Posted on 03/14/2002 2:39:32 PM PST by Reagan Man
WASHINGTON - The Democratic-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee voted along party lines Thursday to kill the nomination of Judge Charles Pickering to the appeals court, handing President Bush a stinging defeat in a racially-charged confirmation battle.
In a series of roll calls, the panel also snubbed Bush's request to allow a vote in the full Senate on Pickering, a 64-year-old Mississippian with more than a decade on the bench.
Also, this is a PERFECT issue for President Bush to illustrate the partisan, obstructionist posture of the Daschle senate. THIS is why Pickering was not withdrawn, and why President Bush made that statement (which was virtually ignored by the press corp) yesterday.
The Republicans should have offered their condolences but should not have GIVEN AWAY a Senate seat.
No, it is time for the president to start to show some courage.
It does not take a lot of courage to send others off to fight, but it does take courage to go and fight yourself.
It is time for president Bush to stop inviting Ted Kennedy over for tea and crumbs, and instead take kennedy and the rest of the left apart.
Nukem
Can't. Judicial nominees have to be confirmed by the Senate. That's in the Constitution.
Where interim apppointment (recess appointments) are used is for agency appointments, like the two that President Bush made after Christmas for two appointments that Daschle wouldn't allow a vote on, FCC chairman and another one.
Judgeships are life time appointments. The recess appointments can only serve for one year.
This is WORSE that Justice Thomas's nomination, and he was a HECK OF A LOT more (albeit trumped-up) controversial!!
I don't normally do this since I know there are some Libertarians here, but I hope people will get on there once a month and donate $25/mo. It will help.
Thanks.
Kick the anti-Constitutional Dems OUT !
This will continue, as long as the Dems are in the majority. But you're not quite right about "Rehnquist and O'Connor... hanging in there". Lott and Daschle have a deal, that all of Bush's USSC nominees will get a floor vote before the full Senate. It's a leftover from last years power sharing rule.
Bottom line, this entire nomination process for federal justices, has become another Wash-DC bloodsport.
Hey, Ho Ho Ho Lott's Got To Go!!!
I don't doubt it for a moment. Republicans can be their own worst enemy.
Still in my book, not voting then complaining about the outcome has got to be pretty dumb. No candidate is perfect. But just imagine if we had Lazio today .. we'd also have Pickering, too ...
Many of Clinton's nominations were never voted on by the full Senate; several were never given a hearing by the Judiciary Committee. E.g. Helene White (blue slip), Kathleen McCree Lewis (blue slip), Christine Arguello (blue slip), Dolly Gee (no hearing), Frederic Woocher (received a hearing but no Committee vote), Bonnie Campbell (hearing but no Committee vote). Both sides play the game, unfortunately.
Bush was P!ssed off yesterday - I bet he's really p!ssed off tonight!
There's nothing he could have done, campaign-wise. It's obvious that Missouri voters in general vote with emotions and sympathy rather than brains. If Ashcroft had continued a strong campaign after Carnahan died, they would have thought Ashcroft the biggest jerk on the planet, and he would have lost by a far larger margin than he did. It's also nowhere near certain that he would have won any post-election legal challenge.
Besides, when it's a single-seat margin you're talking about, everything ANYONE did way back when can be labelled as "the reason why we don't control the Senate today." It makes it too easy to sit around and blame everyone under the sun. We should just forget about the past and look towards November on this.
Rather, retake the Senate in November. Renominate and confirm Pickering next year. And lots more like him.
In the meantime this spring, summer and fall, denounce the do-nothing Judiciary Committee for its lack of progress on filling judicial vacancies. Use it as an experience to highlight Democratic games and corruption with the American people. Use it to fundraise with GOP activists. Terrorize Cleland, Landrieu, Johnson, Carnahan and others about it.
Have the Senate GOP essentially shut the damn place down. We have the tax cut in place, there is no other immediate legislative priority. The energy bill is a waste without any ANWAR drilling. On appropriations bills the RATS need us more than we need them. Just shut the damn place down for weeks or, if necessary, months.
Enough is enough, GOP. Grow some cajones. make the lack of progress on confirmation of judges a pri
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.