Bush, Senate make deal on judges (helps both GOP and Dem in 04 election?)

[papau]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/printedition/chi-0405190181may19,1,5407280.story?coll=chi-printnews-hed

Bush, Senate make deal on judges
Democrats agree to allow votes on 25 nominees


By Richard Simon, Tribune Newspapers. Los Angeles Times; Tribune news services contributed to this report

May 19, 2004

WASHINGTON -- In an unusual display of election-year harmony, Senate Democrats and Republicans, along with the White House, struck a political compromise Tuesday that clears the way for confirmation of (25 of) President Bush's less controversial judicial nominees.<snip>

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) called the agreement, which lasts through the end of Bush's current term, a "temporary cease-fire in the ongoing war" over judicial nominees.

"As a practical matter, the likelihood of a recess appointment between now and Nov. 2 is very small, so I suggest to you that he's not really giving up a lot in exchange for an up-or-down vote on 25 judges," Cornyn said.<snip>

Democrats, he said, can point to the absolute number of confirmations of Bush nominees and claim that the focus should be on that figure, not the relatively few who have been held up. "It becomes more difficult for the Republicans to charge the Democrats with obstructionism," he said. He said the Democratic political base would be pleased that the most controversial nominees still face opposition.

He said Republicans could claim victory on the 25 confirmations, noting that "there could easily have been none."

[Atman]

1. Discussion already started

Please add to it! I notice you also pose yours as a question. I agree, I can't quit figure out who gains by this. It doesn't sound like the dems, or the country, though.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1625974