vote, and confirmation votes on Tuesday. Alito, and Ben Bernacke.

Frist expresses frustration at the need to file a cloture motion in order to move the process forward, and compares the 87 days of Alito with the 63 day interval for Clinton's nominees.

Notes that the GOP accomodated DEM requests for scheduling, only to be met with further delay. Concedes that all of the dealy is within the rules. Now schedule to have a vote on January 31st. That means 5 days of floor activity -- plenty of time on the floor including tonight, tomorrow night, Saturday if needed.

Frist predicts that Alito will get the up or down vote that he deserves, on Tuesday morning. "As sure as one can be, around here." Cites public opinion polls that say the nominee should be confirmed.

Business tomorrow starts at noon, resuming consideration of the Alito nomination. Reiterates the timing of cloture vote (Monday), and vote on the nominee on Tuesday at 11:00 AM.

Senate is adjourned.

[Laverne]

He was way to kind in his description -- he should have taken the democrats to task, but he refused to do so.

[Miss Marple]

You know, while we have heard a lot of griping about Frist, I feel I must point out that by Tuesday afternoon he will have two Supreme Court confirmations under his belt. Not a bad record, if you ask me.

[Txsleuth]

Shrum and Matthews also said that Kerry was RIGHT to filibuster...and even characterized it as Kerry and his "group"..like the has a whole cadre of dem senators that are willing to walk the plank with him...LOL

[Bahbah]

Shrum and Matthews also said that Kerry was RIGHT to filibuster...

Shrum sounded hysterical with his litany of lies about Alito. I think they are really losing people from their party with this baloney.

[oceanview]

Specter gets alot more credit for this then Frist in my opinion.

[Cboldt]

You know, while we have heard a lot of griping about Frist, I feel I must point out that by Tuesday afternoon he will have two Supreme Court confirmations under his belt. Not a bad record, if you ask me.

SCOTUS nominations are the easier ones to muscle through, due to more public awareness and the hearings process. Frist has a couple of pretty old Circuit Court nominations out of Committee, not yet brought up for floor action.

[Raycpa]

Cites public opinion polls that say the nominee should be confirmed.

Talk about a stupid move.

[Raycpa]

I feel I must point out that by Tuesday afternoon he will have two Supreme Court confirmations under his belt.

And without a power sharing agreement.

[onyx]

Do we still have only 4 democrats who have committed?

Nelson - Nebraska

Sheets - W.VA

Landreiu - LA

Johnson -

I see on C-SPAN's sidebar that Collins of Maine has committed.

[Cboldt]

C-SPAN2 unofficial tally of Senators' positions on the confirmation vote of Samuel A. Alito to the Suprme Court.

     Aye = 55                   Nay = 32
     3 GOP yet to commit:       10 DEM yet to commit:

     Chaffee       _ __/|       Bayh            Landrieu
     Snowe         \`O.o'       Cantwell        Lautenberg
     Stevens       =(_ _)=      Conrad          Menendez
                      U         Dayton          Pryor    
                 Phhlllt Ack!   Dorgan          Rockefeller

     DEM Crossover = 3          GOP Crossover = 0

     Nelson  (NE)
     Johnson (SD)
     Byrd    (WV)

[small voice in the wilderness]

Shrum and Matthews also said that Kerry was RIGHT to filibuster

Those two make Phil Donahue look smart! And they keep on denying, decrying, defying. And W. and the Republicans just keep plowing forward. Turning over the soil, planting new seedlings, and smiling.

[puroresu]

I don't think Landrieu has committed to vote for Alito, though she has said she'll oppose a filibuster. She's stuck between a rock and a hard place. Her constituents are conservative but the whackos who finance her campaigns are leftists.

[Miss Marple]

I disagree. Getting these two through in the face of the democrat opposition, the pro-abortion groups who pull the strings, and the ranting of the media is no small accomplishement. Yes, it is true that the public paus more attention, but that makes the stakes higher for the opposition, too.

You and I often disgree, and this point is one. I have stated my side, but am not interested in an argument. People can choose to look at this however they want.

[onyx]

Thank you... you're right -- she's merely stated her opposition to a filibuster.

[Mo1]

and even characterized it as Kerry and his "group"..like the has a whole cadre of dem senators that are willing to walk the plank with him...LOL

Ummm ... are they gonna come back to this country to do a filibuster ... or are they going do it in Europe??

[wv-neocon]

I hope there's no surprizes on Monday. Frist isn't the most reliable vote-counter and he seems to lack confidence. He drives me nuts.

[onyx]

It's ALWAYS the spelling!