Lucy pulls the football away from Charlie Brown again.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

Why bother to get all excited about Democratic "opposition" to some Bush policy, when at the eleventh hour that "opposition" inevitably collapses like a cheap lawn chair? Lucy ALWAYS pulls the football away from Charlie Brown, and he ALWAYS falls on his ass, but then he hopes that next time, she'll hold it for him and let him kick it. And yet next time she pulls it away. Again.

:banghead:

[rockymountaindem]

1. I don't see how we were going to get anything better than we've got on the Mukasey deal

It's obvious that even if we blocked his nomination, Bush would have sent some other ideologue ally, perhaps a more odious one in the mold of Ashcroft right back down the pike. And, if we'd kept rejecting these nominees, it would have been hell trying to justify why the Senate Democrats had basically allowed the AG position to go unoccupied. As it is, the Dems have pretty much destroyed Mukasey's credibility, made the administration look like they've got something to hide, and kept the dirty laundry hanging for all to see for several weeks. That's about all we can hope for here.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. That's probably true. But it's so disheartening to see the Dems

once again unable to stop losers like Feinstein from defecting to the Bush side. Realistically, Mukasey is probably better than the demented troll who's the acting AG right now, and maybe you're right that now there will be some considerable scrutiny on him. I just wish the Dems wouldn't cave every single time...

[rockymountaindem]

6. I know. It's extremely frustrating.

On the other hand, if all the Dems had voted against him in committee, then Mukasey would be out and some other probably more egregious choice would be next. You know as well as I do that Bush would probably react to rejection not by moderating his position, but by trying to stick it to us with someone worse. And, unfortunately, as long as he holds the bully pulpit there's not a whole lot we can do with such a tenuous hold on the Senate.

[Joe Fields]

5. I don't see where that argument holds any water.

If the administration were to keep sending bad nominees up to the hill for confirmation, then I would expect them to be rejected, one by one, until Bush would nominate someone who has demonstrated an ability to honor the rule of law.

[rockymountaindem]

7. He'll never do that

They've gone so far 'round the bend with this policy of theirs that any attempt to back off now would blow up in their faces. Besides, you've been living with the Bush administration as long as I have... do you really think they'd moderate their stance in the face of opposition? They'd probably use it as an excuse to move the other direction just to spite the other side.

[Joe Fields]

9. Does that matter? Is that your excuse to excuse the dems for

confirming Bush nominees that aren't up to standard?

It doesn't matter to me, and it shouldn't matter to the dems and repubs on the judiciary committee who goes before them to be confirmed. If that person hasn't demonstrated the ability to be a fair and impartial practitioner of the law, then they have no right to be confirmed.

I would expect one nominee afteranother to be rejected. I don't give a damn if the position goes unfilled for the rest of Bush's unnatural term.

[rockymountaindem]

10. Well, that's your perogative

but leaving the position unfilled would give the Repubs a lot of ammunition. Believe it or not, it's entirely possible that we could lose the next election and I see no reason to give them such a club to hammer us with.

[yourout]

8. Amen brother.

If they keep setting them up them we keep knocking them down.

If the tables were turned the pukes would NEVER give in.

[Joe Fields]

2. Once again (I'm getting tired of saying it) they abdicated their duty.

[Bozita]

4. DiFi is playing the role of Lucy.

GWB's double secret costume closet has just the right outfit for her.

[SoCalDem]

11. She sold out for the price of a plane ride & some sausage & eggs..super-cheap date, eh? n/t

[DemGa]

12. By now I don't really expect much opposition

Too bad Mukasey couldn't be "properly briefed"; then when he answers that water boarding is torture, Bush & co. could be brought up on war crime charges. Yes, too bad.