With Scott Brown in the Senate, the Republicans have the 41 votes to sustain their filibuster of Becker's appointment, without the help of any Democrats.
But look who has joined the "me too!" gang.
Yup, Senator Nellie.
Look, it is fine that Nelson is voting this way. His reasoning for his vote is sound.
We just are highly, highly skeptical that Nelson would have voted this way if he was the deciding vote.
If Nelson's vote mattered, on what many Dems consider a procedural vote, Nelson would have likely supported the President's nominee. We would have read a statement along the lines of, "While I am not comfortable with his background, it is the President's prerogative to fill this position. However, I will be watching his moves carefully and will review his impact," or some such nonsense.
We know it, you know it, Bob Dole knows it, and the American people know it.
We're not fooled here.
By the way, you think we are harsh on Nelson here? Try taking a look at any national Democrat blog (and probably the few local ones as well) and list the names that Nelson is called.
Now that's some anger kids.
**UPDATE**
We see that Republican Senator Richard Shelby may not join in the filibuster on Becker, so Senator Nelson may be the 41st vote after all (however you want to count them).
If this is the case in the end, we will rescind our previous gross sarcasm above, and replace it with general cynicism that the Senator realizes which voters butter his bread in Nebraska.
Oh, but note that Democrat Majority Leader Harry Reid may try the "end run" recess appointment anyway. In which case Ben is covered, and we would tack back to our gross sarcasm.
The situation is fluid...
**2nd UPDATE**
The Senate failed to invoke cloture against the filibuster - 52-33. Democrats voting against cloture included Ben Nelson and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas.
But...
In his press conference today, the President said that if qualified nominees were obstructed by the Senate, he would have to resort to a recess appointment as soon as next week. He now has a chance with Craig Becker, if he chooses.Gee, how about that...
Posts
20 comments:
The wind in Nebraska is from the northwest today...with Benito you never know. Has he tooted his horn yet? There has to be a new commercial in the works.
WOW! I was upset with Ben's Health care vote, but I would never rail on him like they did on that blog.
This was on that Democrat Blog
"Why do people elect Senators who have no taste in hairpieces?"
lol..lol..lol
This, after all the SEIU has done for Nelson? After Jane Kleeb provided cover for his vote on ObamaCare?
Truman was right; if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog. Of course, Harry was also a Democrat.
I wonder if this means Mr. Kleeb will be running for Ben's seat in 2012 at the behest of Mrs. Kleeb...and her masters/comrades at ACORN/SEIU?
Note post UPDATE.
-Ed.
Sen. Ben is just trying to get back in the good graces with his base ... Nebraska's Republicans. As I've stated before, and I will state it again ... if you guys want him, you can have him.
Dang it! I was hoping to post before SS changed the subject.
Oh well, I'll just hijack.
Is it just me, or does anyone else think it's bad form to run for office in the 2nd Congressional District, but spend most of your campaign dough in the 1st Congressional District?
Maybe we should check to see if White is actually filed to run in the 2nd-maybe he's planning to grab the 1st instead, he seems to like the businesses in Lincoln better than the ones in the Metro area.
BTO, Republicans have made a lot of mistakes in the past. We are trying to end that practice.
In the past, we would have taken Bennie. As I said, we are trying to stop making mistakes-You all have to keep him, we don't want him anymore.
Now, if he were to leave the Senate and then change Party affiliation, then we would take him.
The Republican Party has to be a party of many minds. I do not want to be a member of a Party that is nothing more than an echo chamber for the person with the biggest soap box. I want our Party to think about its positions and weigh them alongside all the available evidence.
I just want to point out that, while its true Jane Fleming Kleeb did work for SEIU, that organization is no longer part of SEIU but rather now a Nebraska non-profit. Just want to keep us all on the up-and-up, ya know. Keep it credible and accurate.
Anon 2:15,
We've all made mistakes, but some of us have come to our senses and realize that sooner or later you just have to quit making them.
You are wrong when you state that we have to keep Nelson. Many of us in the Nebraska Democratic Party have had our fill of him and wish he would just go away. Maybe he can pull a Lieberman and become an Independent. Several of us believe that he has had a long-term toxic effect on our party that explains our inability to find candidates or fund our party. Ben doesn't help anyone that runs under our banner, he dominates the so called "coordinated campaigns", and his influence over some of those in our party hierarchy is nearly absolute.
A lot of Democrats told me they'd vote for Nelson when he last ran, but that they'd have to hold their noses while doing so. Evidently a lot of Republicans that voted for him did so as well. Now that we've all seen just where Nelson's priorities lie - with the mega-corporations, certainly NOT with the average Nebraska working class person - I believe his political career in this state is finished. Maybe Mutual of Omaha will have him, or, should he become a Republican, some of you will ... I know I won't.
The Democratic Party must also be a party of many minds. I'm hardly a member of the echo chamber, pom-pom squad, or whatever you'd like to call it. In fact, some of my fellow Democrats often wonder just whose side I'm on. I keep telling them that I'm on the side of those that crafted our Constitution and Bylaws and our party's Platform, but they insist that I must be a Nelson sycophant or I'm damaging the party. Would that we could all adhere to a group that shares our basic principles without having to swear allegiance to one person. I'm not much for dictators and elitists, I'd rather stand with the working class.
BTO:
You'd have to ask why the Republicans would want Nelson. Before the cornhusker kickback debacle, while he was the 60th vote, he might have been able to cut a deal. Now, what's the point? Gov. Dave looks like a winnah in the Senate race, and if even if he decided not to run, there is no shortage of alternative candidates waiting in the wings.
I suppose there's no law that would prevent Nelson from running in the GOP primary, but he's heavily soiled goods.
Benny, Benny, Benny and the Jets. He's got electric boobs...and great hair.
Anon: 2:29 "...that organization is no longer part of SEIU but rather now a Nebraska non-profit".
Funded by who (whom)? If it's Change That Works Nebraska they claim to have ten hired people on the ground here, including Jane, who I assume isn't working for peanuts what with hubby's business just getting off the ground. Seems to be a mighty well-funded Nebraska non-profit that just sprang up in the past year. Maybe folks would like to know who really bankrolls it.
Whooooooooa! Julie! Do I sense a hint of JEALOUSY there?
Julie - If I were you I wouldn't be throwing stones at the legitimacy of a non-profit...
Julie, I'm sure you're prepared to provide a full list of every dime sent to your organization to pay your salary, right?
And Jane's group may want to claim they're no longer part of SEIU, check out their web page. Contact address says:
1800 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Suite 100
Washington, DC 20036
Want to know who is based in that entire building? SEIU (check out the big SEIU letters on the front of it on Google Earth streetview).
Ha Ha nice try folks.
Nelson was against this nomination when it came up 8 months ago. The only reason its news now is because the Senate voted on it. Again, Nelson was against it before he was against it.
Next you'll claim his opposition to the nominee for White House Counsel is another tack to the right. Can't you people Google?
Oh, and Julie - puhleeze. Let's see where NE RTL's funding is posted somewhere publicly. Wait, maybe you can steal emails from Jane Kleeb and get to the bottom of it. Were you convicted of a crime? Can you even vote?
Nelson was against this nomination when it came up 8 months ago.
Given it's Nelson, that tells us nothing about whether he was against it 7 months ago, or 6 months ago, or...
Don't you watch TV, Mr. Bundy? Haven't you noticed how they're STILL making jokes about the Kornhusker Kickback? The man's a laughingstock.
Post a Comment