Democratic Leader (Reid) Predicts 'Consensus' on Court Candidate

[AlGore-08.com]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/12/AR2005071200456.html

First Lady Wants A Woman Justice

By Fred Barbash
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, July 12, 2005; 10:39 AM

Key GOP and Democratic members of the Senate met this morning with President Bush for a first discussion of the upcoming nomination of a new Supreme Court justice, with Minority Leader Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) declaring afterward that he was confident that a "consensus" candidate satisfactory to both parties would emerge from the process.

(snip)

Reid, the minority leader, said that while Bush "didn't give us any names, there were names mentioned in the meeting."

Reid, reflecting the comments of others in attendance as well, said he thought there has been "enough contention on judges."

(snip)

Specter said he believed the committee would be able to confirm someone by the first Monday in October, when the Supreme Court begins its next term. He also said "the word ought to go on that the special interest groups that they vastly overstate their influence. What they are doing is counterproductive and a lot of times insulting," said Specter.

(more... )

[tk2kewl]

1. better not be Gonzo

[youspeakmylanguage]

15. Gonzo may be the best we can hope for...

We have to compromise on this one, people. Either that or we get another Scalia or Thomas and get the clocks turned back to the 1950's.

[sidpleasant]

22. I'm convinced Gonzales is a trap

All the furor from Republican radical clerics against him is being orchestrated by Rove to make Gonzo look like an acceptable moderate to patsy Democrats.

[youspeakmylanguage]

23. Even so, what chance do we have otherwise?

Anyone to the left of Robert Bork at this point may have to be acceptable. Otherwise this could turn into WWIII and it may sabotage the midterm elections for us instead of them.

We need to go with a moderate and then shout the terms of our "compromise" from the hilltops. Their fundie base will go apesh*t and hopefully stay home in 2006.

[whirlygigspin]

2. see what can happen when dems show some spine

Bully! & Zounds!

[AlGore-08.com]

4. Too early to tell if it'll really be a consensus candidate

And what exactly that means. Does it mean that it's okay to have a judge who will repeal Roe v. Wade if they're moderate on everything else? Or okay to have a judge who's a right wing wack job on everything except Roe v. Wade? What?

Bush often agrees to do stuff in a bipartisan manner, and then plows straight ahead with his own agenda...

[fugwb]

5. I'm hoping like Will Pitt that this will play badly for shrub with his

base of religous extremists. They won't be happy with a moderate. Some are saying Dole is in the running. I don't think she would be too bad.

[AlGore-08.com]

6. We all have to stop framing the debate in terms of Smirk

It's going to backfire in 2008, because Smirk won't be running and Satan Cheney won't be running, so we'll look like whack jobs who can't get over "losing" the previous elections. We have to frame the discussion around the Republican party and highlight their involvement in all of the things that have driven Smirk's approval ratings - - and the Congress' approval ratings - - into the ground.

Because right now, the public only blames Smirk for the direction the country's going. They do not see Democrats as "the answer", and we're setting ourselves up for another right wing nut case (or fellow traveler) from the GOP to run in 2008 as "A Different Kind of Republican", a "Compassionate Conservative" etc., etc., etc. - - the same BS that Smirk used in 2000 to distance himself from Tom Delay and the other far right wing nuts that he was always in bed with.

[MaineDem]

7. Elizabeth Dole???

Ewwww.

Has she ever worked as an attorney? Ever sat on a legal bench? Most of her career has been in government, I thought. Oh, and the Red Cross, of course.

Welcome to DU, by the way. :hi:

[pf99]

8. "Elizabeth Dole???"

but NC Dem gov. would be able to appoint a Dem to her seat

[MaineDem]

9. A valid point but not one I'd be willing to sacrifice a SC seat for

The reach of a Supreme Court justice spans more than a Senate term. As much as I'd love to have a Dem Senator from SC I'd rather have a more moderate vote on the SC.

[Benhurst]

14. Dole "represents" NC. NT

[youspeakmylanguage]

16. ...unfortunately. (n/t)

[MaineDem]

17. I knew that. Sorry for the typo.

And my apologies to the people of South Carolina.

[kwolf68]

12. Liddy Dole?

Is that serious?

I know she's got some bad votes, but she also is very solid on some other issues. She could surprise us in time. I'd accept her considering the swampshit out there the Shrub could go after.

[Tommymac]

20. Puhlease.....

She doesn't sound really moderate - only a reed that bends whichever way the wind blows...

http://www.realchange.org/dole.htm

What Does She Stand For?
It is by no means clear what Elizabeth Dole really believes in. She has faithfully carried out the policies of people she has worked for, but then again that group includes presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush and Lyndon Johnson, so it's hard to draw conclusions.
Dole started out as a Democrat, volunteering for John Kennedy and workng for LBJ's Office of Consumer Affairs right out of Harvard law School. When Nixon took power, she simply stayed on and adapted. The National Review describes her work for both presidents as liberal, quoting her as saying that government programs were needed "to replace the outmoded and socially irresponsible notion of caveat emptor ." Then, when Reagan took over, she served him loyally and more conservatively.

