Democrats Push to Delay Alito Hearings ~ AP 18 minutes ago.

[mzmolly]

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent
18 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats pushed on Tuesday for a 2006 date for hearings on Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, challenging President Bush's call for confirmation by year's end.

"There's no way you can do an honest hearing by the end of December, or a fair hearing," said Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record) of Vermont, the senior Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

In a jab at the White House and the Senate Republican leadership, Leahy said he and the panel's chairman, Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record) could likely agree on a date for confirmation hearings if left to themselves.

Specter, R-Pa., was noncommittal on timing for hearings for Alito, a judge on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. "This is a swing vote on the Supreme Court.... I don't know enough yet to say whether it's realistic by the end of the year," he said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051102/ap_on_go_su_co/alito_senate

This is exactly what we need to do. Keep Alito OUT of the news, and PLAMEGATE, and the case for war, in the news.

:toast:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. yes yes yes

Keep the heat on. And yet be reasonable. I mean, if the tables were turned, I could see a Republican making a statement like this. The appointment is a crucial one, and pundits have long been saying that whoever was nominated for this post would have a longer and harder time before the Senate than Roberts had.

[PretzelzRule]

2. WOW, what a day this has been!!!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

To the Senate Dems:
:toast:

[goclark]

Good golly Miss Molly this was a good day! nt

[mzmolly]

10. Yes it has!

:hi:

[Rainscents]

3. ALRIGHT!!! Dems are growing BIG SPINES!!!

[LittleClarkie]

8. I think the Stormin' Mormon already had one

or did DU talk him into taking on the mob in Nevada as well.

Don't be deceived by his meek appearance. Harry Reid is one tough cookie.

[Nite Owl]

4. Dems are sure on a

roll today.

[whalerider55]

5. it isn't about keeping alito off the court...

it's about keeping o'connor on to hear some important cases coming up in november (abortion, etc).

whalerider

[mzmolly]

11. Very interesting.

Thanks for mentioning that.

[Igel]

13. Unless she's there when the opinion's made public, it doesn't matter.

Really important cases would probably be held over to be re-heard next year.

The abortion case is right at the end of November, IIRC. So they'd really have to get cranking to get that case decided, written up, and finalized before the end of January or even February.

[whalerider55]

16. if hearings don't start until

late january, and there is a majority to uphold the underlying princple, it could be done and announced before alito gets sworn in. the majority would have incentive to do that. and all the minority could do (especially with a newly minted CJ) is drag their feet on dissents.

could be done. and there is the political need on both sides of the aisle to defuse this issue before 2006- fark the right's litmus test, it's a loser's game to run on that one issue- see Casey in PA (or should i say santorum in PA).



whalerider

[bluestateguy]

6. There are pluses and minuses either way

You delay this until next year you are giving the religious right time to mobilize for the 2006 elections. Right now they are pretty discouraged.

On the other hand waiting until next year leaves open more time for a public vetting of this guy: damaging stories will come out one by one, as his paper trail is exposed.

[David Zephyr]

7. Any "delay" is because Bush himself caused it with the Miers fiasco.

Why should Democrat now rush simply because Bush so screwed up the Miers nomination and wasted a lot of time himself.

Democrats should quote this old adage to any Republicans who try to hurry them along: "Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part!"

[riderinthestorm]

And delay gives Fitz more time to expose more shit. nt

[David Zephyr]

33. Welcome to the DU.

I like your name, by the way. I saw the Doors in concert in the 1960's and that should give you an indication of how ancient I am.

[lonestarnot]

9. WWWOOOOFUCKINGHOOO!

GOD I JUST CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE EXCITEMENT! GOING TO BURST! ARE WE BRILLIANT OR ARE WE BRILLIANT!

[DanCa]

12. The Mcrib is back, the news star wars movie out, senate shutdown and

now this. Screw Fitzmas it's reidavus for the rest of us.

[mzmolly]

14. LOL

I was totally in the dark about the McRib!

[DanCa]

21. Lol did the sound of my artieries hardening give it away :D

Mary Reidavus :D

[mzmolly]

22. Was that the crunching sound I heard.

;)

[Metta]

15. A (symbolic) move against the WH.

A slap in *'s face.

[Nikki Stone 1]

17. Keep pushing!

:)

[Walt Starr]

18. WHAMBA JAMBA!!!!!

Remind me to get in a funk whenever things aren't looking as good as you'd like politically, K?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

19. Seems to me the REPUBLICANS were asking Chimp to hold

off the nominee until after the holidays.*



*Source: Hartmann

[mzmolly]

20. Good, should be easier to accomplish our goal.

;)

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

23. Alito is about as bad as it gets.

95% of Americans will be disowned by this guy.

[mzmolly]

24. Which is why it's good to have much time to pick him apart before the

American public.

He's had "iffy" rulings on choice, and it could pit the RW against him? I doubt that will happen, but boy a gal can dream.

I have no doubt the Dems plan a filibuster, and that's part of the reason they want a delay.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

25. I have serious doubts but I hope you're right.

[mzmolly]

27. I'm always right!

;)

I firmly believe that we have to keep attention on the case for war, and we have to delay the filibuster of this fool in order to do that.

When we filibuster THAT becomes the story and we can't afford to let the media go back to sleep once they've been awakened from their convenient slumber.

JMHO.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

28. "I'm always right!"

Well you've got me there! :D

[mzmolly]

29. LOL.

Well, just don't scour my posts as I'm sure you'll find evidence to the contrary. SHHHHHHHHHH.

:hi:

[FreedomAngel82]

26. Exactly!

Someone else stated how these things should take time. Bush is trying to cram this guy through just like with Roberts. Putting someone on the SCOTUS should take a thorough investigation. There are way more important issues right now than the SCOTUS. O'Conner has said she will stay on board until someone takes her place.

[GreenPartyVoter]

30. Woohoo! String it out until we can get rid of the cabal

[mzmolly]

32. Ohhhhhh, I like the way you think!

:)

[mzmolly]

31. Kicky.

:kick: