Sen. Kerry calls for filibuster of Alito

gldstwmn · #1 01-26-2006, 04:36 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/01/26/alito/index.html

Unclear if Massachusetts Democrat has votes needed to block nominee

Thursday, January 26, 2006; Posted: 4:23 p.m. EST (21:23 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. John Kerry has decided to support a filibuster to block the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court, CNN's Congressional Correspondent Ed Henry reported Thursday.

Kerry, in Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum, was marshaling support in phone calls during the day, Henry said.

He announced his decision Wednesday to a group of Democratic senators, urging they join him, Henry said. Kerry also has the support of his fellow Massachusetts senator, Democrat Edward Kennedy.

Some senior Democrats said they are worried that the move could backfire.

Republicans need 60 votes to overturn a filibuster.

Senior White House officials said the move makes the Democrats look bad, and Republicans already have enough votes to overcome any filibuster attempt.

SuzeQuze · #2 01-26-2006, 04:40 PM

Can I get a HELL YEAH!!! Making us "look bad" is bullsh*t. It's that kind of thinking that has had the D party whimpering with its tail between its legs for too long! Now y'all write your senators telling them how much you support the fillibuster!

The Tower · #3 01-26-2006, 05:02 PM

Fukc those stupid republicans and fukc that piece of **** Alito.

Filibuster that motherfukcer!!!!

stargazer99 · #4 01-26-2006, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Tower

Fukc those stupid republicans and fukc that piece of **** Alito.

Filibuster that motherfukcer!!!!

Unfortunately, I don't think it's going to happen. Alito has picked up at least 2 democrat votes -- Byrd (WVa) is one. I can't remember the other, and I can't find the article right now. And Reid is being a wuss -- he's said they won't fillibuster.

The Dems have no balls. We're not going to win back seats this year at this rate. They're letting every opportunity slip through their fingers because they are a bunch of wimps who back down at the first sign of a Republican attack on them.

DavidMn · #5 01-26-2006, 05:33 PM

Go for it. Who knows, stranger things have heppened.

gldstwmn · #6 01-26-2006, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stargazer99

Unfortunately, I don't think it's going to happen. Alito has picked up at least 2 democrat votes -- Byrd (WVa) is one.

They need 60 votes for cloture. Snow, Collins, possibly Stevens and Chafee should all vote with the Dems. Just because a senator votes for Alito, it doesn't mean they have to vote for cloture, either. This is going to be very interesting. The cloture vote comes at 4:30 pm Monday.

Rickypt · #7 01-26-2006, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stargazer99

Unfortunately, I don't think it's going to happen. Alito has picked up at least 2 democrat votes -- Byrd (WVa) is one. I can't remember the other, and I can't find the article right now. And Reid is being a wuss -- he's said they won't fillibuster.

The Dems have no balls. We're not going to win back seats this year at this rate. They're letting every opportunity slip through their fingers because they are a bunch of wimps who back down at the first sign of a Republican attack on them.

Agree 100% with all of this. Tim Johnson and Ben Nelson are the other two who are supporting Alito. Nelson is a Republican wearing Dem clothes who is running for president.

Sadly, my first reaction to this thread was god, couldn't it please be somebody besides Kerry. He is just such a bad leader and I don't think will inspire your average person to take much notice.

It needs someone like Feinstein, a moderate who is on Judiciary Committee and would just say "look, Dems are pro-choice, and this guy's answer on whether Roe is settled law was enough to justify doing anything to stop his nomination".

I'm really down on Dems these days. Pelosi has been awful recently and even said at a local town hall meeting that she doesn't support an investigation into the wire-tapping issue. With "leaders" like these.....

That said, good for Kerry and I wish him luck.

Rickypt · #8 01-26-2006, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

They need 60 votes for cloture. Snow, Collins, possibly Stevens and Chafee should all vote with the Dems.

Snowe and Collins have already said they won't filibuster. They are both good on some key issues, but at the end of the day, they are Republicans.

stargazer99 · #9 01-26-2006, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rickypt

Agree 100% with all of this. Tim Johnson and Ben Nelson are the other two who are supporting Alito. Nelson is a Republican wearing Dem clothes who is running for president.

