CEASEFIRE: PLEASE don't attack the Democratic Senators who didn't vote on Mukasey

[beaconess]

The vote was scheduled by the Democratic Leader at the last minute when it was probably too late for them to make it back.

According to CBS, as late as this afternoon, Reid was still negotiating with the Republicans over when to schedule the vote, and at one point, even threatened to postpone it to December. By the time he caved in and scheduled the vote, it is very unlikely that any Dem who was out of town could have made in back in time for the vote.

If anyone to blame, it's Reid, not the candidates.

So call a ceasefire!!!

http://cbs2.com/politics/politicsnational_story_312191908.html

[Connie_Corleone]

1. After the committee vote, I heard on the news that the full senate was voting next week.

That's why I was surprised it was tonight. That would explain why none of the presidential candidates showed up.

[madrchsod]

2. what do you mean---none of them showed up?

[Connie_Corleone]

3. Biden, Clinton, Dodd and Obama were not there to vote tonight.

[beaconess]

5. Because Reid scheduled the vote at the last minute, with very short notice

and they couldn't get back in time.

Thanks, Senator Reid. Not only did the Democratic Senate give another victory to Bush, you left several of your colleagues twisting in the wind - and they'll be getting attacked for weeks by Democrats and Republicans for not making a vote that you made it impossible for them to get to.

Nice going.

[trashcanistanista]

4. None of the candidates were there

and I also don't think Kerry was there.

[kelligesq]

9. I thought i heard kerry's vote. wouldnt matter if pres candidates were there

vote was 53 aye, 40 nay  so 4 votes aye wouldnt make
difference.

The dems got a chance to speak about what they thought of the
resident in chief and his policies of torture and his
attitudes of kingship and they drilled him a new orifice. 
They roasted him, especially Salazar, Sanders and Leahy.

They were magnificent.

" No Man Is Above The Law"  Leahy said.

They've gotten our message.  Just keep sending messages to
both houses of the Judiciary

[karynnj]

24. Kerry was there and voted NO

look at the roll call. He was among the first to go up to vote - so he was in the original list of nos read after they did the roll. He then was taliking to Durbin briefly than left quickly.

[NI4NI]

6. wtf is wrong with me?????

am I ignorant? stupid? uninformed? didn't pay attention in school? or all of the above........because I completely don't understand why Harry Reid is the leader of our majority.

[incapsulated]

7. wtf is Reid doing?

Jesus this party is useless.

[wndycty]

8. He may have done it to help out the candidates. . .

. . .no one is on the record as a yay or a nay.

[incapsulated]

12. Gah, enough already

Let them get on record for once, I'm sick of this. If they can't deal with being on record as against this POS, what is the point of voting at all?

[CyberPieHole]

14. That's no help...

how can one logically say, "I was opposed to him" when one doesn't bother to vote? You think the repugs won't throw that fact in the face of any one of the candidates who failed to vote? It's no use, there is no positive spin on this disgusting mess.


ON EDIT, sorry, I don't mean to be snarky at you. I know you are trying to post something positive...but my anger at the whole situation is blinding.

[beaconess]

15. But they ARE on record - they've all said how they'd have voted and Biden

voted in committee.

I think Reid, as usual, just got rolled by the Republicans and caved in to having a vote tonight because they pressured him and he never bothered to ensure that all of his troops were in place or even within quick turnaround traveling distance.

[incapsulated]

16. who knows at this point

Any way you cut it, it looks bad.

[CyberPieHole]

18. The record will not show their vote. They talked about it...they didn't vote...

there's a difference.

[CyberPieHole]

10. I am pissed off by this whole thing...

right now I blame them all...they all have access to private jets...they could make it back to DC in time if they wanted to...repugs will have a field day...there is no way to attack Mukasey now, that he was confirmed and to tell people how you "intended" to vote is borderline ridiculous. Nothing but anger at the whole lot of them.

[beaconess]

11. Repugs would also have a field day if they had run back here on private jets to cast a vote

that made no difference.

[CyberPieHole]

17. Please, they all fly around in private jets...

and of course it would have made a difference: their votes would be a matter of record.

[beaconess]

20. They fly around in private jets that are scheduled well in advance

it usually takes several hours advance notice to clear flight plans, schedules, routes, landings, etc. You're also assuming that their jets were following them around in the motorcade. It's very likely that they were nowhere near a private jet when they found out about the vote.

The assumption that these candidates could have just on a moment's notice hopped on a private jet and flown back to Washington is just not reality-based. Campaign travel is much more complicated than that.

The fault here lies not with the candidates. It lies squarely with Reid who knows full well that none of these candidates could get back to Washington on a couple of hours notice. There was no reason for him to cave into Trent Lott and the White House and schedule the vote at the time that they wanted it. He could have scheduled it for next week or even tomorrow, giving the candidates enough of a heads up to enable them to get back to Washington in time. He didn't do it. And now, thanks to Reid, not only are the Republicans going to beat up on his own people, but OUR own people are foolishly beating up on them.

Damned shame.

[AtomicKitten]

13. Too late.

Reid has done this before, but apparently that rationale is only considered a viable excuse for candidates other than Obama.

[madrchsod]

19. well,well ,well, i guess obama was`t the only one not to show up......

and i was told obama was the only one.....

[wndycty]

21. Don't worry this will be spun to say Obama's missing the vote is worse than other . . .

. . .candidates missing the vote. We all know how things are here at the DU.

[madrchsod]

22. well today i have read that---

he should quit the senate and run for governor and he should just resign because of some hare brained reason...

[CyberPieHole]

23. Self-delete