The Vote So Far
I feel like I should expand on my previous post. So far, Kennedy, Kerry, and Reid have all said that they will vote no on Roberts. This is a stupid move, both on its face and politically. I think I've already made the case for why it's just stupid as is. Roberts is hyper-qualified for the job. There probably isn't anyone else who would be better (though maybe a few who would be as good). Saying that Roberts isn't right for the job is just being detached from reality. It is just crybaby crap from people still bummed out over 2004. Bush won the election. He gets to name people to the Court. Tough.
The political aspect of this is even more interesting. Sure, they are making their foaming-at-the-mouth base happy by voting no. Good for them. But who cares? You think Ted Kennedy has to worry about a challenger in the primary? They also avoid attacks from the interest groups, like the recent attack from that muppet Ralph Neas on Leahy who is voting yes. Again, who cares? No one but Ralph Neas cares what Ralph Neas thinks. Leahy is the smartest one of the bunch so far. He's voting yes. He's on record as a "fair guy" and willing to give Roberts the benefit of the doubt. Then here comes the next nominee... Now Leahy's got cred to use. He can say "Whoa, I voted for Roberts cause he's worthy of the job, but Nominee X is too extreme, too much of an ideologue, too out of the mainstream." He doesn't look like a kneejerk partisan like Kennedy, Kerry, and Reid. Leahy ends up being the guy in the position to lead the obstruction. That still makes him a slug, but he's at least being smart about his sluggery.
The political aspect of this is even more interesting. Sure, they are making their foaming-at-the-mouth base happy by voting no. Good for them. But who cares? You think Ted Kennedy has to worry about a challenger in the primary? They also avoid attacks from the interest groups, like the recent attack from that muppet Ralph Neas on Leahy who is voting yes. Again, who cares? No one but Ralph Neas cares what Ralph Neas thinks. Leahy is the smartest one of the bunch so far. He's voting yes. He's on record as a "fair guy" and willing to give Roberts the benefit of the doubt. Then here comes the next nominee... Now Leahy's got cred to use. He can say "Whoa, I voted for Roberts cause he's worthy of the job, but Nominee X is too extreme, too much of an ideologue, too out of the mainstream." He doesn't look like a kneejerk partisan like Kennedy, Kerry, and Reid. Leahy ends up being the guy in the position to lead the obstruction. That still makes him a slug, but he's at least being smart about his sluggery.
