Posted on 01/26/2006 6:51:27 AM PST by 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.
Not to me.
Well, you know I didn't mean you!
It was a plot to generate action and entertainment by stirring up the chattering classes of political watchers. And probing "why" just stirs the pot again. Whatever the reason, I'm sure the President advanced her seriously, intending her to be seated on the Supreme Court.
I think it's inaccurate to describe the President as moderate. Strategic, pragmatic and intuitive (in advancing a conservative agenda) all go further in describing him in general and the Miers nomination in particular.
Well, your point is perfect if one attaches the label "advancing a conservative agenda" to the Miers nomination.
Strategy, pragmatism and intuition are all tools. If the core philosophy is to return education to the states, and get the feds out of public education, strategy, pragmatism and intuition would play in moving (or not) toward that objective.
I agree wholeheartedly, President Bush has outstanding strategy, pragmatism and intuition. But (IMO), his ultimate object is moderate in nature. He is not averse to big government programs, for example, in the areas of public education and personal health care. Sure, he isn't advocating the likes of fully managed care; but he advocated the Medicare drug program. My point isn't to argue the merits of the program, my point is merely that I perceive President Bush as a moderate, especially regarding domestic programs.
Durbin is playing both sides of that. He's on board with Kennedy/Kerry.
Democrats Split Over Filibuster On Alito
By Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 27, 2006; Page A01Several prominent Democratic senators called for a filibuster of Samuel A. Alito Jr.'s Supreme Court nomination yesterday, exposing a deep divide in the party even as they delighted the party's liberal base.
The filibuster's supporters -- including Sens. John F. Kerry and Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts -- acknowledged that the bid is likely to fail ...
Party sources said Reid and others worry that a filibuster, while likely to fail, will nonetheless detract voters' attention from issues that Democratic leaders consider more promising. They include Bush's controversial domestic surveillance program, the indictments of a top White House official and a congressional leader, and the unfolding scandal centered on former lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Party leaders especially worry about forcing a filibuster decision on Democrats seeking reelection this fall in GOP-leaning states, including Nelson and Kent Conrad (N.D.).
While Reid hoped to avoid a filibuster, Democratic Whip Richard J. Durbin (Ill.) supports it. But at a midday session with reporters, Durbin acknowledged the likely futility.
"Having made a count," he said, "I have come to the conclusion it is highly unlikely that a filibuster would succeed."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/26/AR2006012601955.html
Reid looked defeated....
You forgot where I admitted taking both sides of a "when will the vote be?" prediction?
How can you tell when he looks defeated? I think he ALWAYS looks that way!
BUSH SNUBS HELEN THOMAS [AGAIN]
Thu Jan 26 2006 15:42:32 2006
President Bush today again avoided taking a question from White House doyenne Helen Thomas during his 45-minute press conference, even though he took questions from every reporter around her front-row, center seat.
"He's a coward," Thomas said afterward. "He's supposed to be this macho guy. He'll take on Osama bin Laden, but he won't take me on."
Thomas, who worked as the UPI White House reporter for 57 years and is now a columnist, raised her hand every time the president was concluding an answer to a reporter's question, but he never called on her.
She had a few questions in mind, though. "I wanted to ask about Iraq: 'You said you didn't go in for oil or for Israel or for WMDs. so why did you go in?' "
She also had another question at the ready, just in case, this one about the president's contention that a 28-year-old wiretapping law known as FISA is out of date, which prompted him to order the National Security Agency to conduct a secret electronic surveillance program that Democrats contend is illegal.
"You keep saying it's a 1978 law, but the Constitution 200 years old. Is that out of date, too?"
Afterward, Thomas sat sullenly in her chair in the White House press work area, huddled in her leopard-print winter coat.
But as she left, she made a prediction: "He came on to my turf. I'll bet the next press conference will be in Room 450 of the EEOB," a theater-style room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where she would not be in the front row.
Developing...
I don't think she will ever get to ask a question again. Her anti-semitic behavior towards Ari Fleischer was beyond the pale. The President saw, and he doesn't forget. She might as well retire.
To my knowledge, I have never, ever seen you try to intimate insider information; and very little of what you post turns out not to be true (damnit!).
I'm the consummate outsider ...
and very little of what you post turns out not to be true
Except predictions. I have a really bad track record on predictions.
I do try to be factual otherwise, but once in awhile go out on a limb before researching, and assert a falsehood - if I think it matters (as in, somebody will actually believe what I said, and it makes a difference), I correct it. Like I said that SCOTUS was off last week, then checked, and had to correct.
One serious "Oh shit" wipes out a thousand attaboys.
