Biden, Dodd and Obama just lost their Presidential Campaigns Today (Plus Lieberman Proves he's an R)

[berni_mccoy]

These "presidential" candidates just showed that their campaigns were more important than a vote on the very Demon (Gonzo) taking away American's civil liberties. They have no excuse for not voting today. None. They knew in advance this was coming and should have been there to make this vote. They did not act Presidential today.

And if there was any doubt that Lieberman has been bought by the Administration, there should be none now. I could understand (not approve or agree with) him being a Democrat and then differing on a single issue, but in this case today, he voted NO, something not even all the Republicans did. He is more GOP than many in the GOP. He's a Bush Crony. Let there be no more doubt.

[Mojambo]

1. Maybe, maybe not. I don't support any of those three.

But can someone please tell me what a successful no confidence vote would have accomplished?

I'm not trying to be a stinker here, really, but I just don't see where it would have changed anything.

[durrrty libby]

2. I agree. The whole thing was symbolic and just made the dems

look foolish. If you can't pass meaningless tripe,

can you accomplish anything?

[Phredicles]

26. "If you can't pass meaningless tripe, can you accomplish anything?"

Post of the day, as far as I'm concerned.

[tammywammy]

62. If only I could recommend at post

That's exactly it.

:applause::applause::applause::applause::applause:

[roguevalley]

81. You pass it or not today. You pass it or not tomorrow. You pass it

or not the next day. You cram it down their throats until seven more peel off and vote yes. You do it and do it and do it and you don't not do your job by not voting. They are paid to vote. When they didn't vote, an entire state went unrepresented. For anyone to do that, is disgraceful. Even my fucker, Ted Stevens, at least voted present. There is no excuse. I am tired of people who went presented with character moments, fail.

[endarkenment]

85. Actually I look at this just the opposite way.

If you cannot pass anything, why go after meaningless tripe?

Since nothing is going to pass, why not fail over meaningful legislation?

[movonne]

3. If it didn't mean anything then why did they have it...it makes the

dems look weak and probably they are..

[durtee librul]

20. Probably? Probably?

What have they done - non binding resolutions, passed a war funding bill against the majority of the people who put them in office last Nov, let subpoenas be ignored....need I go on, or do we want to 'ask' again if this crapola today makes them look 'weak?' How about non-functional? How about calling them Lord Pissy Pants cabinet? They sure as hell aren't acting like what I expected them to do.

I expected SOMETHING...ANYTHING substantial would have been nice. Nada. Miss Wuss and Mr Puss....great leadership they are.

[JDPriestly]

7. What did a successful sit-in at a lunch counter mean?

It was a statement that wrongs must be righted. Sometimes it is just important to stand up and be counted for what you believe is right. Obama, Biden and Dodd did not stand up. They were not counted. They were not there when we needed them. They should be ashamed. Obama in particular has made a terrible mistake by missing this vote.

This vote was, to a great extent about the failure of Gonzales and the Bush administration to respect or enforce the Civil Rights Act -- and Obama did not bother to show up and vote. For shame.

I have not been a Hllary supporter, but I sure will not forget that she took a break from campaigning long enough to show up for this important and very visible vote. This vote counted big time.

[tabasco]

12. Well said. I agree.

I'm not particularly attached to any candidate, but Obama is looking more and more unqualified to lead.

[WillyT]

14. You Make A Great Point About Standing Up For The Civil Rights Act...

One wonders how this is gonna play in the African-American community.

:banghead:

[Straight Shooter]

23. Thank you for a brief and accurate summary.

This vote was of historical importance, and yet some seize upon it as another excuse to thrash the Dems.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

28. I agree completely ...

It would have at LEAST shown Democratic unity and disdain for the way this thug has run the DoJ. The other 2 I wasn't even considering ... but Obama blew me away with this no-show ... just another triangulating, opportunist polititian :grr:

edit for typo.

[roguevalley]

82. beautiful example. so, if you don't believe you can end discrimination,

you don't make the marches in selma and everywhere else. you don't protest over and over for the women's vote. you don't integrate the world by sitting in the front of the bus. No one during these protests probably believed they would live to see change but they changed the world. its called character, integrity and guts.