Sadly, my first reaction to this thread was god, couldn't it please be somebody besides Kerry. He is just such a bad leader and I don't think will inspire your average person to take much notice.

It needs someone like Feinstein, a moderate who is on Judiciary Committee and would just say "look, Dems are pro-choice, and this guy's answer on whether Roe is settled law was enough to justify doing anything to stop his nomination".

I'm really down on Dems these days. Pelosi has been awful recently and even said at a local town hall meeting that she doesn't support an investigation into the wire-tapping issue. With "leaders" like these.....

That said, good for Kerry and I wish him luck.

I agree about Kerry being the one to step up. Kerry leading this effort doesn't give me much confidence! I think he's stepping forward now to make himself look like he's not a wimp like the rest of them... knowing that he doesn't have the backing and that a filibuster will never actually happen.

Aside from the anti-choice vote that I'm sure Alito will bring to the court, I'm scared to death about him siding with Bush on every matter that comes before the SC, and giving him even more extreme power than he's taken. The Dems should be pushing that point home.

I didn't realize Pelosi said that?! Is she nuts!

I've become extremely discouraged as well. The Republicans have been hanging themselves for the last several months, and all the Dems can seem to do is cut them free. They're not making any real effort to hold them accountable for anything! They need to grow some big ones.

stargazer99 · #10 01-26-2006, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gldstwmn

They need 60 votes for cloture. Snow, Collins, possibly Stevens and Chafee should all vote with the Dems. Just because a senator votes for Alito, it doesn't mean they have to vote for cloture, either. This is going to be very interesting. The cloture vote comes at 4:30 pm Monday.

They may not have enough votes for cloture, but I don't think there are more than a few Dems that will go for a filibuster. I think the ones that do support it will back down, and the notion will die before Monday. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't believe it'll happen.

dissention · #11 01-26-2006, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stargazer99

They may not have enough votes for cloture, but I don't think there are more than a few Dems that will go for a filibuster. I think the ones that do support it will back down, and the notion will die before Monday. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't believe it'll happen.

It won't happen. Even Feinstein said last week that while she's not voting for Alito, she doesn't believe in a filibuster.

DavidMn · #12 01-26-2006, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissention

It won't happen. Even Feinstein said last week that while she's not voting for Alito, she doesn't believe in a filibuster.

Call me naive, but what the hell has happened to the Democratic party?

Rickypt · #13 01-26-2006, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stargazer99

I think he's stepping forward now to make himself look like he's not a wimp like the rest of them... knowing that he doesn't have the backing and that a filibuster will never actually happen.

Right, and because he plans to subject us to another run for the presidency in '08 and thinks this will somehow make him stand out.

Rickypt · #14 01-26-2006, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stargazer99

I didn't realize Pelosi said that?! Is she nuts!

I was a little off. She isn't supporting investigations to see if Bush committed "impeachable offenses" (which to me is the same thing). I used to be able to count on Pelosi to be a solid progressive, but since becoming Minority Leader, she has shied away from taking a hard stand on anything.

http://www.sfbg.com/40/17/cover_impeach.html

At one point in the meeting, Pelosi was asked whether she will support a resolution by Rep. John Conyers to create a committee with subpoena power to investigate whether members of the Bush administration may have committed impeachable offenses. "I do not intend to support Mr. Conyers's resolution," Pelosi replied.

The Tower · #15 01-26-2006, 10:08 PM

Randi Rhodes cried tonight on air (just for a split second before cutting to the break) pleading with Robert Byrd-

"You've still got time. I know you love your country and I know you love the constitution. You haven't voted yet- you can still change your mind. Come on, Bob."

And then she started talking about how much she respects him and how disappointed she is and then she stopped herself and said, "I could just cry". She continued to talk a bit, but you could tell she was losing it and then she cut to the break.

My eyes welled up during that and it was hard to hear it. Poor Randi.