You don't honestly think Kerry would announce a filibuster without...

[mikelewis]

having the votes to support it, do you?

Do you believe he would take the risk of whipping the base up into a tizzy and then dropping us flat on our faces six months before the Election? Do you think ANY Democratic Senator is actually going to vote FOR cloture and risk publicly stabbing the Party or the People in the back? Neither is very likely.

I believe this Filibuster is not only going to happen but it's going hold even in the face of the Nuclear Option. Frist does not have the votes to for cloture nor the votes to change the rules but this does not mean the battle's won. Not yet. It is our job to give Senator Kerry and the rest of the Democratic leadership the muscle to back the Neo-Cons off the Nuclear Option. That means calling in your support and staying positive and polite. This is going to be an emotional roller coaster ride, to be sure but if we strap in, hang on and scream as loud as we can, we might just have the ride of our lives.

Keep pushing, keep calling and if you are still sitting on the fence and not calling, you need to get in the game. Call in your support and help the Country beat back the Right-wing agenda.

[yodermon]

1. I salute your optimism

:patriot:

[Orangepeel]

2. yeah, I do.

I think that all (well, I'll give most of them the benefit of the doubt) the Dem Senators are trying to do what they think their constituents want and what is best for re-election (which are tied together, of course). For some, this means trying a filibuster. For others, it will be voting for cloture.

I'll be shocked if the filibuster holds (pleasantly shocked, although I am scared about who will be on deck next -- Priscilla Owens, I'll bet)

[Imajika]

3. Actually, I do...

"You don't honestly think Kerry would announce a filibuster without having the votes to support it, do you?"

Yup, that's exactly what I think. Kerry is pandering to the base - that is all.

Politicians do this all time - both R's and D's and every stripe of elected politician all over the world. Very often they will fight an obviously losing battle just to score political points with various constituencies and groups. It's really quite common.

It's pretty clear there aren't the votes to sustain a filibuster - it's been obvious for quite some time. Kerry knows this will score him some points with the activist base and has calculated he doesn't stand to lose much if anything politically by proceeding with an attempted filibuster - even though he knows full well it has no chance of succeeding.

I don't blame him really, that's what politicians do.

Imajika

[Snivi Yllom]

4. in a heartbeat

[LiberalAndProud]

5. I think maybe he's as alarmed as I am.

And this is about more than politics. If we are right, this is about way more than politics.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. Why would I think otherwise after his IWR vote?

[Binka]

7. I'm With You Mike...Kerry Called Installing Alito A RW Coup

Very strong language from one who had a coup pulled on his election attempt November 2004. The Democratic Block is about to take on Goliath! Hey it worked for David! Oy!

Peyton Says "I Love Me John Kerry & A Filibuster."

[TahitiNut]

18. Now, THAT'S a beautiful blonde!!! Hubba, hubba!

:silly: :loveya:

[Binka]

20. I Make Really Beautiful Blonde Spies

Little Blonde Spy



Big Blonde Spy

[TahitiNut]

21. Whoa! Liberals sure do great things for the gene pool!

Espionage is looking better and better every day! :silly:

[Binka]

24. Bunch Of Horny Kids....My Boys Are Cuties Too

Ben isn't looking his best, but it had only been a month since he had the shit blown out of him in Ramadi when this was taken.

[alcibiades_mystery]

8. LOL

Cloture will get 70 votes. Hate to tell ya.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

11. It's depressing, isn't it?

I don't know what's more depressing - that Alito will get in so easily, or that people here are too blind to see what's going on.

[alcibiades_mystery]

16. Sure is

Massively depressing. Alito is everything that we elect Democrats to prevent, but they are so fucking cowardly that they cannot even stand up here. It's shocking, but expected, all at once, the oxymoronic quality of the Democratic Party.

[neverevergivein]

9. If what you're saying is correct...

Then my math is way wrong (which would be GREAT). And John Kerry will get a fat check from me when he announces for 2008. I like your attitude, and I agree it would be ridiculous to call for a filibuster without having the votes in hand, but I'm still not convinced we can block the nuclear option. But all we can do is fight like hell. Thanks for the post.

[in_cog_ni_to]

10. That's what keeps running through my pea brain.

"Kerry just wouldn't call for a filibuster IF Harry Reid has told him NOT TO or told him we don't have the support." I just can't imagine that happening.:shrug: OTOH....I have no fucking idea what's happening anymore. We have been screwed so many times when we all believed the Dems would stand and fight and didn't.:(

I'm just praying the Democrats are listening to us THIS TIME.

[Orangepeel]

13. 85 - 90% will "stand and fight"

but that still won't be enough votes to avoid cloture.

That disappoints me (I called my Senator's office), but we've never been a 100% party. We just aren't. "Never been a member of an organized political party;" "like herding cats;" "big tent;" "not lockstep;" etc.

[tritsofme]

12. Its a cyncial politcal move, that's exactly what he did.

If he wanted to play savior to the base, he could have at least announced his intention to mount a "filibuster" before there were 60 votes announced for cloture.

[blm]

23. There haven't BEEN 60 votes announced for closure.

And especially not when you started badmouthing Kerry's motives.

Kerry TRIED to get someone else to lead a filibuster since he was scheduled to be out of the country from Wed night thru Saturday. When no one was stepping up, Kerry took it on THURSDAY, cancelled his Ireland speech he was supposed to give today and just came back.

Get your facts straight before you attempt to smear.

[WI_DEM]

14. yes I do

because it's the right thing to attempt and he would be keeping a 2003 promise to filibuster any nominee who might overturn Roe. I certainly think he believes he can try and get the votes, but it is, according to all the democrats who have come out saying they oppose a filibuster, going to be uphill to say the least. And yes, I do think there may be a element of 2008 in it--and I don't care. He deserves credit for trying.

[Marnieworld]

15. Yes!

I agree. It's not over until it's over. Filibuster and call their bluff about the "nuclear option."

[TahitiNut]

17. Does your world accept immigrants?

:silly: It sounds like the skies are bluer there.

[cally]

19. Yes, I do. I doubt Kerry has the votes

I think he did this because it's the right thing to do. Plus, it's a win either way for him. Kerry needs the base back on his side. This shows courage and leadership and helps to get the blogosphere to take a second look at him. In his Kos diary, he said that Teresa reads the blogs and that he sometimes does. He couldn't miss how passionately the liberal blogosphere wanted a filibuster on principal. This distinguishes from the get along candidates like Clinton and Biden. It's the smart move and upholds his values.

[Beetwasher]

22. Kerry Doesn't NEED THE VOTES, The REPUBS DO!

Kerry doesn't need 41 votes. The Repubs need 60. Do they have them?

Supporting the filibuster means actively voting against cloture. NOT supporting the filibuster means NOT voting against cloture. But that doesn't necessarily mean voting FOR cloture. Abstentions are ALWAYS AN OPTION.

People are really jumping the gun here. This is politics, you have to read between the lines. Has any Dem who has said "I won't support the filibuster" also said "I will vote FOR cloture"???? I haven't heard that.

[TahitiNut]

25. Note: Saxby Chambliss is in Davos with Kerry. That's one less cloture vote

Only 40 more 'No' votes or abstentions needed.