Looks like our Senate Dems will go for Roberts..looks that way. [View All]

[madfloridian]

Red-State Democrats Tilt to Yes on Roberts

"Sen. Kent Conrad, a Democrat from North Dakota, sounds like a swooning Republican when he talks about Supreme Court nominee John G. Roberts Jr.

"I am impressed with his demeanor, his intelligence, his sense of humor, his modesty," said Conrad. "Absent some bombshell, which I don't expect, I think he will be confirmed and quite handily."

(Maybe Kent Conrad needs some phone calls)

"You are going to be arguing about issues that we all saw Democrats paid a heavy price for in the last election," said Leon Panetta, a former Democratic House member who served as Bill Clinton's White House chief of staff. "Democrats have a tremendous opportunity right now to hit Bush where he's weak, which is on oil prices and the war. Don't hit him where he's strong, which is these values issues."

(Butt out, Leon. And tell your former boss to quit hanging out with the Bush Family.)

"Some Democratic strategists predict Roberts could get as many as 80 votes, including a majority of Senate Democrats, aides say. The only Republican senators considered potential no votes are the handful of moderates who represent states in the Northeast, including Lincoln D. Chafee of Rhode Island. Based on preliminary estimates provided by both sides, roughly 45 senators are considered certain to back Roberts, 15 are considered highly likely to vote for him and 20 or so are considered potential supporters."

"Ben Nelson said the opposition of liberal groups is misguided. "Were they expecting someone from the political left?" said Nelson. "I have yet to see anything in background that I would see as a disqualification."

(Typical Ben Nelson crap...phone calls won't matter.

"Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), a freshman, said he has an open mind heading into the hearings and feels no pressure to side with liberals. "My state is unlike most others -- it is a microcosm of the entire country," he said. "I have got everything from extreme left to extreme right."

(What my buddy Bill Nelson is really saying is that he will vote in a way that is expedient for him. He always does. Two sides of mouth.)