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Leahy's vote for Roberts part of Democrats' strategy
chicago sun times ^ | September 25, 2005 | Robert Novak

Posted on 09/25/2005 7:54:26 AM PDT by flixxx

The vote by Sen. Patrick Leahy, ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, to confirm Judge John G. Roberts Jr. as chief justice surprised Bush administration officials. But it fit Democrats' Supreme Court grand strategy.

Leahy is not really at odds with Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, who came out against confirmation. Leahy opened the door for yes votes by Democratic senators (including two Judiciary Committee colleagues) who believe Roberts is going to be confirmed anyway. Reid's position puts the party formally in opposition to Roberts, satisfying People for the American Way and other anti- Roberts liberal activist groups.

(Excerpt) Read more at suntimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 109th; leahy; robertshearings; scotus
Novak rightly explains that the Dems are gearing up for the next fight for the Supreme court
1 posted on 09/25/2005 7:54:27 AM PDT by flixxx
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To: flixxx

Novak nails it again! Boy oh golly gee where would we be with the old prince of darkness right there to take credit for predicting that the sun will come up tomorrow?
Do you see why it's so ridiculous to listen to this guy about anything? He probably thinks they are still counting down in Miami.


2 posted on 09/25/2005 8:12:33 AM PDT by jmaroneps37 (The quisling ratmedia: always eager to remind us of why we hate them.)
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To: jmaroneps37

hey, he's getting old, had a blow up at cnn and need an easy analysis once in awhile...sort of playing captain obvious this time...


3 posted on 09/25/2005 8:19:28 AM PDT by flixxx
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To: flixxx

"But it fit Democrats' Supreme Court grand strategy."

So what the heck is this "grand strategy" anyway? Other than "oppose everything Bush wants." Or is this like Kerry's "plans": we won't be allowed to know what it is until after it's over.


4 posted on 09/25/2005 8:25:42 AM PDT by hsalaw
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To: jmaroneps37

And he gets a check for writing this too.


5 posted on 09/25/2005 8:26:10 AM PDT by johnny7 (“I'm American, honey. Our names don't mean sh_t.”)
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To: flixxx
Novak rightly explains that the Dems are gearing up for the next fight for the Supreme court.
Well he's right in that regard but he misses the "plan". The dims were stuck with a "super nominee" - they knew he'd be confirmed and if they all voted against him in committee they'd just look like the partisan block-voting idiots that they are.

Now - with the next nominee whoever he/she is - they can vote as a block - claiming principles. They will be able to point to the dim votes for Roberts and say "See? We're not in lockstep but this nominee MUST not be confirmed."

... my two cents. ;-)

6 posted on 09/25/2005 8:31:39 AM PDT by Tunehead54 (Nothing funny here ;-)
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To: Tunehead54

And they'll probably have at least a few RINOs (Chafee, Snowe, Collins at a minimum) joining them in opposing the next nominee.


7 posted on 09/25/2005 9:47:40 AM PDT by nj26
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To: flixxx

Well, duh. Rush said this last week. I think Novak is, unfortunately, a boob. He hasn't had anything right since 1994, and he seems to be a Bush hater. I trust very little he reports---remember he was WAY off on who the nominee was going to be for the (now) Roberts seat. He didn't even have Roberts on "his" short list.


8 posted on 09/25/2005 9:59:57 AM PDT by LS (CNN is the Amtrak of news)
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To: flixxx



Bob Novak has been reading FR again.



9 posted on 09/25/2005 10:11:48 AM PDT by msnimje (Hurricane KATRINA - An Example of Nature's Enforcement of Eminent Domain)
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To: flixxx

Well, OF COURSE Leahy's vote is part of the Democrats' strategy. If Novak is right when he says that Leahy's vote "surprised Bush administration officials", then Rove and Company are way, WAY overrated as political strategists. (Personally, I think Novak is being fed a line by a White House that plays its hand VERY close to the vest.)

The whole game is so transparent that it boggles the mind that so many pundits and "analysts" seem to be racking their brains trying to figure out what the Democrats' strategy is. Gimme a break! - - the Democrats stayed mostly civil with Roberts only so they can appear to be righteously indignant when they freak out about the next nominee (whoever the nominee is - - it really doesn't matter). The Democrats' "strategy" could not possibly be more obvious.

The Democrats cornered themselves when they signed onto the amazing "Gang of Fourteen" deal and their only loophole lies in the "extraordinary circumstances" clause. The Democrats can successfully exercise that clause ONLY if they can mobilize their allies in the liberal newsrooms to help them convince the clueless rabble that, despite what the Republicans are claiming about the Democrats breaking their promise not to filibuster, the "extraordinary circumstances" threshhold has "clearly been breached with this nominee who is nothing less than a right-wing extremist".

So when it is time to choose the next nominee Bush may as well go for it, big time, with a selection along the line of Janice Rogers Brown. Let the Democrats go bonkers and try to pressure five of the seven Democrat members of the "Gang of Fourteen" to break their promise and join them in a filibuster, and then let the Republicans go nuclear. Let's just be done with it. The Supreme Court is simply too important to give away so much as an inch.

We may be looking at the last best chance we will ever have to save America from the ravages of the Euro-style secular socialism that the Democrats are determined to continue foisting on the nation, incrementally but surely.


10 posted on 09/25/2005 10:38:49 AM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: flixxx

another DU troll.

Don't like novak. Why? Not left-wing enough for you?


11 posted on 09/25/2005 1:47:03 PM PDT by rcocean (Copyright is theft and loved by Hollywood socialists)
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To: flixxx

another DU troll.

Don't like novak. Why? Not left-wing enough for you?


12 posted on 09/25/2005 1:47:04 PM PDT by rcocean (Copyright is theft and loved by Hollywood socialists)
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To: rcocean

i think you have missed the point...Novak's analysis was pretty obvious...nothing new in his discussion about the Dems and the Supreme Court battles that has not been cited here on FreeRepublic numerous times...I actually am not a big Novak fan, but I still read his columns (or else I would not have posted it).


13 posted on 09/25/2005 2:06:05 PM PDT by flixxx
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