[yodermon]

15. because if they had gotten cloture and 67 aye votes

it would mean they have enough votes to convict on impeachment of gonzo.

which is moot now of course; wish they'd counted the 'aye' votes before bringing it to a vote. Now they just look stupid.

[peacebird]

4. Biden, Dodd, and Obama all screwed up royally. I seriously hope that l Gore runs.

Because I like Edwards, but I love Al Gore.

An Al Gore/Edwards or Al Gore/Obama or Al Gore/Richardson ticket would be great!

Please PLEASE Mr. Gore - run. We need you.

[cascadiance]

33. Why Gore/Obama?

Where was his vote today?

Now Feingold wouldn't have missed this vote! Gore/Feingold!

And if Feingold were Senate Majority Leader instead of Reid, I think you'd have had a LOT more pressure on Republicans on this vote!

[Dinger]

34. Gore/Clark Works A Helluva Lot Better For Me, Thank You (nt)

[Nothing Without Hope]

38. Me too, big time. Obama's key votes all along, as for Bush's criminal

job candidates, have made me distrust him. This non-vote is in keeping with the rest. He toes the DLC line. I'm expecting them to offer a Clinton/Obama ticket. That would be too, too bad, but it's what I expect.

[Bullet1987]

69. This is a lie!

He's voted against every single Bush appointee except for Rice.

[mdelaguna2000]

83. Best of the best!

[journalist3072]

5. I've never understood DU's love affair with Obama anyway

The man is big on style and short on substance, IMO.

But I am sure some Obama apologist will make an excuse for his not voting today.

[cascadiance]

36. He's also got some SUBSTANTIVE problems with his support for coal liquification!

If he'd rather put time in to vote that coal lobbyists' mess in and not vote against Gonzales, I'm sorry! I DON'T need that kind of "bipartisanship" with the corporatists!

[IChing]

54. OK that sucks

coal liquidification at is a negative on carbon and energy development

[tammywammy]

63. Coal...

He's still a senator from Illinois. IL depends on coal for a whole lot of jobs. His support for coal liquification is support for the people of his state.

[cascadiance]

66. It's support for the coal lobby...

There are a lot of different opportunities to help direct spending on new non-carbon energy resources that could also go to Illinois too. Certainly they also grow enough corn that he could lobby for more ethanol too, though that helps less.

Investing in coal liquification is a PURE response to the coal lobby spending money. Not only does this also give us more problems with carbon-based fuels, it also rips up the mountain ranges with strip mining efforts, which also pollutes the water supply with mercury, which poisons all of us. RFK Junior spoke two years ago of the effects of this where mercury poisoning in our fish from stuff like this has 1 out of every 6 women with levels high enough to have kids with cognitive defects.

[WCGreen]

6. That would have only given them 56 votes....

Still far from the 60 beeded to pass cloture....

So, they knew ahead of time that the vote was going to be like this...

So why should they fly back to DC just to make a meaningless vote...

[Herman Munster]

8. well

say what you will about Hillary...she flies back to DC as often as she can to make votes, even if it is inconvenient for her

[Cameron27]

10. I've noticed that too. It's the responsible thing to do.

[JDPriestly]

9. Why should you bother to stand up for what you believe in?

Is that what you are asking? Sometimes you just stand and be counted. Face it. They say they had better things to do. They were really just scared.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

13. Hardly meaningless, and they are PAID to represent their constituents with their votes.

[here_is_to_hope]

16. I cannot define "far" with

4 being the magic number. Here are three that did not vote.

[n2doc]

21. So, they just decided that the resolution was going to lose anyway so they could skip it?

I thought this was a symbolic vote? What is the positive symbolism in skipping it? An absent is the same as a no in this case....

[KoKo]

72. Show of force? Hang in their with their Fellow Dems to Censure Gonzales?

If Johnson wasn't still disabled we would have only needed three votes. If Lieberman was a Dem we would only have needed two votes. Specter had said he'd vote for it then he flip-flopped...so if he had...and we picked up only one other Repug, we would have had it.

[WCGreen]

89. But they knew....

And perhaps they had obligations with people who supported them...

And symbolic gestures are just that....

They don't mean anything in the long run so why even bother...

Look, Bush could care less if there was a vote of no-confidence in AG...

