KENNEDY ON THE DEFEAT OF THE NUCLEAR OPTION

[paineinthearse]

http://kennedy.senate.gov/index_high.html

May 23, 2005

KENNEDY ON THE DEFEAT OF THE NUCLEAR OPTION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Laura Capps/ Melissa Wagoner [phone]

"Our principal goal was to preserve the Senate's ability to protect the independence of the federal courts including the Supreme Court, and we have succeeded in doing so.

This agreement sends a strong message to the President that, if he wants to gets his judicial nominees confirmed, his selections need to have broad support from the American people."

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For a retrospective of Senator Kennedy's speeches going back several months on Senate rules and the threat of the "nuclear option", see http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1804618

[alcibiades_mystery]

1. Turn-coat! DINO! Neo-Con flack!

:sarcasm:

[SeveneightyWhoa]

2. Yup, just like Robert Byrd..

..and MoveOn.org!

America's Left is rapidly converting to NeoConnism! AAAaaaah!

[Writer]

7. Run! Run like the wind!

OMG - there actually may be gentlemen and gentlewomen left in the Senate!

[LuPeRcALiO]

3. the term that comes to mind is pro forma

kind of perfunctory...

[ProudToBeLiberal]

4. A FUCKING TRAITOR.

He's a fucking DLC!!!
:sarcasm:

[TahitiNut]

5. Confirmation of Owens, Rogers Brown, and Pryor ...

... is an abject failure of what Kennedy calls "our principal goal." As Federalist Society extremist ideologues, they're an outright erosion of "the independence of the federal courts" and DO NOT "have broad support from the American people."

[bvar22]

6. No. Just putting the best face...

.. on a very BAD Deal. Kennedy is the consumate politician.

[QC]

8. Does this mean we have to hate him now?

I have a hard time keeping up with who's a saint and who's a devil around here, since it apparently changes eight or ten times a day.

[Writer]

9. Goes with the media, too.

Wow! I think he's coming around to our side. No - I think he's a whore! Hey, I think he finally "gets it." Wait - what a #$%$#^ sell-out!

[tgnyc]

10. I don't see how this agreement "sends the message

to the President that, if he wants to gets his judicial nominees confirmed, his selections need to have broad support from the American people."

Um... Owens? Brown? Broad support from the American people?

[Larkspur]

11. The real question for the Hill Dems is this.. will they display backbone

when Bush sends more unqualified and controversial nominees to the senate or will they turn into wet noodles?

Bush and the Repuke leaership have no respect for the Dems or this "victory." I expect Bush to try to ram through worse nominees than he has already has.

[paineinthearse]

12. Update: Nuclear Option

Received by email:

======================================

We've succeeded in protecting the independence of our federal courts against this latest Republican attack.

Yesterday, the Senate took the GOP's nuclear option off the table and abandoned its latest attempt to turn the Senate into a rubber stamp for this White House.

The agreement sends a strong message to the President and Senator Frist that if they want to get his judicial nominees confirmed, their selections need to have broad support from the American people.

It is clear today that the Republican leadership and their right-wing allies are not satisfied with that message. One conservative leader even called this agreement a "betrayal."

It's obvious that the right wing still insists on absolute power to push their agenda. But it's just as obvious that they no longer have the ability to get their way. Thanks to you and thousands of Americans like you, we stopped their court-packing scheme.

What we have done together in recent months is remarkable, and we have to keep the pressure on.

Over one hundred thousand people spoke out against these extreme nominees, and told thousands more friends and neighbors about them as well.

Sadly, we've had to spend far too long fighting against this Republican power grab. It's clearer than ever that Republican priorities are not the priorities of the American people, and we must continue to stand strong.

In the coming months, I will be working on issues that have an impact on all Americans, especially in critical areas like national security and key issues such as jobs, education, health care, civil rights, and the environment.

I'm committed to these issues that are so important to all Americans - and I'm confident we can prevail if we all stand together

Thank you again for all your impressive work, this latest inspiring progress would never have happened without you

Sincerely,



Senator Edward M. Kennedy

[TahitiNut]

13. Yes.. and I just unsubscribed to his "letter."

Reason: "I detest calling capitulation a 'victory' in allowing the nomination of Owens, Brown, and Pryor to be confirmed. I detest dishonesty in the face of defeat. I detest cowardice and Quislings."