The Democrats are just proving that they continue to be the party of no ideas, the party of "no." Some disturbing news from the Washington Post:
Senate Democrats blocked John Bolton's confirmation as U.N. ambassador for the second time Monday and President Bush left open the possibility of bypassing lawmakers and appointing the tough-talking former State Department official on his own.The vote was 54-38, six shy of the total needed to force a final vote on Bolton, and represented an erosion in support from last month's failed Republican effort. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, who voted in May to advance the nomination, switched positions and urged Bush to consider another candidate, while only three Democrats crossed party lines.
Now, listent to Pat Roberts (R-KS) in this next paragraph:
Some Republicans urged Bush to continue fighting for Bolton rather than appoint him on his own during an upcoming Senate recess for fear of sending a weakened nominee to the United Nations. "That would not be in our best interest," said Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
Well, I think it would be in the Republicans interest. If you look at who are up for re-election:
Democrats
- Daniel Akaka (D-HI)
- Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
- Robert Byrd (D-WV)*
- Maria Cantwell (D-WA)*
- Thomas Carper (D-DE)
- Hillary Clinton (D-NY)
- Kent Conrad (D-ND)
- Jon Corzine (D-NJ)*
- Mark Dayton (D-MN)*
- Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
- James Jeffords (I-VT)
- Ted Kennedy (D-MA)
- Herb Kohl (D-WI)
- Joe Lieberman (D-CT)
- Bill Nelson (D-FL)*
- Ben Nelson (D-NE)*
- Paul Sarbanes (D-MD)
- Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)*
Republicans
- George Allen (R-VA)
- Conrad Burns (R-MT)
- Lincoln Chafee (R-RI)
- Mike DeWine (R-OH)
- John Ensign (R-NV)
- Bill Frist (R-TN)
- Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
- Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX)
- Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
- Trent Lott (R-MS)
- Richard Lugar (R-IN)
- Rick Santorum (R-PA)*
- Craig Thomas (R-WY)
The only person that has basically any chance of losing on the Republican side is Rick Santorum. For the Democrats, they have a have a list of people that could lose. Corzine squeaked out a victory in 2000 beating Republican Bob Franks by three points. He is leaving his seat to run for governor, so that seat is open and when a seat is open, it depends on the candidates. Same goes for Mark Dayton, who is giving up his seat. Minnesota is a really big chance for Republicans to win because they only lost the state in the 2004 election by three points. Robert Byrd might retire after this session of Congress. If he retires, the West Virginia seat might be a Republican pick up. If he stays, the Republicans have no chance in my eyes.
Article comments
1 - Jeremy
Robert "Kleagle" Byrd, as much as I'd love to see his state dump the klansman he's done too much for them outside of racism for him to not get elected. I don't think they're going to dump him.
Cantwell has been labeled Can't Win in Washington. That will be an interesting race. I'd love to see Steve Largent (yes, the football player) come back into politics for this one.
Thew rest of them I don't know well enough to speculate on...the states just keep getting redder.
Time will tell how the party of "NO" caused America to vote accordingly.
2 - Nancy
The problems I have with the situation are that there are too many independently-documented examples of Bolton's abusive & unprofessional behavior - even Rice sidelined him as soon as she took office, Powell would seem to have been a wuss not to have neutralized him, since Bolton spent most of Powell's tenure obstructing and opposing him, his own boss; the confirmation process is NOT supposed to rubber-stamp just anybody proposed for a position, otherwise why bother with having such a process in the first place? and also W. is notorious - even from his gubernatorial days - for putting up the most obnoxious people he can find, just for the 'fun' of inciting the opposition, to prove he can, and because while he likes to do things his way, even more he has an almost sadistic delight in making them do it his way against their wills. Even granting the last issue is moot, the first two certainly deserve consideration. No president ever got all their nominees approved 100%, and the GOP ignores the fact that of all recent presidents, W. has gotten more passed than Clinton, or any other Dem. when in office. It's called being 'spoiled', insisting on having it their way 100% of the time, aka the Bush manifesto: my way or the highway.
3 - Scott
I'm gonna have to disagree on a couple things here...
"The only person that has basically any chance of losing on the Republican side is Rick Santorum"
Not true. Lincoln Chafee ain't looking too good at the moment. And even if he does win, there's a chance he could switch parties if Democrats are close to holding a majority.
Also, Conrad Burns very narrowly defeated Brian Schweitzer (i hope i spelled it right) in 2000 and with Schweitzer winning Governor of Montana last year plus Democrats gaining control of the State House and Senate, Democrats are poised to make a move.
I should also point out that with Bill Frist retiring that might be a Democratic pick up. Harold Ford Jr. is running and he's a popular guy, so...who knows...
"Florida turning very conservative from 2000 to 2004"
Being a resident of Florida, I don't think we've turned "very" conservative at all, we're more politically neutral...Mel Martinez barely beat Betty Castor in 2004...and Bush barely beat Kerry here. Of the two Nelsons, I think Ben is in bigger trouble of losing as Bill is fairly popular here and all recent polls on the 2006 race show him winning against all comers (including Harris). So there ya go...
4 - Dave Nalle
Given that the House just voted to cut UN funding, we're not going to be sending Bolton someplace where he's going to be welcomed with flowers and kisses. It's going to be a hard job and for that we need a hard man. Bolton is perfect because no one likes him enough to feel sorry for him and he's callous enough to put up with all the bitching he's going to have to hear from the whiners at the UN.
Dave
5 - Nancy
Well, Dave, that's a given; but surely Bush knows someone else who knows enough not to beat on, antagonize, and harrass his own employees as well as do stupid things like chasing or attacking people for whatever puerile reasons he thinks he has. We can't afford a lose cannon who has to be babysat, apologized for, or supervised, either. Bolton's own actions have proved he's an out-of-control nut case, even with his own 'party'.
6 - Scott
I should also point out here that it's rumored that Kay Bailey Hutchinson may leave her Senate seat to run for governor of Texas. Don't know how that plays into this...depends on who runs I guess...
Also, Corzine's seat will not be open, per se. Since the New Jersey governor's race is this year, someone will be appointed to serve out the rest of Corzine's Senate term (presumably a Democrat) and then that person would be the one to run for "re-election" (for the first time) in 2006.
7 - gonzo marx
the Original Poster sez..
*Senate Democrats are not Advising and Consenting, they are obstructing and denying.*
typical spin from the GOP...the Minority is Advising NOT to put up this nominee, and denying it's Consent
in this particular case it's in reference to not having all requested documentation delivered to the committee by the State Department...notice here, NO "executive privelege" or any other excuse is being given, just a "we don't want to"
sounds like not only are partisan politics in play here, but some Senators are upset due to the Senate being seen as a rubber stamp rather than the deliberative body that is supposed to "Advise and Consent"
who in the Senate was asked for "Advice" on this one?
only other Point here is Frist, good Observation that 3 GOP senators were missing, what kind of "Leader" calls for a crucial vote when he doesn't even have his whole team on the field?
'06 will be quite interesting...
film at 11
Excelsior!