[Calpernia]

http://democrats.com/

REAKING: KERRY WILL LEAD FILIBUSTER!!!!!

Submitted by Bob Fertik on January 26, 2006 - 1:06pm.Sam Alito

I have confirmed reports that Kerry wants to filibuster Alito, and he is talking to his colleagues to round up the 41 votes he needs.

Only two Democrats (Ben Nelson and Tim Johnson) support Alito. Only two others (Mary Landrieu and Ken Salazar) say they oppose a filibuster, but are expected to vote against Alito.

So right now, without the support of any Republicans, we still have 41 possible votes for a filibuster. There are roughly 6 moderate Republicans who should also be targeted (Lincoln Chafee, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Bob Smith, Olympia Snowe, George Voinovich). And we should work as hard as we can to persuade Landrieu and Salazar that a vote against Alito is meaningless if they don't support a filibuster.

[RGSpincich]

Alright, the suspense is over. Democrats should call for a floor vote and cut their loses.

[longtermmemmory]

IOW when conservatives take a stand, conservatives win.

[SoothingDave]

"I am troubled by Judge Alito's apparent views on matters such as executive power, his past opposition to the principle of one person, one vote, and his narrow interpretation of certain civil rights laws," Johnson said. "Even so, I cannot accept an argument that his views are so radical that the Senate is justified in denying his confirmation."

The irony of a US Senator harping about "one man, one vote" is apparently lost on him.

SD

[JHL]

For those of you keeping score at home, here is the complete list of Democrat Senators that are up for re-election this year. It will be interesting to see how many of the Democrats who end up actually voting for Alito are on this list. Johnson has already come out and said he will vote for Alito, as has Nelson. (But both are troubled by the Judge and are trying to appease their base with condemning words, even while they vote to confirm.)

Democrat Senators up for re-election this year:

Daniel Akaka (D-HI)
Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Robert Byrd (D-WV)
Thomas Carper (D-DE)
Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY)
Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Mark Dayton (D-MN)
Diane Feinstein (D-CA)
Edward Kennedy (D-MA)
Herb Kohl (D-WI)
Joseph Lieberman (D-CT)
Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Ben Nelson (D-NE)
Paul Sarbanes (D-MD)
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)

Of the above, Clinton, Kennedy, Feinstein, Sarbanes, and Kohl will never vote to confirm. It will be interesting to see how the others end up voting.

[Gopher Broke]

Thank the 3 Democrat Senators for doing the right thing:

senator@bennelson.senate.gov

tim@johnson.senate.gov

senator_byrd@byrd.senate.gov

[freeangel]

The DUers are going wild about this. hahahah