Whoa! I heard he had a lot named after him, but had no idea!! I'll give him some slack, just for today, since he is voting for Alito ;-)
I saw that; she's a witch. And half nuts. And an Arab apologist.
I don't know why Frist is waiting and I agree with you -- the more time he permits, the more time they have to hatch up some plan.
You don't think that Lott has been sounding a little more "smarmy" lately...like he is the big cheese again..or that he knows something he won't tell??
Maybe I am reading too much into his interviews...I just don't like him, I guess...so I am projecting more deviousness than he deserves..LOL
Wouldn't you know that weasel Durbin would play both sides...which one is he going to "stab in the back", I wonder.
I only took issue with judicial nominees. I don't think he's been a moderate and I don't think Miers can be used to tag him as such. But that's just my opinion :)
"Except predictions. I have a really bad track record on predictions."
then I really hope you're predicting that the Steelers will win the Super Bowl ;-)
| U.S. Senate Vote Note: List below reflects Senators' declared intentions to vote, not the official tally, which may come at the end of this week or early next week. |
| Republicans | Vote | Democrats | Vote | |
| Alexander (TN) | Y | Akaka (HI) | N | |
| Allard (CO) | Y | Baucus (MT) | N | |
| Allen (VA) | Y | Bayh (IN) | 0 | |
| Bennett (UT) | Y | Biden (DE) | N | |
| Bond (MO) | Y | Bingaman (NM) | N | |
| Brownback (KS) | Y | Boxer (CA) | N | |
| Bunning (KY) | Y | Byrd (WV) | Y | |
| Burns (MT) | Y | Cantwell (WA) | 0 | |
| Burr (NC) | Y | Carper (DE) | N | |
| Chafee (RI) | 0 | Clinton (NY) | N | |
| Chambliss (GA) | Y | Conrad (ND) | 0 | |
| Coburn (OK) | Y | Dayton (MN) | 0 | |
| Cochran (MS) | Y | Dodd (CT) | N | |
| Coleman (MN) | Y | Dorgan (ND) | 0 | |
| Collins (ME) | 0 | Durbin (IL) | N | |
| Cornyn (TX) | Y | Feingold (WI) | N | |
| Craig (ID) | Y | Feinstein (CA) | N | |
| Crapo (ID) | Y | Harkin (IA) | N | |
| DeMint (SC) | Y | Inouye (HI) | N | |
| DeWine (OH) | Y | Johnson (SD) | Y | |
| Dole (NC) | Y | Kennedy (MA) | N | |
| Domenici (NM) | Y | Kerry (MA) | N | |
| Ensign (NV) | Y | Kohl (WI) | N | |
| Enzi (WY) | Y | Landrieu (LA) | 0 | |
| Frist (TN) | Y | Lautenberg (NJ) | 0 | |
| Graham (SC) | Y | Leahy (VT) | N | |
| Grassley (IA) | Y | Levin (MI) | N | |
| Gregg (NH) | Y | Lieberman (CT) | N | |
| Hagel (NE) | Y | Lincoln (AR) | N | |
| Hatch (UT) | Y | Menendez (NJ) | 0 | |
| Hutchison (TX) | Y | Mikulski (MD) | N | |
| Inhofe (OK) | Y | Murray (WA) | 0 | |
| Isakson (GA) | Y | Nelson, Ben (NE) | Y | |
| Kyl (AZ) | Y | Nelson, Bill (FL) | N | |
| Lott (MS) | Y | Obama (IL) | N | |
| Lugar (IN) | Y | Pryor (AR) | 0 | |
| Martinez (FL) | Y | Reed, J. (RI) | N | |
| McCain (AZ) | Y | Reid, H. (NV) | N | |
| McConnell (KY) | Y | Rockefeller (WV) | 0 | |
| Murkowski (AK) | Y | Salazar (CO) | N | |
| Roberts (KS) | Y | Sarbanes (MD) | 0 | |
| Santorum (PA) | Y | Schumer (NY) | N | |
| Sessions (AL) | Y | Stabenow (MI) | N | |
| Shelby (AL) | Y | Wyden (OR) | N | |
| Smith (OR) | Y | |||
| Snowe (ME) | 0 | Independent | ||
| Specter (PA) | Y | Jeffords (VT) | N | |
| Stevens (AK) | 0 | |||
| Sununu (NH) | Y | |||
| Talent (MO) | Y | |||
| Thomas (WY) | Y | |||
| Thune (SD) | Y | |||
| Vitter (LA) | Y | |||
| Voinovich (OH) | Y | |||
| Warner (VA) | Y |
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