I'm sorry, I just can't all worked up over someone missing a vote on a purely symbolic and in the end futile gesture

[blm]

11. My take - they were told they'd be called in if their vote was needed. They were told

they didn't have to show up - we saw this alot during 2004 primary, too - this time, Schumer schedules the vote knowing that only Hillary would be in town, and Obama, Dodd and Biden are told they need not bother coming back just for appearances. Voila - Hillary looks good to blogosphere.

[rinsd]

17. LOL! Somehow this turns into a diabolical Clinton plot!

Like the rising and setting sun, blm.

Like the rising and setting sun.

[blm]

22. Sorry, bub, but that is the way the senate works during campaigns. I doubt

Schumer is above a little politicking, do you?

[rinsd]

27. Well he has yet to deny it so I guess its true

:eyes:

[ElizabethDC]

29. BS - it's been known all day (if not longer) that the vote would take place today

the others could have easily gotten back from wherever they were.

Hillary actually skipped a major fundraiser in NY last week so that she could stay in DC and vote. It's about priorities. I mean, the primaries are still months away - plenty of time for candidates to reschedule campaign appearances.

[blm]

35. That's not the point - they are supposed to be informed IF their presence and vote is NEEDED

to make a bill pass. Some candidates will opt out IF returning to DC to vote is only for appearance' sake.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

41. ...evidently, that wasn't the case here. n/t

[ElizabethDC]

42. So they scheduled the vote just for Hillary?

Ok, then.

[blm]

44. I'm saying that Schumer wouldn't be above setting it up like that.

Remember the politicking behind the scenes at Alito filibuster? Schumer was pushing AGAINST filibuster because of the politics involved. They didn't WANT that battle. Why?

Because they wanted the fear that Roe v Wade would be overturned for 2008.

You don't REALLY think it was because they knew they wouldn't get 41 votes, do you? They knew they wouldn't get the number needed on this, yet went ahead anyway.

[JDPriestly]

58. It was known before the weekend.

I read about it -- I think it was here on DU.

[ElizabethDC]

59. That's what I thought

I knew I'd at least been hearing about it on TV all day.

[blm]

84. And they know that IF their vote is needed they will be called back. So, for them, it's an

'appearance' vote.

It's a risk to to not show up because some voters don't realize how many votes were needed and think that thosevotes WOULD have made a difference, even as some DUers believe.

[Hippo_Tron]

50. Durbin outranks Schumer and Durbin supports Obama

You are correct, though, that they knew it wouldn't matter and they would've been called if it did matter.

[wyldwolf]

51. wait a minute.... wait a minute... wait...

:rofl: :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Hamlette]

18. let me guess, another Dennis supporter?

the vote means squat. It really was political theater. The Dems should not have done it. Let's move on.

(Is Kucinich paying you people to disrupt these places?)

[Robbien]

24. Nice try

DLCers don't bother supporting a just Justice system

So wildly throw mud around hoping everyone stops noticing how skanky DLCers are.

[rinsd]

19. I doubt it in Obama's case. The others barely had a shot anyway.

Why? Because while there will be much gnashing and wailing here at DU over this vote and while supporters of Edwards and Clinton will use it as a bludgeon, most of the voting public doesn't give a shit.

[edwardsfeingold08]

30. I agree with everything you say.

[Grandrose]

43. Thank you very much!

Another silly NON BINDING VOTE, give me a break. Another chance for anti-Obama crowd to bitch and bash...whatever!!! Next?

Anybody paying attention knew this was going NOWHERE!

:eyes:

[JANdad]

52. It's funny that you write: "people don't give a shit"

And that is Exactly why Obama is doing so well in the polls...

I believe that a majority of "likely" Obama voters don't give a "shit" enough about the prospective candidates to actually learn what they actually stand for, all the while going along with who the MSM tells them to like...

[rinsd]

55. I wouldn't start to throw rocks from that glass house.

Edwards missed a ton of Senate votes in 2003 & 2004.

[JANdad]

57. Who's throwing rocks?

I was agreeing with you...people that support Obama (IMHO) don't give a shit...

IF they did, I doubt they would be suporters...

[rinsd]

61. Ok, Enjoy the logic circle (nt)

[KittyWampus]

68. Edit

[Matsubara]

25. Biden and Dodd were never serious contenders in the first place, IMO.

They may think they are, but they don't have an ice cube's chance in hell.

Obama, well, we'll see.

