Jame Hamsher speaks for me re this historic Dem turning point over Alito:

[Nothing Without Hope]

Once again, one of her FIredoglake commentaries strikes what seems to me to be exactly the right note. We know that some of the senators that eventually voted AGAINST cloture would not have done so except for being surprised by the fervor and strength of the opposition WE gave. Some, like Diane Feinstein, actually changed their minds about the vote publicly. Others, like Obama, had shown fairly clearly that they initially planned to vote for cloture but later, in the wake of fierce and sustained opposition, "saw the light": (see this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x256402
thread title (1-27-06 GD-Alito): Buzzflash: OBAMA OPPOSES FILIBUSTER according to knowledgeable source:
Obama and some others appeared initially reluctant to come out against cloture, but I think they came to realize that their political futures might not be so safe if they did not. Jame Hamsher says that he and some like Biden were "extremely irked about being put on the spot" and notes that there may be others besides Diane Feinstein who changed their minds.

I noted with interest that Hillary Clinton voted against cloture. To me, this is a flat-out statement that this very canny and ambitious politician saw in the strength of our opposition to caving on Alito a clear indication that her future plans for continued advancement wouldn't succeed if she alienated progressives irretrievably on this issue. She would not have voted as she did otherwise, I feel certain. It's a kind of left-handed compliment, an acknowledgment of our growing power. Hillary Clinton and the other voters against cloture on Alito are telling us we have too much power now to safely ignore us. That is an important success, despite the disaster of Alito's being allowed to further contaminate the Supreme Court with Bushie political loyalists-at-any-price. Jane Hamsher speaks of a "seismic shift" happening because people had finally gotten to the point of thinking "enough was enough. Something had to be done, someone had to start agitating for change and it wasn't going to come from within the Democratic establishment."

Kerry had lost almost all my respect before this fight, but I have to admit he did the right thing this time and he did it without knowing how much it might cost him. I was disgusted to hear an announcer on National Public Radio (sorry, don't have the name) a couple of days ago holding forth on how Kerry was taking this stand only because (paraphrasing) he really liked being in the limelight during the election and he saw the Alito fight as a way to put himself there again. I disagree, and Jame Hamsher gets this right too, I think.

She also points us to the next battle: The NSA wiretap hearings. I recommend reading the entire piece. Here's a link and excerpt:

http://firedoglake.blogspot.com/2006_01_29_firedoglake_archive.html#113867195405228177



Monday, January 30, 2006

Thanks

(snip)

I frankly think the passion of the netroots community surprised him. For those who want to criticize him for not acting earlier or better, I do not think he had any reason to believe that this kind of support was extant or that we would have his back. He put his neck on the line over at Kos and the Huffington Post, not knowing what was going to come back. The outpouring of gratitude that came back to him for his efforts was extremely moving.

Next time he'll know. And so will we.

We shook things up. People like Joe Biden and Barak Obama were extremely irked about being put on the spot. Diane Feinstein changed her vote, and it's entirely possible others did likewise and we just didn't hear it. We forced those who voted for cloture into publicly opposing us, and now we know where things stand. And everyone across the political spectrum knows we're here now. They are starting to get a glimmer of the kind of muscle we can put behind something we believe it. It was a great moment, a grand and noble fight and I am so proud of each and every one of you for taking part in it.

The next big battle on the horizon are the NSA wiretap hearings coming up next week. On February 6 the Judiciary Committee will begin questioning Alberto Gonzales. I hope everyone will stop by Glenn Greenwald's blog and take time to look over his post on the points he believes will be the most important to cover during this process and to contribute your ideas. Glenn has a lot of people's ears right now after his work on the topic made headlines so it's a great way to prepare for and contribute to something that's going to be very critical for all of us.

I don't think anyone can look at the Alito battle on the part of the netroots community and say it was anything other than a huge success. We proved we could show up and we knew how to fight for what we believe in, no matter the odds, just because it's the right thing to do. Your courage, your conviction and your fearlessness is inspirational.

(snip)

Jane thanks everyone who has been fighting the Alito nomination and says something else that even some of the powerful senate Democrats may be glimpsing now: "If anyone's been looking for the heart of the Democratic party, it's right here."

We need to keep that cloture vote roster handy, both to thank those who voted against cloture and because the so-called Democrats who voted for cloture should be ousted from the office they have betrayed:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00001
This is the official roll call page, and the list of Dem and GOP votes can be viewed in several formats.
This DU thread also gives the Yea- and Nay-voting Democrats:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x272625
thread title (1-30-06 GD-Alito): Voted for cloture - Your list of traitors and true patriots here

Contact info - phones and faxes - for the senators:
http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2006/1/28/1420/46748/393#393

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. That's just all warm and fuzzy and bunnies and kitties, but...

They will kick us to the curb again, when we are inconvenient.

I wish I didn't know what I know now. Idealism would be a lot easier to come by.

[Nothing Without Hope]

2. I don't see this as idealism. Yes, there is much to mourn, but there is

a clear indication that our power has been growing and that many Dem senators are coming to realize it. I think the strength of the opposition to Alito took them by surprise. All of them were forced to take a stand that will not be forgotten. I think most of them thought that we were already kciked to the curb.

I do believe that the tide of people saying "enough!" is starting to turn at last.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

3. I know too much now...

After having worked on a congressional campaign that got stuffed by the DCCC. Stuffed. They said that they would not contest the district and, I quote, "They just don't care".

That's how it really works: They just don't care.

All the tides can turn, make pretty shapes and turn plaid. They just don't care.

