Alito confirmation may be tight-Repubs expect 55-45 (Wash Times)

[kpete]

Alito confirmation may be tight
By Charles Hurt
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
January 23, 2006


Federal Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. appears headed for confirmation to the Supreme Court this week with one of the narrowest Senate approvals in history.
Though Judge Alito hasn't lost support from any Republicans, he has won endorsement from only one Democrat. Republicans say they expect the vote to be close to the 55-45 partisan break in the chamber.
Several centrist Democrats who voted to confirm Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and have been courted by the White House during the Alito confirmation process already said they will vote against Judge Alito. Those include Sens. Max Baucus of Montana, Ron Wyden of Oregon and Ken Salazar of Colorado.
Republican leadership aides also say they are worried they may lose one of the Northeast Republicans who represent liberal states. Sens. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island and Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins, both of Maine, have declined to say how they will vote.

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20060123-122635-6229r.htm

[Divernan]

1. And would that lone Democrat endorsement be from Lieberman?

Or should I say faux Democrat?

[Coexist]

2. No - Ben Nelson of Nebraska n/t

[cali]

5. Why don't people

understand that Lieberman is a liberal on almost all domestic issues, including choice. Look, I'm no fan of joementum, and I hope against hope that he's defeated by the guy challenging him in the dem primary, but I am a big fan of accuracy.

[debbierlus]

8. Then, WE HAVE ENOUGH VOTES TO FILIBUSTER

There are 45 democratic Senators....

We have lost Bill Nelson....That is it! We still have 45 because Jeffords is on the dems side (independent from Vermont)

THERE IS NO REASON NOT TO FILIBUSTER....they have the dems united in opposition.

They just need to stand up. This is good. We have to HAMMER them RELENTLESSLY and tell them we want a FILIBUSTER.

Go to savethecourt.org and fax,call,write, e-mail....all the Senators.

TODAY!

And, TOMORROW!

UNTIL THIS IS OVER!

FIGHT!

[tinrobot]

3. 40 can fillibuster.

Where's our 40?

[kpete]

4. Isn't it 41

and they are saying 45 no's, so where are we anyway? I am confused.

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. It does take 41 to filibuster. If we have 45, we're IN LIKE FLINT!

:bounce: Looks like their going to call the repuke's bluff on the Nuclear Option? I HOPE.

[debbierlus]

9. SAVETHECOURT.ORG

All the actions necessary to DEMAND a filibuster.

WE CAN DO THIS -

FIGHT - FIGHT - FIGHT!

[mom cat]

7. It looks like 44 Dems and perhaps 3 Repubs voting against Alito.

That is more than we need to sustain a filibuster...Also, we may have some more Republicans who will not nuke.
WE have the votes to filibuster...and the neo-cons might not have the votes to change the rules and "nuke" the filibuster.
Keep the pressure on ALL senators to vote against Alito and especially urge Repubs to not nuke...These are two separate votes. One is on a nominee. But NUKING is about ghanging the 200 year old tradition in the middle of the game...If they do that, then we can shut down the process because the process is FUBAR!

[debbierlus]

10. Did you read this part of the article???

Those same centrists, however, have said that a Democrat filibuster of the nominee would be out of order.
Still, Democrat leaders insist, that option remains a possibility.
"Nothing is off the table," Sen. Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, said yesterday on CNN's "Late Edition."
Sen. George Allen, Virginia Republican, seemed to almost relish the threat.
"Judge Alito has an outstanding record. He had the unanimous highest recommendation of the . He has 15 years as a circuit court judge," said Mr. Allen, adding that "if the Democrats want to filibuster, let them. We'll pull the constitutional trigger."
Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee has made clear that if Democrats filibuster Judge Alito, he will move to change the rules in the Senate to ban such filibusters of judicial nominations.
While Mr. Schumer, who sits on the Judiciary Committee, said the filibuster remains an option, he also seemed wary of going that route.
"A filibuster is a very large thing to do. It's not done very often, and so you've got to give it a lot of thought," he said. "There is no question many are disappointed in some of the answers that Samuel Alito gave, but to vote against him is one thing and to filibuster requires what I think is a much higher standard."

Excuse, me, Mr. Schumer? Yes, a filibuster is a very large thing to do, but it is our ONLY means of saving the court from becoming a rubber stamp for Bush's dictatorship!!!

EVERYONE E-MAIL, CALL, WRITE, AND FAX SCHUMER AND TELL HIM WE DEMAND A FILIBUSTER!

[KansDem]

11. WE DEMAND A FILIBUSTER!

Perhaps if we told them that this is the BIG ONE we've been saving it for?

Filibuster?
No, save it for the big one...
Filibuster now?
No, save it for the really big one...
How about now?
No, save it for the really, really big one...
Now?
No, save it for the really, really, REALLY big one...
and on and on, ad infinitum

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

15. "ONLY means of saving the court "

Except that it isn't because the Republicans can just change the rules. We are fucked.

[DeepModem Mom]

12. kick

[gratuitous]

13. We went from "slam dunk" to "tight" pretty quick, didn't we?

Remember, this fight has hardly been joined, and Stupidhead's importunations to the contrary, Alito isn't going to be confirmed by the time of the State of the Whatever speech. Just last week, Alito was all but being fitted for his snazzy new robe, today even the Moonie Times is saying that the vote is going to be narrow.

Keep those cards and letters to your Senators coming, folks.

[WI_DEM]

14. If the Dems really have 45 votes--and perhaps a couple of Reps too

then if we don't filibuster this will be an incredible loss.