I'm sorry to say it, but I don't think most Americans, or even democratic voters are paying as close attention to this as you are...

[Perky]

31. bullshit

the vote was not about anything more than the USA firings.


This is a politically tinged effort to embarasses the president and a weak one at that. It was destined to fail and everyone knew it.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

37. bullshit, back at ya ... they should have been there! n/t

[Morgana LaFey]

32. From your lips (er, keyboard) to God's ears.

One can only hope.

[cascadiance]

39. If Dodd, Biden, and Obama all had HUGE problems being there to vote...

Couldn't have Reid timed the vote sometime when he COULD have had all Dems there? It's one thing when Kerry wasn't around to vote on important votes in last election since the Republicans in the Senate worked to time the votes so that he couldn't attend easily. But now WE are in control! WE should make it easier for them to be there too! It's partly Dodd's, Biden's, and Obama's fault, and partly Reid's fault. And if it was a conspiracy to keep them away "inconveniently" and make it more "convenient" for Clinton to attend, all the more worse was this timing!

[KharmaTrain]

40. This Was A Vote To Count Regugnicans...

As stated in other posts, there weren't the 60 vots. They weren't going to be pulled out of thin air. But Reid and the Democratic leadership knew it going in. This was a Test Vote...one to not put Democrats, but Repugnicans on record about they're support of both Gonzo and being boooshie rubber stamps. That test is one that far more Repugnicans lost today than Democrats.

Do you honestly believe Dodd or Obama...or even Biden for that matter, in a vote that really mattered, would vote to keep Gonzo? You're nuts. But that's not 51 vote, to move forward, they need 60...that's 9 Repugnican with the juevos to buck the party. This is their test...not one for Democrats.

Right now there are 4 Repugnicans blocking this process from moving forward and keeping this crook in office...not Democrats! That's where the focus should and must belong.

[OnyxCollie]

53. DING! DING! DING! WE HAVE A WINNER!

Republicans LOVE Abu Gonzales! Republicans LOVE endless war! If anyone has any complaints about the war or the politicization of the Justice Dept., it's because REPUBLICANS WON"T GO AGAINST BUSH!

IT'S THE REPUBLICAN'S FAULT!
IT'S THE REPUBLICAN'S FAULT!
IT'S THE REPUBLICAN'S FAULT!
IT'S THE REPUBLICAN'S FAULT!
IT'S THE REPUBLICAN'S FAULT!
IT'S THE REPUBLICAN'S FAULT!
IT'S THE REPUBLICAN'S FAULT!
IT'S THE REPUBLICAN'S FAULT!

Instead of being bashed as weak, Democrats should blame Republicans at every opportunity.

"We tried to cut funding, but the Republicans wouldn't go along. THEY LOVE BUSH!"

"We tried to get rid of Gonzales, but the Republicans wouldn't go along. THEY LOVE BUSH!"

As for Cap'n Kool-Aid Joe Lieberman, he deserves a Judas/Benedict Arnold/"Et tu Brute?" albatross 'round his neck. (WTF were you thinking, Connecticut?)

[reichstag911]

60. Your first point should read:...

"We tried to cut funding for George Bush's mistake and bring our troops home safely, but the Republicans wouldn't go along. THEY LOVE BUSH!"

While most Americans are against the continuation of the war, most of them don't realize -- because the MSM doesn't make it crystal clear -- that cutting off funding doesn't mean the troops will be stranded. It simply forces the Commander-in-Chimp to plan for an orderly withdrawal before the $$$ runs out.

[Recursion]

45. Talk to Durbin

It's a whip's job to make sure people, even Presidential candidates, don't gaff off important votes. What's Durbin up to?

[mondo joe]

46. I can only say it made me think better of Hillary and worse of Obama.

I am not a big Hillary supporter. In fact, I am not enamored of any of the front runners. Until now Obama and Hillary and Edwards were a toss up for me -- but today's vote gave Hillary the edge for my support. At least over Obama -- Edwards' status is unchanged.

[LBJDemocrat]

47. Obama also failed to vote for the Dorgan amendment to the immigration bill

The Dorgan amendment would've taken out the Guest Worker/slave labor program from the bill. He didn't show up. He later showed up to propose an amendment that would phase out the program after five years, but that's a small consolation from this guy who always seems to have bigger priorities.

