Reply #32: Durbin Says Filibuster Still Possible [View All]

[kerrygoddess]

Durbin Says Filibuster Still Possible
January 21st, 2006

Senator Dick Durbin announced Thursday that he will vote against Judge Alito for the U.S. Supreme Court. Durbin made his announcement at Northwestern University Law School where he addressed hundreds of law students.

Durbin also said that so many other Democratic senators “intensely oppose Alito that they may have enough votes to sustain a filibuster against the conservative jurist.”

As the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, it’s Durbin’s job to count votes for and against Alito. He said he won’t know until Tuesday if there are enough strong opponents to filibuster Alito’s nomination.

“A week ago, I would have told you it’s not likely to happen,” Durbin said. “As of , I just can’t rule it out. I was surprised by the intensity of feeling of some of my colleagues. It’s a matter of counting. We have 45 Democrats, counting Jim Jeffords, on our side. We could sustain a filibuster if 41 senators … are willing to stand and fight."

MORE - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=1711