November 11, 2003

REID 'EM & WEEP:

Peeved Democrat bogs down Senate: Reid takes floor for 8-plus hours to protest GOP protest plans (ASSOCIATED PRESS, Nov. 11, 2003)

It took just one angry Democrat to bog the Senate down to a slow crawl in a preview of what is likely to be a week of partisan fury. The No. 2 Senate Democratic leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, stayed on his feet and spoke for more than eight-and-one-half hours on Monday.

HIS RAMBLING remarks covered some of President Bush’s controversial judicial nominations, the weak economy and a reading of several chapters from a book Reid wrote on his tiny hometown. And they prevented the Senate from getting work done in anticipation of possible adjournment Nov. 21.

Mostly, Reid’s marathon was sparked by anger over Republican leaders deciding that the Senate will spend 30 consecutive hours this week discussing four judgeship nominations that Democrats have blocked. Democrats say they were not consulted on the decision and that the Senate should do more serious work if lawmakers are to end this session soon.

“We cannot be taken for granted,” Reid said. “We cannot be thought of as nothing.”


So, let's see if we have this straight: in an effort to demonstrate that Democrats are not just idealess obstructionists, Mr. Reid took to the floor for 8 hours of "rambling" obstruction, during which he covered the "weak" economy (7.2% growth), judges the Democrats are obstructing, and his hometown. Are we missing something?

Posted by Orrin Judd at November 11, 2003 3:51 PM
Comments

These are the dying gasps of a party that will have no more than 44 seats in the next Senate, and possibly as few as 40. And that is the real reason for the judicial obstruction: the knowledge that in Jan. 2005, they will probably be able to stop nothing.

Posted by: jim hamlen at November 11, 2003 4:14 PM

I have a recurring dream where the President introduces Robert Bork as his nominee to replace Justice Stevens.

Posted by: OJ at November 11, 2003 4:18 PM

And this guy (Reid) appears to be getting a free-ride from the RNC who does not seem to be able to get a strong horse to run against a hyper partisan clown who won last time by 500 or so votes?

Posted by: MG at November 11, 2003 4:22 PM

MG, I agree with you about the Republicans not able to find a good candidate; however, Ensign was the guy who lost to Reid by 500 votes and he won the next election for Senate. So Ensign can't run again because he is already there. Tis a pity the GOP can't find anyone.

Posted by: pchuck at November 11, 2003 5:10 PM

Actually, it's not such a bad tragedy.. Thune lost by about 500 votes in the SD election last time around, and that's with his opponent, then Tim Johnson, as the beneficiary of a voting scandal that almost certainly increased his total by more than 500 (though admittedly there's no way to prove that). If Thune can make up that much against Daschle this time around, that would move Minority Whip Reid up to Minority Leader. Putting that idiot in charge of the Dems might be more fun than bouncing him.

Posted by: MarkD at November 11, 2003 9:35 PM

Mark D - yes but is Thune running? keep hearing different answers

Posted by: AWW at November 11, 2003 11:55 PM

Are we missing something?

No.

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at November 13, 2003 8:09 PM
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