[BlueManDude]

5. but why was it necessary for US to spur THEM on?

really - couldn't they see the importance on their own? shouldn't they have been in the lead on this?

[Nothing Without Hope]

6. Of course they should have see the importance themselves. But they

are politicians first and foremost, and they want to stay in office. Yes, we need to get representatives with a better set of motivations than that - in my view the lack of spirit and deep-seated outrage has been the main reason why the Dems have become so ineffective as a party.

But in the meantime, I feel that we can take some comfort in the fact that many voted for cloture. It shows that they realize that the progressive wing of the party has more power than they thought, and I think it took them by surprise after so long with "political business as usual." The ones who voted for cloture anyway have been forced to come out and be exposed for what they are: GOP collaborators, the Vichy Democrats.

Now just because Hillary Clinton (for example) voted for cloture doesn't mean I will support her as a potential 2008 presidental candidate. In fact, I don't trust her at all and view her as an opportunistic, cynical pol. But the fact that she voted for cloture shows that she realizes that she can't advance if she ignores us, and that means the DLC realizes it too. We aren't invisible any more, and we are gaining momentum all the time. And if the DLC thinks they can get donations and campaign work from us and dupe us into supporting DINO candidates, they will find that they are wrong. The sooner the better.

Like Jane Hamsher says, WE are the heart of the Democratic party.

[yurbud]

9. some have principles, most are whores--we just have to remind them that

we are the pimps, not them.

[emulatorloo]

4. kick and nominating n/t

[Nothing Without Hope]

7. kick n/t

[Nothing Without Hope]

8. kick n/t

[Nothing Without Hope]

10. I also recommend this passionate, clear-thinking post by Plaid Adder:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x274742
thread title (1-30-06 GD-Alito): No Regrets, No Tears, No Fucking Quarter.

[Nothing Without Hope]

11. kick n/t

[ClayZ]

12. Kick and R.

:kick: <--tweety

[Nothing Without Hope]

13. For some excellent sarcasm, check out this thread and join in:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x278689
thread title (1-31-06 GD): Reasons why the Dems were afraid to filibuster

[Nothing Without Hope]

14. Benburch is thinking along the same lines:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x273975
thread title (1-30-06 GD-Alito): Why we won today.

[Nothing Without Hope]

15. Great post by digby on today's vote:

I am only excerpting a little of this great post - go read the whole thing, including his RFK quote. And Digby likes Jane Hamsher's firedoglake post too.

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2006_01_29_digbysblog_archive.html#113867908339927928

(snip)

When it became clear that the vote was going against the filibuster, Diane Feinstein, a puddle of lukewarm water if there ever was one, decided to backtrack and play to the base instead of the right wing. That's new folks. Given an opportunity to make an easy vote, until now she and others like her (who are legion) would always default to the right to prove their "centrist" bonafides. That's the DLC model. When you have a free vote always use it to show that you aren't liberal. That's why she was against it originally --- a reflexive nod to being "reasonable."

Obama had to choke out his support for a filibuster, but he did it. A calculation was made that he needed to play to the base instead of the punditocrisy who believe that being "bold" is voting with the Republicans. Don't underestimate how much pressure there is to do that, especially for a guy like Obama who is running for King of the Purple. The whole presidential club, including Biden joined the chorus.

The last time we had a serious outpouring from the grassroots was the Iraq War resolution. My Senator DiFi commented at thetime that she had never seen anything like the depth of passion coming from her constituents. But she voted for the war anyway. So did Bayh, Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Kerry and Reid. The entire leadership of the party. Every one of them went the other way this time. I know that some of you are cynical about these people (and ,well, they are politicans, so don't get all Claud Rains about it) but that means something. Every one of those people were running in one way or another in 2002 and they went the other way. The tide is shifting. There is something to be gained by doing the right thing.

I keep hearing that it's bad that these Senators "pandered" to the blogosphere and I don't understand it. We want them to pander to the blogosphere. In their book (http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/389839.html) Politicians Don't Pander; Political Manipulation and the Loss of Democratic Responsiveness, Lawrence R. Jacobs and Robert Y. Shapiro argue:

Politicians respond to public opinion, then, but in two quite different ways. In one, politicians assemble information on public opinion to design government policy. This is usually equated with "pandering," and this is most evident during the relatively short period when presidential elections are imminent. The use of public opinion research here, however, raises a troubling question: why has the derogatory term "pander" been pinned on politicians who respond to public opinion? The answer is revealing: the term is deliberately deployed by politicians, pundits, and other elites to belittle government responsiveness to public opinion and reflects a long-standing fear, uneasiness, and hostility among elites toward popular consent and influence over the affairs of government.

(snip)

Like Digby says about the Jacobs & Shapiro quote: BINGO.

[Nothing Without Hope]

16. kick n/t

[Nothing Without Hope]

17. Conyers is also thinking along the same lines:

"Well, at least we stood and were counted. I had hoped for a stronger vote, but was nonetheless amazed at the netroots activism on this. We obviously can't win every issue, especially in the minority. But we are setting up the infrastructure that will help us make a difference in the future, that is whats important. Rome was not built in a day and all of that. And if nothing else, we got Chafee on record on the wrong side of this issue. "

He's also planning around Bush's SOTU. More on this in this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x277933

[roguevalley]

18. Biden is a long time asshole. Now obama. Two peas in a pod.

[Nothing Without Hope]

19. one more kick for the early morning n/t

[Nothing Without Hope]

20. kick n/t

[FreedomAngel82]

21. We can do it again with NSA

[Nothing Without Hope]

22. Yes, and that's exactly what Jane says. We can't let up. n/t