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

56. Obama's toast

Globalization cheerleader.

[Red1]

48. The papers say

the libs wouldn't vote no confidence for
fear of retribution.

we need to have another election for representatives,
these traitors are too entrenched with the lobbiests
to vote for Americans,

its all about the money folks, always has been

[MasonJar]

49. I disagree. I think that the dems did the right thing in coming out against

Gonzo. I bet the three would have been there if their votes had been the deciding ones...at least I like to think so. It is, however, discouraging with the primary voting season still so far away that the candidates are already missing important votes.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

64. Oh Get Real.

I gotta start collecting a dime for every time I hear someone utter the dramatic declarations of candidates losing their campaign cause they did this or didn't do that blah blah blah. I'll be a rich man by the election.

[indepat]

65. May the name Lieberman live forevermore in infamy for his heinous actions

[ellisonz]

67. Nuts?

:crazy:

[Bullet1987]

70. Do any of you reactionary fools even know that all 3 co-sponsored the bill!!!!

THEY'RE ALREADY ON THE RECORD BY COSPONSERING IT!!!!! The GOP blocked this, period! I'm tired of hearing uninformed bashing complaints. You say the vote would have put them on the record, well Obama has already said Gonzales needs to go!! So WTF are you all talking about?

[KoKo]

73. If they Co-Sponsored it don't they have an obligation to Vote for It?

:shrug:

[ellisonz]

79. Calm down.

Dude, I was agreeing with you. Jesus. I was responding to the OP's suggestion that they don't have any excuse with the classic Anthony McAufllie Bastogne line.

:think:

[peacebaby3]

88. You need to start a separate thread for this information.

If there is one thing I have learned about this board after being a member for more than 2 years is that there are crazy, dramatic, reactionary people here...quite a few of them!

[OzarkDem]

71. Sure looks that way

I still haven't decided on a primary candidate, but it sure looks like these 3 made a big mistake. It doesn't make sense, these are smart guys, it wouldn't have been that hard to show up for a vote that everyone was watching.

They'll be answering for this the rest of their campaigns.

[Bullet1987]

74. First of all, we don't know what either of these 3 were doing today

People miss votes in Congress...it happens for VARIOUS reasons. Who's to say they didn't have a prior arrangement since they're running for President?

[Faryn Balyncd]

75. Coleman, Collins, Hagel, Smith, Snowe, Specter, & Sununu showed more guts than Biden. Dodd, & Obama.

Here's the roll call (Scroll to #137):

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1090229#1091492

[Bullet1987]

76. STFU with the reactionary tripe...

Since when does cosponsering a bill means you're scared to vote for it? If they were scared, they wouldn't have done that. So shut up the nonsense!!!

[L. Coyote]

77. Seventeen months until the election. Seventeen months. Do you have to go to your job?

So, do these idiots still get paid as Senators?

[EndElectoral]

78. Liberman voted against it? You're kidding me! Why??? For god's sake!

[The Count]

87. Because only Clinton offended his morals, Gonzalez reflects them completely.

[rockymountaindem]

80. You've got to be kidding

Maybe if this vote was anywhere near passing, and maybe if it would have had any impact on the Bush admin. I would agree with you. Neither of those was the case. I don't blame them any more for this absence than I would for a "regular" one.

[The Count]

86. Kerry and Edwards also missed votes on Medicare, Media consolidation etc

(I believe it was called the Omnibus bill - and was screwing us on many, many levels) And the result was really close on that one - they could have changed it.

Most notably, Edwards who made a big statement on the SCOTUS decision of "partial birth abortion" was not there to vote against the bill in the senate.
Not presenting this as an excuse for anyone - it's unacceptable. Just bringing in more salient candidate facts.

[Exultant Democracy]

90. THERE WAS NOT VOTE! Do you know anything about the Senate?

First of all there was no vote, the Republicans blocked the vote and we didn't have the 60 votes to override it. We might "control" the senate but even with all hands on deck we can only muster 49 votes (read the news if you don't know why.)

It would so a serious lack of judgment if any of our candidates wasted a valuable day in D.C. accomplishing nothing. As you pointed out the have know about this vote well in advance, and it is clear that they showed the ability to make Presidential choices. Sometimes you have to worry about what is important and real and not the sideshow.