John McCain has done what John McCain does best...
WASHINGTON: In what is seen as a blow to the right wing Conservatives and even to the White House, seven Republican Senators abandoned the Grand Old Party on judicial filibusters [a tactic to delay or prevent a vote on a nominee's confirmation] and joined hands with seven Democrats to come up with a "deal" that would send some of the President's nominees for up-down votes in the Senate.
"This is really good news for every American tonight," said Minority Leader Harry Reid while Majority leader Bill Frist complained of the agreement falling short of the principle of a vote on "all" judicial nominees. `It falls short. It has some good news and it has some disappointing news," said Mr. Frist.
Prominent among the Senators who took this critical step forward included the Arizona Republican John McCain and the veteran Democrat Robert Byrd of West Virginia.
When Harry Reid thinks this compromise is good news for every American, chances are it's far from good news. And the fact that McCain is out there once again teaming with leading liberals in the Senate, is further proof that this is anything but good news.
LaShawn is all over this with lots of links.
The Anchoress sees Republican spines of jelly.
And Steven Den Beste sums it up for me:
By far the biggest complaint about this is that it clearly demonstrates that the Republicans can't be relied on to maintain party discipline, and regarding that I'm utterly disgusted. When they have a 55-45 majority, why in hell are they bending knee to the minority party? And why aren't they letting their leaders lead?
The voters gave the Republicans a majority in the Senate because the voters wanted the Republicans to implement their program. Clearly they don't have the balls to actually do so -- or at least, clearly there are seven of them who don't.
And leading that charge is that gelding from Arizona, John McCain. Sickens me. And so, by the way, does my own Senator, John Warner.
I'm beginning to believe that there really isn't a dime's worth a difference between the parties.
MORE: ScrappleFace:
Deal Preserves Constitutional Superduper Majority
by Scott Ott(2005-05-24) -- A bipartisan group of 14 moderate Senators last night struck a deal to preserve the Constitutional requirement of a 'superduper majority' for confirmation of judicial appointees by ensuring that any future nominee must meet the approval of 87 percent of the Senate.
As part of the deal, three of President Bush's nominees will receive prompt votes on confirmation and two others will be "cast into the yawning mouth of an active volcano."
"We're delighted to return to the intent of the framers of the Constitution," said Sen. John McCain, M-AZ, who led the compromise coalition. "The purpose of the Senate is to ensure the right of the minority to prevent any decision. This deal eliminates the unfair advantage of so-called 'majority rule'."
Seven Republicans and seven Democrats bucked their party leadership to forge the compromise, which Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-TN, called "disappointing" and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV, called "a significant victory for our country."
"Of course, I'm as outraged as Sen. Frist that these mavericks have gone behind our backs and cut a deal," said Sen. Reid. "I'm only consoled by the knowledge that we've protected the Constitutional requirement for a superduper majority. Let no one think that I approve of what these renegades have done to undermine my leadership."
Mr. Reid called it a 'lucky coincidence' that the compromise still allows Democrats to filibuster judicial nominees in 'extraordinary' circumstances.
Asked to give an example of such a circumstance, Mr. Reid said, "If President Bush violates the spirit of bipartisanship by nominating a conservative to the bench, that would be deal buster leading to a filibuster."
McCain was on the Sunday Fox morning show with Chris Wallace. I usually like to watch some of it before heading to church, but after about 3 minutes of his blabbering and pandering, I got ill and changed the channel to NBC and Tim Russert's show. Three seconds of Howard Dean was all I could stomach there.
Hard to believe that in '99 McCain was running fairly close to Bush in the primaries. Can you imagine how he would have reacted as President to the WTC tragedy? I think McCain would have been another 4 years of Clinton with an elephant skin. [shudder]
Posted by: MarcV | Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 12:17 PM