Gonzales no-confidence vote effort fails

[RamboLiberal]

Source: MSNBC

Republicans blocked the Senate's no-confidence vote on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Monday, turning back a symbolic Democratic effort to prod him from office despite blistering criticism from lawmakers in both parties.

The 53-38 vote to move the resolution to full debate fell seven short of the 60 required. In bringing the matter up, Democrats dared Republicans to vote their true feelings about an attorney general who has alienated even the White House's strongest defenders by bungling the firings of federal prosecutors and claiming not to recall the details.

Republicans did not defend him, but most voted against moving the resolution ahead.

Short of impeachment, Congress has no authority to oust a Cabinet member, but Democrats were trying anew to give him a push. Gonzales dismissed the rhetorical ruckus on Capitol Hill, and President Bush continued to stand by his longtime friend and legal adviser.




Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19165190/

[still_one]

1. so what will the Democrats do. Will charges be brought up against him for perjury

and witness tampering?

[SleeplessinSoCal]

2. Dems still need to make their case...

And it's much stronger than what is being reported in the MSM.

[anotherdrew]

6. and how will such a case be made, the MSM won't tell the truth, they're incapable. n/t

[monktonman]

9. That being said....

what are they waiting for?
They've got nothing.
Trust me, if they had a really juicy story to tell the media would be all over it.
There is no juicy story. The Dem's don't have the guts to bring charges and Gonzo is gonna keep smirking until Bush is out of office.
So my message to Chuck Shumer would be....
Rather then embarrass us any more FILE CHARGES OR SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!
He's already given enough testimony to prove he's fucking lying so whats the hold up.
Throw his ass in jail.
No confidence vote???? what the hell is that??? Another thing for Rove to laugh at?? give me a break.
Throw his ass in jail.!!!!!!!

[Ian David]

3. That was just the cloture vote. And there were 11 senators absent. n/t

[nealmhughes]

19. Mighty freaking convenient for them: they can sit astride the reelection fence, waiting to see what

their reelection focus groups say they "ought to do" and avoid any disclosure of true feeling by avoiding to vote for cloture. MY-T convenient.

[flyarm]

4. AS A NATION AND AN AMERICAN I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE BEEN NEUTERED

i really feel at a loss this moment in history..rule of law means nothing but shit in this country now and forever..because of the precedence of this white house!!

i really feel sick to my stomach..and everything i ever told my children has been proven insignificant..rule of law means nothing any more!!

fly

[Totally Committed]

5. Sad to say, I agree with you.

I never thought I'd see this country or this Party in this condition.

TC

[melody]

8. Castrated, is more like it n/t

[Ilsa]

7. Chicken shit Rethuglicans agree with the Democrats but won't buck Bush.

Freaking cowards. They don't stand for anything but corruption.

[bluestateguy]

10. I called it.

You couldn't get 60 senators to agree on the language to a resolution saying the sky was blue.

Egotistical, loquacious, prima donnas who love nothing more than the sound of their voices--preferably on Meet the Press.

[19jet54]

12. Yep!

Quote - "You couldn't get 60 senators to agree on the language to a resolution saying the sky was blue."

How true, how true!!! :yourock:

Politics throws away "truth & reality" for "Scrambled pig's brain & Hogwash" again? I guess were still eatin' just "chitlins" while there eatin' "high on the hog". Representatives my ass!!!!!

[Zandor]

16. The Democrats largely did agree

It was blocked by Republicans. Let's hold then responsible, not just write this off as political egos preventing an agreement.

[Straight Shooter]

11. Party before country, the motto of the GOP.

Edit to add, of course Lieberman the de facto Repub in the Dem party, also voted against.

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/003407.php

The no-confidence vote on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales narrowly failed the necessary 60 votes needed for cloture in the Senate today, with a mere seven Republicans voting in favor of the resolution (see below). The final tally was 53-38, with 1 vote of "present." Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) voted against.

The Republicans voting in favor were:

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Sen. John Sununu (R-NH)
Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR)
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN)

===============

Good for Gordon, my Senator. :thumbsup:

[annabanana]

17. We should send these 7 a little thank you.. . . .

(It couldn't hurt)

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

18. Coleman's name keeps popping up, what a tool. He feels Franken nipping at his heels.

MKJ

[BlueStater]

22. Well, he did the right thing for once

And I can't say the same for that little fuckstain Lieberman.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

23. Coleman benfitted from Wellstone's death. And, until quite recently, has voted against everything

for which Senator Wellstone stood.

MKJ

[MaineDem]

28. Collins, Sununu, and Coleman face tough re-election bids

Not sure of the others (Snowe is not.) Political votes when they knew they wouldn't count.

[Straight Shooter]

31. It's possible that Gordon Smith will be facing a tough battle, also.

I haven't heard of any potential rival candidate, though. Maybe it's too soon. :shrug:

[Vinca]

29. And self before party. They're a greedy bunch. nt

[liberal N proud]

13. Where was Karl rrrRove today

Did he by any chance make a trip to the capitol?

Also was Crash Cart present in chambers, many times he stands in the back against the wall to insure the puppies all mind.

[BadgerKid]

14. Easy to explain...

no one wants to go on record for electoral dysfunction.

:rofl:

[ihelpu2see]

15. We must make those 53 move toward impeachment hearings! nt.

[MasonJar]

20. Tonight on Countdown the gist was that McConnell got most of the

GOPers to vote against the bill because he told them that it cost nothing to back Bush on this and that in the future they'd be voting against him. However, only Trent Lott seems to have spoken for Gonzales. (Why isn't he gone?) The others spoke but said nothing about Gonzales..no one spoke up for him.

[anotherCTliberal]

21. I will be calling Dodd tomorrow

and telling him how disgusted I am that he missed this important vote. Then I'm off to call LIEberman's office. Not that I expected that closet Repuke to vote against his party. Urgh I can't stand that man!

[EndElectoral]

24. How did Lieberman vote?

[eridani]

25. So, why not impeachment?

Jail for contempt of Congress? Something, anything but laying around supinely while they laugh at you?

[DemBones DemBones]

26. Every Dem who was ABSENT needs to hear from a lot of angry Dems.

If any Dem voted against the resolution, they need to hear even more anger.

And if LIEberman voted against it, he needs to be reminded that his party trusted him as the vice-presidential nominee in 2000 and he's been a snake ever since.

Actually, he was a snake when he ran, since he simultaneously ran for re-election to the Senate. I so wish that Gore had said "Hit the road, Joe" when Joe said he wanted to cover his ass and run for his Senate seat. It showed a complete lack of confidence in Gore.

[Decruiter]

27. Lame/ Lame Duck Congress. God what a shame.

:cry:

and

:banghead: 1000 times. When will we ever learn, when will we ever learn?

[OneBlueSky]

30. bottom line . . . the Congress is just as corrupt as the Executive . . .

they both cater to their corporate masters and take care of their own -- and each other . . . a pox on both their houses . . .

[The Stranger]

32. Ralph Nader was right.