Democrats Face Pressures on Roberts Issue

[WhiteTara]

snip

One Democrat who is close to the Judiciary Committee said the issue broke down this way: If the nominee to replace O'Connor is going to be more conservative than Roberts, and more controversial, would it be better to have seven or eight Democratic votes in favor of Roberts or to have 30 or 35?

A second Democrat said part of the calculation reflected the view of some senators that Bush may shrink from confrontation when he fills the second vacancy, at a time when public support for the war in
Iraq is dwindling and his overall public approval is at the lowest point of his presidency.

Yet a third said some Democratic senators argue that they will be in a better political position to oppose a second, more conservative nominee if they have voted for Roberts.

snip
One Democratic strategist with long experience in senatorial campaigns dismissed such claims.

"Never once have Democrats benefited from attempts at reasonableness and compromise and accommodation," said Jim Jordan, former executive director of the party's senatorial committee. "To the contrary, Bush and his team seem to view political compromise as weakness, and they punish it rather than reward or reciprocate it."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050920/ap_on_go_su_co/roberts;_ylt=AvNm6Th5N4cUBWRQO7vMYP.yFz4D;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

[Dr Fate]

1. "Never once have Democrats benefited from attempts at ... compromise"

True.

[longship]

2. Hear that, DLCers? Appeasement doesn't work.

Many of us knew that already. It didn't work in Munich. It won't work in Washington, DC, either.

[ladylibertee]

3. They should just err on the side of our party and vote NO on

both. I mean, it's not like they have a chance at not getting Roberts or the next poliical " priest" confirmed anyway.:sarcasm:

[enid602]

4. shrink

"A second Democrat said part of the calculation reflected the view of some senators that Bush may shrink from confrontation when he fills the second vacancy, at a time when public support for the war in
Iraq is dwindling and his overall public approval is at the lowest point of his presidency. " Shrink from controversy? Bush? That'll be the day!

[Porcupine]

5. They will roll over and play dead.

The DLC has screwed the rank and file time and again since 2001 and the selection. Why would we expect anything different?

[roguevalley]

6. Good GOD ALMIGHTY! APPOSE THEM ALL, YOU CRETINS!