Is it just US? Or do others (of both parties) find Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist as being a curious combination of the sincerity of Uriah Heep and the less lovable aspects of Republican Richard Nixon and Democrat Al Gore?
We read stories like this and (a) shudder, (b) realize that any strategy he embraces is likely to be the worst one possible, one that will boomerang on the GOP:
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Sunday he is prepared to strip Democrats of their to ability to filibuster if they try to stall Samuel Alito’s nomination to the Supreme Court.
“The answer is yes,” Frist said when asked if he would act to change Senate procedures to restrict a Democratic filibuster. “Supreme Court justice nominees deserve an up-or-down vote, and it would be absolutely wrong to deny him that.”
Wasn’t there once a women named Harriet Miers who didn’t get an up-or-down-vote? Wasn’t she basically forced to withdraw her nomination? Or do nominees only deserve an up-or-down vote if they are SUPPORTED by conservatives (and, ahh, yes, we fully expect the lawyerly “it all depends what is is” explanations about how this is totally different). MORE:
A Democratic spokesman said Frist’s words were “silly and unhelpful” and that Democrats want the Senate Judiciary Committee to act on Alito’s nomination before they decide what they may do.
Indeed, this whole thing is pretty silly. Perhaps Mr. Frist has already seen the new version of King Kong, and thought beating on his chest will scare his enemies away. But there are few signs so far that the Democrats intend to FILIBUSTER Alito: vote against him, perhaps…but there doesn’t seem to be any groundswell to use the filibuster. AND:
Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said in an interview that senators should be debating Alito’s qualifications on their merits rather than speculating about the possibility of a filibuster.
But, he added, once the committee acts, “all procedural options are on the table. But we are months away from facing these kinds of decisions.”
It’s true that some in the Democratic party’s left wing want a filibuster because they thirst for The Ultimate Showdown as much as some in the GOP’s right wing do. But there is little sign that this is in the offing at this point. Indeed, as the AP notes about the “nuclear option”:
If that plays out, it then would take a majority of senators present to vote to approve a nominee such as Alito. Such a move carries great risk. Democrats have threatened to retaliate with a fight that could snarl Senate business for months. Also, it could backfire on Republicans if they were to lose majority control of the chamber.
If you look at the present political scene what do you see? Just a few weeks ago George W. Bush was clearly on the political ropes and the Democrats, who seemed to be making adept political moves, resorted to past behavior by shooting themselves in the foot (Howard Dean’s comments about losing the war in Iraq have NOT HELPED the Democrats…just look at Bush rebounding in the polls and Dean’s own need to clarify them later).
Left to their devices, the Democrats — divided, showing increasing signs of impending intraparty warfare and buffeted by demands from some to decrease the size of the Democratic tent (after all, in 2006 and 2008 it CAN’T hold Joe Lieberman and Hillary Clinton) — can damage themselves. But hit them with a nuclear option — or threaten them with elimating the filibuster when that issue has not seriously arisen yet — would be the GOP’s WORST political strategy in terms of helping solidify Democratic unity and further alientate independent voters.
And, naturally, that’s why we can count on Bill Frist to suggest it…..
UPDATE: On questions about financial dealings, he basically says “trust me.” VIDEO HERE.
UPDATE II: The Washington Post agrees with our reaction to Frist’s comments:
His willingness to consider a procedural maneuver called the “nuclear option” seemed somewhat premature. Last week, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) said that although he anticipates intense questioning of Alito during next month’s hearings, he does not detect strong sentiment for using the filibuster to stall a vote.
A spokesman for the leading Senate Democrat agreed.
“As far as I can tell, the only person talking about a filibuster is Senator Frist and some of the far-right fringe groups,” said Jim Manley, spokesman for Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.). “This kind of talk is silly and unhelpful.”
May we use the word?
Ditto…