When she hasn't had a party line to follow, she has not followed any clear line, and in fact tends toward indecision. On the difficult abortion issue, she told one reporter in 1980 that "I think it's just about the most difficult questions there is, and one I'm still wrestling with." 7 years later, she told the exact same thing, almost word for word. And Sidney Blumenthal reported in The New Yorker that Liddy told a New Hampshire state senator in 1988 that while Bob had to campaign as a pro-lifer, he wouldn't really do anything about it.

Ms. Dole has strong appeal to Christian conservatives, in part because of "spiritual reawakening" she had in 1983. We're not sure how that differs from being born again, but apparently it's close enough for many people. But her reassurance about Bob not really doing anything pro-life in office came five years later.

The scary thing is, since her whole life has been a single-minded pursuit of power -- not for anything she has wanted to do with that power, but just to have it -- what will she do if she really gets that power? The last president who fit that profile was George Bush, (poster's note - article is referring to G.H.W. Bush - 41) and there aren't too many people on the right or the left who are happy with what he accomplished in the White House.

[AndyTiedye]

11. Consensus or another Cave-In?

It is looking increasingly obvious that what was dealt away in the "deal"
was our reproductive freedom. That would have been an easy call for
Reid, since he was never pro-choice to begin with.

The overwhelming majority still supports Roe v. Wade, but that doesn't
matter anymore.

[cally]

3. I hope so

Reid has stood up for us so far so I'll take his word for it.

[Crowdance]

10. Consensus=No Choice for Women

As predicted, Reid is entirely willing to sell out the women of this party. The four Senators he's already agreed would make good additions to court are all anti-choice legislators:

"Reid later offered four names of people he said would be good for the court: GOP Sens. Mel Martinez of Florida, Mike DeWine of Ohio, Mike Crapo of Idaho and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. They "are people who serve in the Senate now who are Republicans who I think would be outstanding Supreme Court members," Reid said.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/06/29/senate.scotus.ap/?section=cnn_law

NARAL has assigned a ZERO ratting to all but Martinez, and that only because he's too new to rate. He, too, has a history of voting in favor of anti-choice legislation, however:

http://www.issues2000.org/Social/Mel_Martinez_Abortion.htm

Reid was, and remains, the beginning of the end for women's rights in this country.

[navvet]

13. Hate to say it but it is going to be a conservative selected

to the Supreme Court. The only question is how conservative the nominee will be.

Some of the names I see floated are at least marginally acceptable such as Graham or Dewine (and for some reason I have always liked Hatch) I would not mind a dark horse choice such as Thompson from my state of Wisconsin.

Any way the GOP has the votes to seat its nominee if push comes to shove and there is scant little we can do about it (because the GOP will go nuclear if they have to, count on it).

All we can do is hope for the most benign type of conservative to be appointed, I know it bites but such is the reality of the situation.

[Crowdance]

19. I'd rather see our side go down fighting, if that's the case.

Your name implies Navy service; surely you know the value of not cooperating with the enemy. Cooperating with the enemy disheartens those on whose behalf the fight is being waged, and it discourages those who will follow to fight the next battle. I need to see the Democrats stand tall and take this one, if that's what it will come to--not lay down for the conquerer.

[navvet]

24. Yes I was USN active duty for quite a while

and I was not necessarily advocating cooperation just pointing out hard political facts.


We as Democrats can not stop the GOP from seating a justice of their choice unless at least 6 decided to support the Democrats (Nuclear option?) that is the sad state of affairs.

We may have to go down fighting and one never knows what will happen once the battle is joined, but the odds are not with us.
:dem:

[cally]

21. A zero rating?

:wtf: Dems are selling out women once again.

[David Dunham]

25. I bet it will be Lindsay Graham

[Crowdance]

26. I bet you're right. He brings new meaning to "smarmy"

But apparently that's the kind of thing that sells in DC. Amazing to me that that can be seen as a moderate compromise. I will always remember his atrocious behavior during Clinton's impeachment hearings.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

18. I don't believe it for a second.

They will cave. They will drop trou, bend over, and chant "Thank you, Sir, may I have another?" 'till the cows come home.

I'm not a cynic. I'm experienced.

[depakid]

27. Reid has proven quite good at "consensus"

which in his mind apparently means given the Republicans every single thing that they want....

Never thought I'd say it- but at this point, I actually miss Daschle...