Priceless, DiFi! Will ask for clarification on torture position after he becomes attorney general!

[flpoljunkie]

November 02, 2007

Feinstein says yes to Mukasey, saves nomination

Sen. Dianne Feinstein has come through for Republicans again.

The California Democrat announced on Friday afternoon that she would support President Bush's nominee for attorney general, Michael Mukasey, in a critical Senate Judiciary Committee vote on Tuesday. Her statement of support came about an hour after Judiciary Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) said he would vote against the former federal judge.

Even if Feinstein is the only Democrat to support Mukasey in committee, he would emerge with a 10-9 vote, and would likely be confirmed by the full Senate. Feinstein's public support also lets Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) off the hook. Schumer has been undecided on Mukasey and would have been the swing vote if Feinstein had decided to oppose Mukasey. CNN is reporting that Schumer will now support Mukasey, but his staff has not yet put out a statement.

Feinstein's support for Mukasey comes just one week after she became the swing vote in favor of another high profile Bush nominee, Leslie Southwick, who was confirmed by the Senate on Oct. 24 for an appellate court seat.

Feinstein says she's still troubled by Mukasey's evasive answers on the question of whether waterboarding constitutes illegal torture, but says she'll ask for clarification on his position after he becomes attorney general.

"I believe that Judge Mukasey is the best we will get and voting him down would only perpetuate acting and recess appointments, allowing the administration to avoid the transparency that confirmation hearings provide and diminish effective oversight by Congress," Feinstein said.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/1107/Feinstein_says_yes_to_Mukasey_saves_nomination.html

[mikelgb]

1. another sigh for the great difi

[kurth]

2. The Israeli neocons win again

as predicted.

[Tesha]

18. You'll be called names for saying that, but it certainly looks like the truth. (NT)

[tularetom]

3. This is from the Onion, right?

She is either a complete fucking idiot or she thinks that the people who voted for her are complete fucking idiots. Either possibility is disturbing.

Or this whole thing is a joke.

[jgraz]

The people who voted for her ARE complete fucking idiots

It's been clear who DiFi since she was on the SF Board of Supervisors. But Californians keep sending her back to the Senate. :grr:

[Lasher]

4. I'm getting so I don't like Feinstein very much (EOM)

[incapsulated]

5. lol

Yeah, ask him over tea in his office after all this petty confirmation business is over with. I'm sure he will tell you his true heart then, Dianne!

[Solly Mack]

uh, what transparency? what oversight? Bush continues to torture

and NOTHING has been done about it

LMAO

She's so full of shit

One day in the near future we'll hear...

DiFi: "I said I'd ask for clarification once he becomes AG but no one could have anticipated that Bush would refuse to have Mukasey answer questions"

[fasttense]

6. What a coward. She can't pin him down now? Why?

Would it just be to harsh for such a delicate little man? Or is it easier for her to pretend to care then just rubber stamp everything spewing forth out the bushes.

[liberal N proud]

7. After he becomes attorney general? WTF?

:wtf:

Why bother

[AndyA]

8. After ain't no good, you stupid piece of shit twit!

What the hell are you thinking, Feinstein?

AFTER he's AG, he can shit on your face and you can't do anything about it.

AFTER he's AG, he can continue Gonzo's bad policies.

The time to find out is BEFORE he's AG. But it would take a level of intelligence that just doesn't exist in the Democratic Party today. Coupled with the corruption in the Republican Party, you can stick a fork in it, it's done.

Thanks for nothing, Feinstein. I hope your sorry ass gets voted out of office next time you're up. You're worthless.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

9. Milhouse: "When Lisa sees I do everything she asks...

she'll be sure to respect me!"

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

10. and when I said Feinstein was a coward last year...

I was called a sexist disruptor, all she wanted out of this position was her private jet.

[PurityOfEssence]

11. Findspine: Hillary Clinton without the smarts

She's a classic accident of history. Had Milk and Moscone not been offed in such a terrible way, she would have been a middlin' city or state politician instead of what she is today.

It's no surprise that she's a stalwart Clinton supporter: they're both corporatists and wet-finger moderates of the worst sort.

[PurityOfEssence]

12. Findspine: Hillary Clinton without the smarts

She's a classic accident of history. Had Milk and Moscone not been offed in such a terrible way, she would have been a middlin' city or state politician instead of what she is today.

It's no surprise that she's a stalwart Clinton supporter: they're both corporatists and wet-finger moderates of the worst sort.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

13. For the record, DiFi has contempt for civil rights in general

The assassination of Harvey Milk put her in the driver's seat, but her big look-at-me issue was as an anti-pornography crusader.

Never trust an anti-pornography crusader. Ever. With anything.

[RebelSansCause]

14. so should i be assigning blame to schumer? he is one of my senators and the

times said he was voting for mukasey along with feinstein. i was going to say well screw chuck but this article says that it is really all feinstein's fault. however, i STILL blame chuck, vote no damnit.

[Greyskye]

15. Innundate her office

Call and write. I just did - here is the text of the email:

You state "Our nation needs a strong and independent Attorney General, and I believe that Judge Mukasey will rise to the challenge.”

You "believe" that Mukasey will rise to the challenge? That is not good enough. Japanese military personnel were convicted of WAR CRIMES when they used waterboarding in WWII. There is no gray area here - it is an act of torture. And the US that I love does NOT torture.

If Mukasey does not state that it is torture BEFORE being confirmed, then you have just given the US Constitution yet another nail in its coffin. Please vote NO on Mukasey.

If you enable yet another Bush sycophant, you can be sure that your constituents will remember the next time you yourself are up for re-election. I certainly will.

[Greyskye]

16. I received a reply

This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter regarding Mr. Limbaugh's derogatory comments about members of our Armed Forces in Iraq who are critical of the war.

Americans are very divided in this war as you know. I do not believe that our peoples in uniform should suffer the bombast of Mr. Limbaugh. And the letter by 40 Senators says essentially that no soldier in Iraq is a "phony soldier."

Thanks for writing. Best regards.

:wtf:

Okie Dokie. Any credible candidates going against DiFi next time she's up for re-election? :grr:

[JerseygirlCT]

17. That'll show them! nt

[opihimoimoi]

19. WTF?? I guess she thinks we are stupid to suck for that LAME excuse

She is not HUman...and should be banned from Humanity...take her to the suburbs of TUVA