Live-blogging thread for 1/30/06

[TayTay]

Just getting ready.

Godspeed Senator, Godspeed. We got your back.

[beachmom]

1. Damn, I'm going to be gone all day.

But, like you, Tay Tay, I have set up my DVR to record the ENTIRE day of Senate business. I look forward to reading your comments tonight or tomorrow! Godpeed indeed!!

[rox63]

2. I came down with a sudden illness today

Probably caused by the Alito nomination. I'm taking a sick day from work, so I can start the healing ASAP. Known treatments include filibusters led by handsome liberal Senators. I'll start with liberal applications of C-Span later this morning.

[TayTay]

3. You go Rox!

I am at work. I have a huge meeting tomorrow from 10-12:30, and I have to get ready today. But I will be checking in as I can today.

I am on pins and needles. Honestly, this is just so exciting to see everyone here and across the web so revved up. This really has been a watershed moment for the lib-web.

[rox63]

4. I don't call in sick often

And I'm sure they won't die without me for a day. :eyes:

[rox63]

5. C-Span2 coverage starting now

Senate Chaplain saying prayer to start the session right now.

[rox63]

6. Jim Jeffords (I-VT) up now

He sounds like he's against Alito. But I don't know if he'll filibuster. He's retiring, so there's no reelection to worry about. He's got nothing to lose, so I hope he'll join the filibuster.

[rox63]

7. Kennedy up NOW!!!

Go Uncle Ted!!!! :bounce:

[_dynamicdems]

11. A big WOOHOO for Uncle Ted! Love you TK! n/t

[rox63]

8. Teddy is going to town

On defending the rights of the disabled, the downtrodden. I am beaming with pride! :D

[rox63]

9. Teddy is bringing up the Swift Boat Liars

As an example of how the repukes attack and smear anyone who opposes them.

[ProSense]

10. Thanks for this Rox.

Work! Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!

[TayTay]

12. Thanks Rox

My coverage is spotty today. (Meetings at work that determine whether or not we get outsourced are going on. I have to defend my work and so forth. Ho hum, another american day at the office.)

[ginnyinWI]

15. The Lion is really smokin'

"...my colleague and friend, John Kerry."

[rox63]

13. Teddy is still going!

He's the Energizer Senator. Over 30 minutes and still going strong.

[Luftmensch067]

14. Listening to Teddy now!

Just knowing he's in the fight makes me feel better!!!:loveya:

[rox63]

16. He'll finish out the Dems' first hour of debate

Jeffords spoke for the first 10 or 15 minutes. Teddy's been going ever since. 11:00 - 12:00 EST will be for repukes. I may have to turn down the volume. I keep hearing that we've got Chafee on our side. He said he'll vote against Alito, but no word yet on whether he'll support the filibuster.

[whometense]

18. There's word here

http://www.democrats.com/alito-48

that Chafee will go for the filibuster. But there are a lot of contradictory messages, so I wouldn't exactly bank on it. There was something about him holding a 10am press conference. Anyone know anything about that?

[rox63]

17. Repukes up now

Craig Thomas (R-WY) speaking now.

[rox63]

20. Bennett (R-UT) up now

He's attacking Uncle Teddy! :mad:

[_dynamicdems]

58. Well POX on him. Attacking Uncle Ted. @#$#$! n/t

[_dynamicdems]

Well POX on him. Attacking Uncle Ted. @#$#$! n/t

[ProSense]

19. Chafee voting no, but not supporting filibuster (AP Update)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=268153&mesg_id=268153

[_dynamicdems]

57. @#$#$%$ No balls Chaffee strikes again! n/t

[rox63]

21. Debbie Stabenow up for the Dems now

Doing a good job opposing Alito.

[rox63]

22. Stabenow running overtime

12:36 now and no JK. :(

[StoryTeller]

23. He's on now!!! (nt)

[MH1]

25. and Kicking ASS!!!

:loveya:


(btw no idea why my timestamps are coming up wrong)

[ginnyinWI]

33. mine are doing that too--timestamps screwed up

so it's something wrong at DU.

[rox63]

24. I may have to leave the computer for a bit

Actually not feeling well. Karma for playing hooky, perhaps. I hope someone can pick up the live-blogging post. Grassley is up now, and he's pratically fellating Alito. I thought he was supposedly one of the repuke 'moderates'.?

[TayTay]

26. They have to toe the line here

Or the Repukes will come after them with bats and stuff.

I will try and comment.

[TayTay]

27. Nice job!

Hitting all the marks:

This is a political appointment. The H Miers thing was completely political. (Who obstructed H Miers, the RW base did on an ideological basis.)

This nomination can send the nation backwards. We have to keep vigilant for our rights.

[rox63]

28. Text of Kennedy's floor speech here

http://kennedy.senate.gov/~kennedy/statements/06/01/2006130450.html

[karynnj]

29. Kerry is doing great

Using somethings that he wrote earlier - that it's not good to criticize Alito after he's confirmed. This is historic turning point.

[whometense]

30. F***ers wouldn't extend his time.

"My friend, the senator from Massachusetts..."?

This is not good for my blood pressure.

