Leahy to vote to Confirm

[riceowl]

I thought he would; Kennedy has said he will not.

WASHINGTON - The senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee announced Wednesday he will vote to confirm John Roberts for chief justice of the United States after leading senators met with President Bush to discuss candidates for a second high court vacancy.

The decision by veteran Sen. Patrick Leahy dealt a serious blow to liberal efforts to mount significant Democratic opposition to the conservative judge who would succeed the late William H. Rehnquist at the helm of the court.

Leahy's announcement on the Senate floor came shortly after he and three other senators met with Bush at the White House to talk about the vacancy created by the decision by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor to retire.

Also, I love how compassionate DailyKos has been:

"On a day that Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) showed great leadership by announcing his opposition to John Roberts' confirmation to the SCOTUS, Max Baucus, Senator from Montana, demonstrated his wonderful backstabbing skills, undercutting his Leader by supporting Roberts...I have found that Max Baucus meets my criteria for a gutless son of a bitch. Baucus demonstrates a healthy disrespect for his Leader in the Senate and for the values and principles that define the Democratic Party."

What does rejecting a candidate have to do with leadership?

[Blue Rectangle]

Meanwhile, Specter is pushing for O'Conner to delay retirement until next summer:

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In other words, if Roberts turns out to be a conservative, Bush will be forced to appoint a liberal-moderate next summer or face a filibuster as the Democrats hope to win the Senate back in 2006.  Specter's plan would be a huge win for the Democrats.

[Blue Rectangle]

Does anyone have comments on the propriety of a senior Senator who controls the judiciary committee arranging the retirement plans of a Supreme Court justice?

Would it be more or less proper for Bush to call Stevens into the Oval Office and try to convince him to retire?

[A18]

Bush should appoint a successor for O'Connor this week.

[Jake]

Hopefully, Specter's illness turns worse very soon. This clown deserves to be stripped of his chairmanship today.

[Giant Saguaro]

Surprised Reid said he wouldn't. Now this surprises me a lot. Schumer indicate? Schumer strikes me as someone of a more shady demeanor - he'll pretend like he has an open mind and what not when all along I bet he has had his mind firmly made up. But, you never know. I'm wrong about Reid and wrong about Leahy, but right about Kennedy. Incidentally...

I agree Arlen should be de-chaired.
I agree Bush should appoint a successor to O'Connor as soon as Roberts is appointed. I'll "roll the dice."

Edit: Well it's interesting that this write-up is calling him "a conservative judge."

[A18]

When is the final confirmation vote before the Senate (not the committee)?

[YRABNNRM]

Are Reid, Kerry and Kennedy the only ones that have stated that they will vote against Roberts?

[Democratic Hawk]

Are Reid, Kerry and Kennedy the only ones that have stated that they will vote against Roberts?

So far to my knowledge

Brit Hume said last night it was so far 3 'ayes' - Leahy (VT), Bingaman (NM), Johnson (SD) and 3 'nays' - Reid (NV), Kennedy, Kerry (both of Massachusetts)

Dave

[A18]

Kerry is such a joke. He actually thinks he can win the presidency in 2008, so he's trying to pander to the far-left.

[Democratic Hawk]

Kerry is such a joke. He actually thinks he can win the presidency in 2008, so he's trying to pander to the far-left.

Well, if Kerry's entertaining that idea. My advice to him is don't bother

Dave

[Blue Rectangle]

Kerry is such a joke. He actually thinks he can win the presidency in 2008, so he's trying to pander to the far-left.

Biden is also planning to run.  Any prediction on what his vote will be?

I'm guessing he'll vote no.  The Left would remember a yes vote, but Centrists won't remember a no.

[riceowl]

They're already voting

7-3 so far - Biden, Feinstein, and Kennedy are the no's.

Kohl and Leahy got the right idea.

[riceowl]

Feingold - Yes

[MODU]

Of the 2008 Presidential wanna-be's, I think Killary is the only one who can vote against Roberts and not be harmed.  Any of the others are making a big-time gamble which will probably blow up in their faces.

[riceowl]

If Biden's not going to vote for "one of the best witnesses to come before this committee..." then who is he going to vote for?

[Blue Rectangle]

Feingold - Yes

DU is going to go ballistic.  This will be fun to watch.

Here's one explanation on DU for Democratic support of Roberts:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I'm not claiming that more that 0.01% of Democrats think this, so don't accuse me of a strawman.  This is for entertainment purposes only.

[Democratic Hawk]

Are we having a full vote or just the Senate Judiciary Committee?

Dave

[ATFFL]

Are we having a full vote or just the Senate Judiciary Committee?

Dave

Committee today, full vote next week.

[Blue Rectangle]

13-5, no names confirmed yet.

Edit:
Schumer, Feinstein, Durbin, Biden, Kennedy

[MHS2002]

From various sources:

Democrats for/leaning toward confirmation:

Kohl (WI)*
Feingold (WI)*
Leahy (VT)*
Johnson (SD)
Baucus (MT)
Nelson (NE)
Landrieu (LA)
Conrad (ND)
Pryor (AR)
Bingaman (NM)
Byrd (WV)
Nelson (FL)
Salazar (CO)
Levin (MI)

* Voted yes in committee

Democrats leaning against/oppose nomination:
Kennedy (MA)*
Biden (DE)*
Feinstein (CA)*
Schumer (NY)*
Durbin (IL)*
Reid (NV)
Boxer (CA)
Kerry (MA)
Corzine (NJ)
Lautenberg (NJ)
Clinton (NY)
Bayh (IN)
Dayton (MN)
Mikulski (MD)
Reed (RI)

* Voted no in committee vote

[Blue Rectangle]

What will Hillary do?

I'm guessing no, for the same reasons as Biden.

[TheresNoMoney]

Looks like I was a little high on my prediction.

I think Roberts will now pass with 75-80 votes.

Little known fact: Roberts and Russ Feingold were in the same graduating class from law school. I wonder if they were friendly.

[ATFFL]

Looks like I was a little high on my prediction.

Well, that will teach you to make political predictions while using illegal drugs.

[TheresNoMoney]

Well, that will teach you to make political predictions while using illegal drugs.

Sure will!