WHOA! Repubs Switching Votes in favor of Impeachment! WTF?

[berni_mccoy]

I'm sitting here watching the vote count to table go down on the republican side of the Yea's switching over to Nays.... It's gone from over 150 to down to 138...!!!

UPDATE:
Wow. The repubs voted NOT TO TABLE it. Amazing. They want this to get to the floor and watch the Dems actually VOTE AGAINST IT.

[Virginia Dare]

1. Makes you wonder, doesn't it?...n/t

[sabra]

2. voting against tabling (killing) the resolution...

[angstlessk]

3. and 50 repubs voted nay to table??? whats going on??? cause its too late??

[angstlessk]

6. they get it both ways...they vote to table it..but when it is counted it says nay??

[berni_mccoy]

4. More have switched... down to 133...

[Moochy]

5. opposed to tabling

not necessarily the same thing.. I'm guessing many republics are confident of Whoreyers Hoyer's ability to call in the votes if it ever came to a full house vote.

[Buzz Clik]

7. They'll be certain to not endanger Cheney, but they'll be on record...

Fun and games.

[Richard Steele]

8. Playing politics. Switching once they're certain the outcome won't change. nm

[crickets]

14. Yup

When it finally hits the fan they don't want to be on record for tabling this.

ETA: Does anyone know when the vote list will be available?

[VP505]

9. Strange, I can't

figure out why so many Republics are getting on the no vote.

[Fleshdancer]

10. one would think the would want to get rid of Cheney

Actually, I'm surprised Cheney hasn't stepped down so that they can replace him with a VP that would run for the WH in '08. I just assumed they would throw Rice in there if it looked like Clinton was going to win the Democratic Primary.

[Crabby Appleton]

28. because cheney is bush's impeachment insurance

[Fleshdancer]

30. Could you clarify this point for me?

I'm not sure what you mean by that. Thanks in advance!

[berni_mccoy]

11. 12 more switched...

[madokie]

12. down to 125 now

[VP505]

13. 120

now.

[Skidmore]

15. Lord,, it looks bad when the majority and, might I add, opposition party

casts more votes to protect a war criminal than his own party does. I'm feel physically ill. This vote following that shameful endorsement of torture in the Senate is too much for one week.

[berni_mccoy]

16. Dems are switching now too! More dems are voting to table than repubs!

Dem 149 Yea, 68 Nay
Rep 117 Yea, 75 Nay

[LSK]

17. let me guess, they know the vote is safe and are all in close races this year

:eyes:

[VP505]

I kind of

think they have something else planned, cripes 107 now.

[The Traveler]

18. I think the strategy is clear

1) As others have suggested, they are on record as standing a bit for truth, justice, and the American Way and all that. ("See ... I wasn't a Cheney thrall.")

2) They think this will give them an opportunity to make the Democrats look silly and irrational. In other words, they want to give Dennis enough rope to hang himself and a few others. They are betting that an actual impeachment proceeding would do political damage to the Democrats.

I think they underestimate the anger of the country and the potential for this to backfire on them.

[Didereaux]

19. just a hunch, but.....

The Repugs may be using this tactic, or some variation. (1) If the Bill makes it to the floor it will in all probability be voted down. This will be set in the publics mind and the Repugs camaigning can spin it to the effect that it failed because it had no merit. Stupid, yes. But never underestimate the stupidity of Floyd and Zelda out there in the heartland. (2) If the Bill makes the floor it can be almost inteminably held up with various parliamentary ploys. This would prevent in effect another more valid and soundly structured impeachment bill from being presented. Tricky, and I may, probably am, off the mark, but some such shenanigan is a lead-pipe certainty. I will watch this maneuver claosely, something maybe to be learned from it...of what use to me I haven't the foggiest notion. ;(

...edit to add (3)....

(3) Knowing it will be defeated and tabled they are merely making a showing fro the 'home' folks. THIS is probably the correct assumption to be made!

[Yael]

20. They don't want it tabled. They know they can defeat it

so they want it voted on and over with

[berni_mccoy]

21. Less than 50 more to switch and it will hit the FLOOR!

[Me.]

22. They're Playing Games For They Think It's A Win/Win For Them

If they can move impeachment forward they think it will backfire on the dems, if it's stopped, no harm no foul.

What everyone in Congress isn't considering is the fact that the Dick is mighty unpopular in the country and some conservatives want him impeached as much as progressives do.

[countryjake]

23. The vote so far...

Democratic Yea 151 Nay 69 No Vote 13

Republican Yea 97 Nay 94 No Vote 9


The Repubs are changing their votes enmass!

[countryjake]

39. Peculiar strategy...if Repubs wanted it gone, why not table it?

Easier to go on record voting not to consider a resolution they consider ridiculous than it will be to actually bring it to the table and then defeat it.

How much respect do they think Cheney has in this country, by anyone? Defending such a rat is unpopular in all circles, regardless of party.

[berni_mccoy]

24. 39 More to switch!

[Fleshdancer]

26. wow. It's getting close now n/t

[Yael]

25. This is not a good thing, IMO

[berni_mccoy]

27. 29 more to switch!

[berni_mccoy]

29. 19 more and it flips

[babylonsister]

I just hope Cheney's feelin' the love. nt

[cascadiance]

31. Perhaps the Repubs feel that they have more to gain by triggering the wrath of Dem constituents!

And that they might gain more if there is division in various districts where a Dem is exposed to have voted against impeachment and would in effect be more likely to be replaced than they might, since their constituency would "know" that they weren't serious about their desire for impeachment.

It's all about "exposing" corporatists! A Democrat corporatist that is exposed has more to fear than a Rethuglican!

[VP505]

32. Whatever it is

they defiantly have a plan.

[Vadem]

34. 207 aye, 204 nay!!!

What is going on! We may have an impeachment, yet!!!

woo hoo!

[crickets]

33. A majority of the Repubs have voted not to table

Yea/Nay 58 to 133 and counting.

Dems 149 to 71.

Ouch.

[crickets]

35. 201 Yea, 210 NAY

OMG! Could it be? Could it be? Oh, PLEASE!

ETA; 190 - 221 - and still changing.

The downside is, Republicans will get CREDIT for supporting this when the people who are still sleeping finally wake up and realize how necessary it was. Stupid Dems.

[VP505]

36. Looks like

they are going to push it on, but WHY?

[crickets]

38. I'm not sure

I think it makes the Dems look really bad, and they're betting this won't go far, much less to conviction? I don't know. That might be enough in their minds. I have no clue. I'm shaking and little scattered at the moment, hee. It's a great question, though. Does anyone have any other ideas?

[crickets]

40. Here's the answer

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2218934&mesg_id=2219054
repubs are for an up or down vote (which will be "down")

Depressing. I would have hoped for better.

[orleans]

37. can you stand this? randi is on it, talk about exciting tv! i've got the

radio on and the tv!!