January 30, 2006

Cloture vote goes down 72-25

On this vote, a "yes" vote was a vote to end the debate and a "no" vote was a vote to filibuster the nomination.

Have you got the courage of your convictions?

Democrats voting to end debate (anti-filibuster):

Akaka, Hawaii; Baucus, Mont.; Bingaman, N.M.; Byrd, W.Va.; Cantwell, Wash.; Carper, Del.; Conrad, N.D.; Dorgan, N.D.; Inouye, Hawaii; Johnson, S.D.; Kohl, Wis.; Landrieu, La.; Lieberman, Conn.; Lincoln, Ark.; Nelson, Fla.; Nelson, Neb.; Pryor, Ark.; Rockefeller, W.Va.; Salazar, Colo.

Who, me? Convictions?

Gutless wonders, the lot of them.

Posted by Linkmeister at January 30, 2006 01:36 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Landrieu and Lieberman make me ill. And I'm ashamed of Nelson. But for some reason I'm surprised by Inouye and Byrd.

Posted by: Solonor at January 30, 2006 06:18 PM

Our two Dans are playing a game I don't recognize. Both of them voted for drilling in ANWR, although in Akaka's case it's because he "listened to the people" in Alaska (in bloody 1993!). In Inouye's case, he's buddies with Ted Stevens, for reasons I don't understand.

Our junior House Rep. (Case-D) just announced he's gonna run in a Democratic primary against Akaka, but Case is even more of a DLC type than the others, and his cousin is Steve Case, which could mean beaucoup $. Case even voted for the bankruptcy bill. So now we have an open House seat.

Posted by: Linkmeister at January 30, 2006 07:46 PM

Once upon a time, Inouye was reliably mainstream liberal. I've been noticing for a long time that this is no longer true. I wonder what happened to him. Maybe he's been there way too long.

Byrd has always been a conservative, but I really thought that in light of what's been going on - and what he's been saying about the Constitution - over the last five years, he wouldn't fall for this one. It's sad, but I suppose it's predictable. He really should have made the case to his constituents that this guy was not what they wanted, instead of doing the "calculation" thing. "Mining regulations" would have had some resonance, I think. Just chicken.

Cantwell just has no excuse. Where the fuck do these people come from?

Posted by: Avedon at January 31, 2006 01:37 AM

On Cantwell's site she not only says that she voted against Alito, but was the only northwest senator to do so. Is she out and out lying? (what? a politician lying?) This is ridiculous!

Posted by: Jess at February 1, 2006 04:55 PM

This is the "cover" she's adopted. She voted "yes" on cloture, ending debate, but then turned around and voted "no" on his actual confirmation. She and the other 16 Dems who did the same are hoping their constituents will only remember the "no" on confirmation, not the vote to stop a filibuster. Kinda like "I was agin' it before I was for it."

Posted by: Linkmeister at February 1, 2006 07:34 PM