From AP - Mark Dayton saying No on Alito, ??? on Filibuster

[FormerRepublican]

What's the point of voting no on confirmation if you don't want to filibuster?

"WASHINGTON - Sen. Mark Dayton said Friday he will vote against the Supreme Court nomination of Samuel Alito, but that he hadn't decided on whether to support a filibuster.
Dayton, D-Minn., said he questioned the wisdom of a filibuster when it's clear that Democrats don't have the votes to maintain the delaying tactic.
"We know in advance that we do not have those votes this time, which makes it an exercise in futility," Dayton told reporters on a conference call. "And I question the value of doing so, especially on something of this significance."
He added he would support a filibuster if it had a chance of succeeding."

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/breaking_news/13728003.htm

[Halliburton]

1. well we gotta make sure it has a chance of succeeding

[0007]

8. Call, Fax, e-mail as the last resort - Do it now!

Ken Salazar of Colorado (1-888-355-3588 PRESS 2 or 202-224-5852)

Ben Nelson of Nebraska (202-224-6551)

Bill Nelson of Florida (202-224-5274) need your phone calls.

Evan Bayh is also on the fence on voting for Alito and the filibuster! CALL: [phone]

Robert Byrd - 202-224-3954 or 304-343-7144 or 304-342-5855 or
http://byrd.senate.gov/byrd_email.html

JOE LIEBERMAN* - [phone] OR FAX [phone]

Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) [phone]

Joe Biden. 202-224-5042

KENT CONRAD of ND - Phone: [phone]

Frank Lautenburg (D-NJ) - [phone] - http://lautenberg.senate.gov/webform.html

Robert Menendez (D-NJ) - [phone]

Mary Landrieu - [phone]

Tim Johnson (ND) - [phone]

Barack Obama (IL) - [phone]

Republican Lamar Alexander (R-TN) - moderate, possibly could be moved. TRY. (202)
224-4944

Ben Nelson (NE) originally stated he would vote Yes for Alito. But it looks like he is putting his
finger in the wind. He is now taking calls and tallies as well: 202-224-6551 .

[senseandsensibility]

2. I find this attitude hard to understand, too

but at least he's voting no. Wasn't he an "aye" for Alito a short while ago?

[jillan]

3. That makes NO sense -

He said he would support the filibuster if he thought they had enough votes.

WTF??? How can they have enough votes if everyone is saying this?

[mom cat]

4. All he has to do is avoid voting for cloture. In this case, an abstention,

or "being at lunch" work just as well. The Republicans HAVE to have 60 solid votes to block. We only need 41 who won't vote their way!

[PBass]

5. People who only fight battles they are guaranteed to win

are cowards.

People like this do not deserve to be in leadership positions.

I hope Mark Dayton will screw up a little courage and fight for something next week, simply because he believes it's right.

[mom cat]

9. I hope so too. give him another push.

[Amaryllis]

12. Can't Cheney step in and be the 60th if they have 59, or is that only if

there's a tie?

[tnlefty]

6. I watched his remarks on the floor today, and he laid out a very good

case for his no vote. Kerry followed him and mentioned that he had stated the reasons for opposition very well. I don't understand his questioning a fillibuster.

[mcscajun]

7. "You fight the fights that need fighting."

to quote Aaron Sorkin. ("The American President")

You don't just fight the fights you can win.

Granted, you don't want to turn into Don Quixote, but for some things and at some times, even windmills must be "tilted at".

[beltanefauve]

10. And isn't he stepping down from the Senate

anyway? What does he have to lose? Picking fights he only believes he can win makes NO sense.

[never_get_over_it]

11. OK Dayton's statement is completely stupid

especially on something of this significance

THAT IS EXACTLY WHY YOU DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO STOP HIS CONFIRMATION especially if you have decided to vote no on the confirmation -

Jesus he isn't even running for Senate again - man these people make no sense to me.....

[radio4progressives]

13. Isn't he stepping down this mid term?

shut the fuck up dude, you're out of here anyway so what the fuck is it to you?