I believe the timing, and the unusually high-profile choice of venue to make that announcement, were quite intentional on the White House's part. They don't even care about Pickering all that much; his nomination in the first place was just a sop to Trent Lott. But it does insure that a lot of voters are now aware of just how much partisan hate, and arrogance of power, exists amongst the Democrats in Congress. And if gives Bush the perfect excuse to play total hardball on truly important judicial nominations from here on out. Which he will do.
Once again, "stupid moron" George W. Bush is showing strategic brilliance.
What difference does it make, oldvike? These Democrats are nothing but a bunch of thugs. They've shown that they're going to do whatever the ____ they want.
The irony is that one of their complaints about Pickering was that he appears to have decided the outcome of a couple of cases in advance - which is exactly what these gangsters have done to him. They never had ANY intention of letting this go to a full Senate vote.
Those of you who are frustrated with Republicans and are vowing never to vote for them again, I hope you like this, because this is kindergarten recess compared to what you'll get if you stick to your guns.
I have heard Bush address this issue for a number of weeks as he traveled around the country. He was in Mississippi not long ago and has been very supportive of him. I have heard the press say this a number of times and it really irritates me. They say it for one reason only and that is to place the blame on Bush if any of his nominees fail. He is up to his neck in a war. The republicans have talked about this issue too. Even the liberal press, Washington Post and the NYT have addressed this issue.
I listened to c-span callers after the hearing today and a number of callers were outraged about the 10 democratic senators who have denied the people of Mississippi their choice. I am so sick of the lies of Leahy, the mistatement by Feinstein, that Bush does not have a mandate to nominate any one but a moderate to the courts, Shumer with his litmus testing and the whiny Feingold. And what is that thing growing on Edwards lip. It is really gets in the way of his lies. I was proud of all of the Republican senators on the Judiciary Committee, even Spector, who could not resist bragging about the many Clinton undesirable nominees.
I do hope that Bush DOES NOT SIGN THE CFR BILL when it reaches him. Enough of the nice guy thing.
He may have been quietly working on Edwards, who looked unhappy at having to toe the party line and call a fine Southern judge unqualified. This is not going to go down well in his home state.
When it was sure that Edwards, or whoever he was working on, wouldn't break rank, then Bush made them do it in the light of day, raising the stakes so people would tune in C-span and see the fine defense that the Republicans made, and know that this was a purely party vote to deny circuit court judgeships to pro-lifers, in essense, a religious test for office.
And a stick in the eye to Southern white males.
Stop underestimating the President. Haven't you learned anything?