Posted on 11/16/2004 12:33:57 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
Sen. Arlen Specter, a Republican defender of abortion rights, made progress on Tuesday in his embattled bid to head the committee that reviews judicial nominations, party aides said.
Specter emerged from a closed-door meeting with Senate Republican leaders with a smile but no prediction on whether he will become Judiciary Committee chairman -- though a handful of Republican lawmakers have publicly voiced support in recent days and have said they expect him to get it.
"I never count any chickens before they hatch," Specter, 74, of Pennsylvania, said after the meeting in the office of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican.
Frist, who earlier this week said Specter needed to make a persuasive case that he deserved the post, shook Specter's hand but declined comment to reporters.
While anti-abortion groups have long had concerns about Specter, they increased after the Nov. 2 elections when he gave what was interpreted as a warning to President Bush against offering to the Senate for confirmation U.S. Supreme Court nominees who oppose abortion.
After a crush of criticism, Specter said he was merely pointing out that nominees would need bipartisan support to clear Democratic procedural hurdles.
The Judiciary Committee screens White House nominations to the federal bench, including the Supreme Court, which helps shape social policy on matters from gays rights to abortion.
Specter, the committee's only pro-choice Republican, is in line because of seniority to chair the panel when the new 109th Congress convenes in January.
Top aides said Specter has appeared to make headway, but that all Senate Republicans must get a chance to talk with him before any decision is made.
Specter was to meet later on Tuesday with fellow Republicans on the Judiciary Committee and on Wednesday with all Senate Republicans, who will ultimately decide his fate.
Specter, who won a fifth Senate term this month with White House support, has noted that he backed all of Bush's judicial nominees so far and never had a "litmus test" for them.
While no Republican senator has publicly opposed Specter, a number of them have voiced concerns. "I wish to be assured that he will support the president's nominees," Sen. George Allen, a Virginia Republican, said shortly before Tuesday's meetings.
Sen. Trent Lott, a Mississippi Republican, said Specter should be given the chairmanship.
"I think he has earned it," Lott said. "I'm a pretty conservative guy. But I'm also a pragmatist and I think it would be a mistake for him not to be chairman."
"I think he'd be an asset. When he comes to the floor to speak on behalf of a Bush nominee -- maybe a conservative, maybe a pro-lifer -- it will carry real weight," Lott said.
Across the street from the Capitol, however, anti-abortion demonstrators kept up their campaign against Specter.
"We will not go silently into the night," said the Rev. Patrick Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition. "We are here and we are making our voices heard loudly and clearly."
By then it will be too late. It's easier to remove a tick before it sinks its jaws into you.
I presume so, but I think the behind the scenes discussion includes some requirements for supporting Specter.
I presume so, but I think the behind the scenes discussion includes some requirements for supporting Specter.
OK, one senator's ego NOW, vs. the house, the senate and the presidency over the next four years ... which weighs the most? (Of course, to support abortion is the ultimate indicator of disregard for the future ...)
Rueters. *Retch*
Ahem. We'll be taking names and we damn well won't forget.
Trent lott should sit down and shut up. Lott was a weakling who correct was fired from the majority position.
Lott is operating as a minority party leader. This is not the old country club senate, this is a 9/11 senate vs the remaining fools with a 9/10 menality.
Specter is the wrong senator, for the wrong job, at the wrong time.
I want to know just what "aides" they were talking to anyway.
Yep. Looks like Senator Lott is in relapse.
Well, this is Reuters. Nothing they say can be trusted.
NUTS!
GOOD call hope someone posts them. I want to give Lott a ear full, wish they would answer there own phones so they could "get a feel" of the outrage that is out here on this matter.
It's a righteous anger.
Keep channeling it at those who need to hear the outrage...
"Lott resigned for the good of the party over some innocuous remark. Spector obviously doesn't care about anyone else. Why can't Spector resigned the chairmanship for the good of the party."
So true.
You can tell her that Carl Rove casts only one vote on election day.
But the millions of pro-lifers cast millions of votes.
No Senate or House seat is secure any longer. There are millions of eyes watching now.
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