"God Bless John Kerry"

[fossten]

Reprinted from NewsMax.com

Friday, Jan. 27, 2006 10:18 a.m. EST
'Swiss' Kerry Not Neutral on Alito


Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., may feel he’s too important to participate in the Senate debate on Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, but it doesn't mean the failed presidential candidate won't have a "nuanced" opinion on the matter.

Rather than join his colleagues on the Senate floor this week, Kerry attended the exclusive "anybody-who-is-anybody" World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. But Kerry was not completely aloof from the political scene at home.

On Thursday, Kerry called for a Democratic filibuster of Alito, reportedly phoning Democratic senators for support. He has been joined in this effort by fellow Boston Brahmin, Senator Ted Kennedy, D-Mass.


They have at least one other prominent filibuster ally, Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., the Democratic whip.

Republicans were pleased with the announcement.

Don Stewart, a spokesman for Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, told the New York Times that the Kerry ploy worked to Alito’s advantage.

"God bless John Kerry,” he said. "He just cinched this whole nomination. With Senator Kerry, it is Christmas every day.”

Democrats reacted wearily.


The Times reported Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., sounded "almost apologetic” regarding Kerry’s statements.

"No one can complain,” Reid said, "that there hasn’t been sufficient time to talk about Judge Alito, pro and con. I hope that this matter will be resolved without too much more talking.”

Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., told CNN that Democrats should "make a statement” by voting against the nomination, but should not delay.


Three red-state Democrats have announced they will vote for Alito – Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb.; Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D.; and Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va.


To make matters worse for Democrats, Kerry defended his decision with a post on an ultra-liberal blog, the Daily Kos.


"People can say all they want that ‘elections have consequences,’” wrote Kerry. "But that seems like an awfully convoluted rationale for me to stay silent about Judge Alito’s nomination.”


A Kerry spokesperson told [threatened] the Times that he would be returning to Washington on Friday, earlier than he had previously planned.

 

[bufordtpisser]

What do you expect.......

Kerry is doing what Kerry does best. Aid and comfort to the enemy. That man is such a moron. It is just too bad that when he went running off into the jungle, leaving his men to fend for themselves, that some little vietnamese sniper did not get a bead on his cowardly little ass. It is even more amazing that his own men did not Frag his sorry ass. That is one soldier who should have made the trip home in a box.

He was a traitor and a coward then, and it is plainly visible to those of us that do not wear political affiliation blinders that he still is today. Take the stripes off a zebra, and it is still a zebra. Trade the greens for a suit and it is still a coward.

 

[JohnnyBz00LS]

 

[fossten]

Johnny's posting in the wrong thread again.

 

[fossten]

Reprinted from NewsMax.com

Sunday, Jan. 29, 2006 7:24 p.m. EST

Sen. Obama Criticizes Filibuster Tactic


To more effectively oppose Supreme Court nominees in the future, Democrats need to convince the public "their values are at stake" rather than use stalling tactics to try to thwart the president, said a senator who opposes Samuel Alito's confirmation.

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., predicted on Sunday that an effort to try to block a final vote on Alito would fail on Monday. That would clear the way for Senate approval Tuesday of the federal appeals court judge picked to succeed the retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

Democrats fear he would shift the court rightward on abortion rights, affirmative action, the death penalty and other issues.

"We need to recognize, because Judge Alito will be confirmed, that, if we're going to oppose a nominee that we've got to persuade the American people that, in fact, their values are at stake," Obama said.

"There is an over-reliance on the part of Democrats for procedural maneuvers," he told ABC's "This Week."

Sens. John Kerry and Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts are urging fellow Democrats to support a filibuster, citing in part Alito's conservative record on abortion and deference to executive power.

Alito's supporters must produce 60 votes to cut off a filibuster; an Associated Press tally shows at least 62.

The AP tally also shows that at least 53 Republicans and three Democrats intend to vote to confirm Alito; that is well over the required majority.

President Bush said Saturday in his weekly radio address that senators should have an up-or-down on a nominee "who understands that the role of a judge is to strictly interpret the law."

Obama cast Alito as a judge "who is contrary to core American values, not just liberal values."

But Obama joined some Democrats, including Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Charles Schumer of New York, in expressing his unhappiness with the filibuster bid.

"There's one way to guarantee that the judges who are appointed to the Supreme Court are judges that reflect our values. And that's to win elections," Obama said.

Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., said he, too, would support the filibuster attempt but agreed that it was not particularly wise.

"I think a filibuster make sense when you have a prospect of actually succeeding," Biden said on CNN's "Late Edition." "I will vote one time to say to continue the debate, but the truth of the matter" is that Alito will be confirmed, he said.