Expertise's Politics and Sports Blog


Thursday, May 19, 2005
Do the fenceriders have their six and six?

It sure looks like it.

According to the Washington Post, there have been a number of meetings to try to undermine the agendas of the Republicans.  As the media has focused on, Ben Nelson along with Mr. Spotlight, John McCain, has been trying to get six Republicans and six Democrats to join them in order to make a deal that would end the filibuster fight.  The six Democrats would join the Republicans in breaking the filibuster of a handful of judicial nominees in order to appoint them, and the six Republicans would join the Democrats in making sure the judicial filibuster will not end.

The Post has listed the six Democrats and six Republicans that have attended the meetings:

Democrats:

- Joe Lieberman (of course)

- Ben Nelson

- Robert Byrd (???)

- Mary Landrieu

- Ken Salazar

- Mark Pryor (Ark)

Republicans:

- Olympia Snowe

- John McCain

- Mike DeWine (Ohio)

- John Warner

- Lisa Murkowski

- Lindsey Graham


There are a number of the usual suspects.  On the Democratic side, Lieberman and Nelson were expected.  Landrieu isn't a big surprise since she's from Louisiana, and doesn't want to piss off the Cajuns.  Same with Pryor.  Salazar made a pledge not to support the filibusters, and has been taking heat from fellow Colorado resident James Dobson, so he has to do something to make up for it.  But I have no clue as to why Robert Byrd, after all of his antics in the last couple of years, would be on this list.  It is possible that he'll actually run for reelection?  That's the only thing I can think of, but that man is about as old as Abraham.

With the Republicans, Snowe and McCain, well, you know about them.  I've been disappointed in Warner's support, particularly when contrasting the actions of his colleague George Allen, who has been right in step with Frist on this issue.  The same goes with Graham, as I've not heard anything in particular from him on this issue, and he'll get flamed in South Carolina if he goes along with this stunt.    Murkowski doesn't really surprise me, as I've heard she is a terrible public official, and DeWine probably thinks he needs to make the argument that he's moderate in order to win reelection in Ohio.  Whatever.

I don't think they have them all just yet.  I don't see Byrd or Graham supporting this scheme, especially if word gets out to either side on this.  Graham in particular is an easy target for conservatives in South Carolina, and while Byrd does have age and independence on his side, I don't see him sticking his neck out for anything other than himself right now.

Regardless, I think it's inevitable that they get those 12 senators, so Frist should start thinking of a way to neutralize the lukewarmers.  As I've said before; all 10 nominees need to come to the floor, period.  No nominee should be held up by the obstructionists.

Posted at 02:22 am by Expertise

 

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