Cloture Watch
I'm going to be in class when the cloture vote happens, so I'm not going to be able to watch it on the C-SPAN feed. We're at 57-35 (53 Republicans and 4 Democrats) in favor of Alito. I still don't think that Alito is going to break 60 votes. Senator Chafee is a "no" (surprise, surprise) but he will vote for cloture. I'm looking forward to seeing this mess come to an end...
EDIT: Senator Lautenberg of New Jersey is voting no. His remarks are heavy on the Alito isn't O'Connor garbage. I would like someone to address the shift from O'Connor to Alito as compared to the shift from White to Ginsburg.
He's also saying that Alito doesn't side with the little guy enough. I am so sick of this stupid statement.
"Roe is settled law. You don't have to go to law school to know that." Then, "I'm not a lawyer." That's obvious.
As a side note, aren't senators supposed to be good orators? Or even good at reading a speech?
EDIT 2: Lautenberg says that this isn't about if Alito is right for the Court. It's if Alito is right for that seat. It's Justice O'Connor's seat. That's a load of crap. It's not hers. It's not Potter Stewart's. It's not Harold Burton's. There is no ideological marker on those chairs. And now Menendez is up to follow Lautenberg to vote no...
EDIT HATCH: Senator Hatch discussing the views of the Alito opponents..."Stare decisis for me, not thee." That's catchy enough to survive for a while.
EDIT LURCH: John Kerry is addicted to the sound of his own voice. "This nominee is an extraordinary circumstance." You lost the election, man. Get over it.
EDIT: Senator Lautenberg of New Jersey is voting no. His remarks are heavy on the Alito isn't O'Connor garbage. I would like someone to address the shift from O'Connor to Alito as compared to the shift from White to Ginsburg.
He's also saying that Alito doesn't side with the little guy enough. I am so sick of this stupid statement.
"Roe is settled law. You don't have to go to law school to know that." Then, "I'm not a lawyer." That's obvious.
As a side note, aren't senators supposed to be good orators? Or even good at reading a speech?
EDIT 2: Lautenberg says that this isn't about if Alito is right for the Court. It's if Alito is right for that seat. It's Justice O'Connor's seat. That's a load of crap. It's not hers. It's not Potter Stewart's. It's not Harold Burton's. There is no ideological marker on those chairs. And now Menendez is up to follow Lautenberg to vote no...
EDIT HATCH: Senator Hatch discussing the views of the Alito opponents..."Stare decisis for me, not thee." That's catchy enough to survive for a while.
EDIT LURCH: John Kerry is addicted to the sound of his own voice. "This nominee is an extraordinary circumstance." You lost the election, man. Get over it.
