Salazar will vote for cloture

[Shrek]

But will oppose the nominee.

Link

Colorado Senator Ken Salazar says he won't try to block the confirmation of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court.

Salazar says he still plans to vote against President Bush's pick to succeed retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. He is troubled by Alito's positions on civil rights and presidential power. But he says he is convinced he should not filibuster because Alito has a stellar academic record and strong support from his
colleagues.

Senators are debating Alito's confirmation. Almost all the Democrats plan to vote against him.

Salazar says he doesn't know whether other Democrats will try to block the vote. He says if they do, he will call a meeting of the Gang of 14. Last year, that group prevented a showdown between Republicans and Democrats in the Senate over Bush's judicial
appointments.

[farraday]

1. Fascist pig!

[QC]

2. I'm surprised Salazar removed his head from Bush's bunghole long enough

to dictate a statement to his secretary.

[David Dunham]

3. Game, set, and match for Alito.

[rwheeler31]

4. Why?

nt

[rodeodance]

5. the gang in the mame fits them well.

[Azathoth]

6. You don't get more cowardly than that

"I strongly oppose this nominee. However, I don't oppose him enough to stand by my party should they try to stop his confirmation. You see, I want to be able to claim I oppose him without actually opposing him."

Sigh.

[Wordie]

7. Here's Salazar's contact info:

[phone]
Salazer voted for Roberts and has pledged not to support a filibuster unless under "extraordinary circumstances." Tell him this is extraordinary!
Direct link to the Senator's email contact page: http://salazar.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm
FAX: [phone]

He says he is impressed with Alito's academic background. Make the point that it isn't his academic background that's important. Academic background says nothing about his philosophy, and there are legal scholars who say Alito would be very likely to make decisions that expand presidential powers.

Did those colleagues ever have a chance to evaluate his decisions regarding the expansion of presidential powers? I doubt it; I don't think even the court he sat upon decided those sorts of cases, did it? And were those colleagues evaluating his personal characteristics and judicial temperament, or his philosophy?

Convince him why he's wrong!

Tell him why you object!

[clarknyc]

8. Toothless!

His vote against Alito is meaningless!