[TayTay]

31. I wonder if he will speak again at 2:00

I wonder who was scheduled to speak for us at that time. Sigh!

[ginnyinWI]

37. he was just getting warmed up

He was giving a very good, clear argument. Those examples were used very well. What a good prosecutorial mind! :loveya:

[MH1]

55. They HAD to cut him off. He was absolutely KICKING ASS.

(oh , I said that already, didn't I? well, bears repeating. ;-) )

:loveya:

[kerrygoddess]

32. Who the F was that?

[Inuca]

34. McConnell

[TayTay]

35. ?????

Mitch McConnell, who regularly wins 'most partisan person in the Senate' polls? That guy? Ahm, it's not surprising that he would not agree to allow the Jr. Sen from MA to speak.

Why was Sen. Stabenow so late getting to the floor anyway?

[kerrygoddess]

36. SOB! N/T

[ProSense]

42. He said he has to give consideration to his schedule?

What kind of scheduling conflict does he have that's more important than his job?

Oh, it must be the appointment to interrupt Kerry when he's laying out a KICK-ASS Case.

[rox63]

43. McConnell is going on and on about

upperdownvotes. Why doesn't someone ask him about Harriet Miers' upperdownvote?

[kerrygoddess]

46. McConnell - Someday, we'll be forced to do this with a Dem pres nomineee?

OH but they already have! I hope someone nails him on that!

[MH1]

53. Was Stabenow late or did rethugs run over, or take a break or

something?

I was wondering if Dems even got the full hour from 12 -1.

[rox63]

39. That pissed me off

I was hoping they'd at least give him an extra 5 or 10 minutes. Assholes.

[Blaukraut]

44. it's ok

McConnell looked really bad, insisting his schedule was more important than this debate. Plus, our esteemed senator gets to speak again at 2 PM.
It just shows that the pugs are running scared and are already trying to cut off debate ahead of schedule.

[rox63]

48. The rethugs aren't speaking now

Even though it's still their hour. The rethug assholes just wanted to cut Kerry off.

[Mass]

40. Stabenow and Kerry were awesome

Doing exactly what the Judiciary Committee should have done : connecting Alito's nomination to real people's lives (Kennedy did that also a little bit earlier).

Why did the Judiciary Committee do that earlier, rather than spending time on CAP and other things like that? One of the few who made the case was Feinstein.

[whometense]

47. Yes.

Stabenow was wonderful - passionate and articulate. Great job!!

[MH1]

45. Kerry will be on at 12:30 pm

per http://www.democrats.com /

Keep in mind these things are rarely if ever timed exactly... ;-)

thx for the thread btw, busy at work today but reading when I can.

(ignore the separate thread I started by mistake...gotta run out now so I can watch at 12:30)


on edit - why did this come up with a timestamp of 1:15? :shrug:

[kerrygoddess]

38. Weird timestamp thing happening

I noticed that.

[Blaukraut]

41. happened an hour ago

All DU time stamps started coming up at 1 hour ahead. For a while, no new posts showed up at all, and now that it's been reset to normal time, all posts with the wrong time stamps are showing up as new.

[rox63]

49. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) on now

Trying to keep from wretching... :puke:

[whometense]

50. I've got it on mute

for the alternate hours.

[kerrygoddess]

51. Me too

can't listen to the drone...

[Mass]

52. So, how did he enjoy his stay on the slopes in Switzerland

Another elitist?

[Inuca]

54. Can you really...

... imagine Chambliss on ski slopes?

Bad: just saw on the CSPAN screen a Y next to COnrad's name.

[_dynamicdems]

60. I'd like to imagine him on ski slopes....heading right for a HUGE

tree.

[karynnj]

56. Why didn't Reid let Kerry finish?

His speech is not on Alito - so he could go after the vote. This is really obnoxious.

[TayTay]

59. Ahm, I don't think Reid is very high on Kerry right now

I don't think Harry likes Kerry very much right now. Kerry did force this filibuster issue and Harry was not pleased. Reid does NOT want to fight this fight, he believes it makes the center nervous. I'm not surprised at all that Reid did not let Kerry finish. It's petty, but true.

[_dynamicdems]

61. Reid can go pound sand. Whatever happened to

Give'Em Hell Harry? Just another eunuch who talks big but chickens out when the going gets risky.

[karynnj]

62. Well, I guess the reality is not that the Senators would be

moved to change by a brilliant speech - what's sad is that Kerry's speech was as good as I've ever seen him. Reid's speech is just weak - good material to hit Bush on, but he's really not doing a great job on it. If nothing he is staying is new to me, who is he even speaking too? The Democratic Senators - most know and have said it better. (He even used KERRY's Orwellian label)

Maybe we should call MCConnell's office and yell at them because their Senator is not a gentleman.

[Mass]

63. I would hope that Reid is speaking on leadership time and that

the Democrats negotiated to have their full hour after that.

[TayTay]

64. No, this is part of the time agreement

Reid and Durbin will speak again for a couple of minutes at 4:00 going into the 4L30 vote.

[karynnj]

65. Lautenberg is voting no

He wants someone with no political agenda. He's voting for his grandkids and the powerless. Yay! Lautenberg.