cloture

[manly]

Voinivich just voted aye on cloture! How can this possibly be, after his impassioned speech yesterday, and another one today, against Bolton? Is there an explanation?

[darkism]

1. And Frist voted nay

It's bizarro-world!

[cestpaspossible]

2. You're expecting a Republican to be rational?

[bicentennial_baby]

3. explanation:

when the pressure's on, the man has no principles...what do you expect?

[barbaraann]

4. I think it's tactical so he can bring it up again.

n/t

[ZombieNixon]

5. Perhaps they didn't have the votes to confirm or it was shaky.

That explains Voinovich's AYE as well as Frist's NAY, but not all the Dem NAYs, unless Voinovich, who caucuses with the Rs, knew that the votes weren't there, and the Ds did not.

[Anywho6]

6. I believe Voinivich wanted to force a vote knowing...

...Bolton would NOT get confirmed as things stand right now and Frist didn't want a vote because he needs more time to strong arm his colleagues because he knew it would be another loss for him if there was a vote today.

[tritsofme]

7. The same reason Voinivich sent him to the full Senate in committee

When he could have killed him right there.

It seems that he opposes him but believes there should be an up or down vote, that's why he voted to invoke cloture.

[mmonk]

8. With Voinivich an aye and Frist a nay

they must know something about how the vote would shake out.

[Zen Democrat]

9. Frist had to vote Nay to bring it up again. It's a procedural thing.

Voinovich I just don't get. Maybe he made a deal that he'll speak out and vote against ... but go along with his party on all the other votes. Who knows? Where's his principles???

[POAS]

10. Not a Voinivich fan BUT

He may have voted no first in case the Dems had enough defections to lost the cloture vote. When it went over the top he switched back to take the heat off during the recess back home.

[Sparkly]

11. I'm just tuning in here after being away from news all day, but

is it possible they don't have the votes right now to confirm, thus Voinivich wants to go ahead with the vote, and Frist doesn't?

If I'm wrong, please catch me up.

[genius]

12. That's what it says to me.

[Sparkly]

13. Thanks, genius.

:hi:

[housewolf]

14. Cloture isn't the vote Voinovich cares about ...

he cares about the vote on the nomination. I suspect he saw that the Dems had enough votes against cloture so that they could delay the vote and he decided that it was "more appropriate" to vote with his party on the cloture vote.

The vote that counts, at this point, is the vote on the nomination coming up in 2 or 3 weeks now.

You can't always predict a vote on a nomination or legislation based on a cloture vote. Often senators will vote "yes" on cloture vote so that they can cast their "no" vote on a nominee or legislation.