April 25, 2005
THE CANARY JUST DIED:
Republicans Say Have Votes to Ban Filibusters (Thomas Ferraro, 4/24/05, Reuters)
U.S. Senate Republicans have the votes to ban any more Democratic procedural roadblocks against President Bush's judicial nominees, a top Republican said on Sunday.A spokesman for Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada promptly questioned the claim, while another Democrat, Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, floated a possible compromise to avert a fight that could bring the Senate to a near halt. [...]
The key question is whether Republicans can muster the support needed to change Senate rules to ban procedural roadblocks known as filibusters against judicial nominees.
"There's no doubt in my mind, and I'm a pretty good counter of votes ... that we have the votes we need," Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell of Kentucky told CBS's "Face the Nation."
Senator Biden's sudden willingness to "compromise" suggests Mr. McConnell's vote count is right. Posted by Orrin Judd at April 25, 2005 12:07 AM
If the Democrats stop blocking the women and minorities and try to consolidate their base around blocking only the white male nominees with Christian backgrounds, then you'll know McConnell's vote count is correct.
Posted by: John at April 25, 2005 12:41 AMMcConnell has the reputation of being a good vote counter so this appears to be good news. Or it could be bravado on the GOP's part in the hope of intimidating the Dems. In any event this issue (blocking of judicial nominees) needs to be brought to the forefront and resolved.
Posted by: AWW at April 25, 2005 7:34 AM