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Dems Seek More Debate on Gonzales

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 06:32:42 PM EST
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The reason that the vote on Alberto Gonzales was deferred until Thursday is, according to Democrats, that Democrats want more time to debate the issue. Republicans say it was to prevent Bush from having another feather in his cap during his SOTU. Here are some of the quotes from Senators today:

Sen. Patrick Leahy:

Judge Gonzales is the wrong man for this job," Senator Patrick Leahy, Democrat of Vermont, declared, using the title Mr. Gonzales acquired as a member of the Texas Supreme Court. Mr. Gonzales' actions as White House counsel, Mr. Leahy continued, "have tarnished our country's moral leadership in the world and put American soldiers and American citizens at greater risk."

Sen. Orrin Hatch plays the race card:

"Every Hispanic-American in the country is watching," said Senator Orrin G. Hatch, Republican of Utah and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which voted, 10 to 8, along party lines last week to endorse Mr. Gonzales's nomination. Mr. Gonzales's rise from childhood poverty in Texas to Harvard Law School and the highest levels of government shows, Mr. Hatch said, that "in America there is no limit to how far they can go."

Leahy responds:

.....confirmation should be based on more than heritage or innate ability. "I dearly wish we could vote for his compelling personal story," Mr. Leahy said, "not for the record before us."

There will be no filibuster:

Opposition to Mr. Gonzales is so strong is some quarters that a handful of Democrats this afternoon even discussed trying to stall the nomination through a filibuster, a parliamentary move that would require 60 votes to overcome. The Republicans have 55 seats. But the Democratic leader, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, later said there would be no filibuster.

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    Dems Seek More Debate on Gonzales | 5 comments (5 topical)
    Re: Dems Seek More Debate on Gonzales (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 08:30:56 PM EST
    Leahy should be careful, he could get another envelope full of anthrax spores if he insists on opposing the New American Century.

    Re: Dems Seek More Debate on Gonzales (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 08:32:25 PM EST
    Hard to figure out what more there is to debate. I think the facts are well known and we are about to elevate this war criminal to Attorney General. Amazing times we live in.

    Re: Dems Seek More Debate on Gonzales (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 01, 2005 at 10:31:01 PM EST
    I don't think it's fair to call Gonzales a war criminal. He just doesn't believe in our laws. What does that have to with being Attorney General?? He's Hispanic, and rose up from poverty, and that's enough. After all, Bill Clinton rose from poverty. I guess he wasn't Hispanic enough, huh, Orin?

    Re: Dems Seek More Debate on Gonzales (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Feb 02, 2005 at 02:43:46 AM EST
    I have only seen Gonzales on television. there he looked like a cartoon figure of a masochist It was incrediable to see him hunched up, smiling and angry talking about torture and his own subordinate position. It was more like a heavy handed black comedy than a confirmation hearing.

    Re: Dems Seek More Debate on Gonzales (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Feb 03, 2005 at 01:31:14 AM EST
    This whole period of coup is like The Three Stooges. It's the same bullies, with the same bad ideas, as back in Nixon. But worse; it's the power of what Eisenhower warned us about. When the last great Republican president took time to warn us--about what it turns out HIS OWN PARTY would do to the nation--we should have listened harder. From the saviors of the West to Kool-Aid addicts, in fifty years. I BLAME BUSH

    Dems Seek More Debate on Gonzales | 5 comments (5 topical)