Senate's Reid asks rethink on Roberts documents

[Eugene]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/08/AR2005080800888.html

Senate's Reid asks rethink on Roberts documents

Reuters
Monday, August 8, 2005; 4:32 PM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate's leading Democrat asked the
Bush administration on Monday to reconsider its refusal to release
internal documents written by Supreme Court nominee John Roberts while
at the Justice Department.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said senators
needed to see the documents from the years Roberts served as deputy
solicitor general in order to examine 50-year-old conservative's
candidacy effectively.

The Justice Department rebuffed Senate Democrats late last week by
refusing to release the papers, opening the door to conflict in a
Supreme Court confirmation process that so far has been relatively
peaceful.

"I am disappointed that the Justice Department is unwilling to make
available some of the documents relevant to the Roberts nomination,"
Reid said in a statement.

"I urge the White House to reconsider this initial decision, and to
work cooperatively with Judiciary Committee Democrats so that the
Senate can do its job more effectively," Reid said.

more...

[wtmusic]

1. Why are they refusing to release the documents?

What do they have to hide?

Someone please ask the question.

[depakid]

2. Because the Dems act like battered women

and Reid is among the very worst of offenders. He talks "tough"- and then does nothing (other than enable the far right). He claims he'll shut down the Senate- and then he gives three of the most extreme ideologues in US History free passes to seats on the federal bench- for life!

As long as Reid is minority leader- and as long as the DINO's hold sway in the Party- I wouldn't give them anything.

I mean, why should they? What are the Dems going to do? Whine to the press?

[DELUSIONAL]

3. My sentiments Exactly!

Now we'll see some response like -- oh Reid is so masterful blah blah blah. He is fooling a whole lot of people.

And yet as you said -- he gave a free pass to three extreme wingers.

I really believe that at this point in history Americans would like to see a real fighter -- people with backbone stand up and tell the truth. Stand up to evil -- because some people are waking up and are dimly aware that under that "nice guy" veneer that bushie is as evil as any historical figure we've read about. (Although I will never understand how bushie got that "nice guy" image -- he ALWAYS sounds and walks and looks like a big fat phony frat boy.)

[AndyTiedye]

4. Someone Like This?

"Senator, I am not now, nor have I ever been, an oil trader. and neither has anyone on my behalf. I have never seen a barrel of oil, owned one, bought one, sold one - and neither has anyone on my behalf.

"Now I know that standards have slipped in the last few years in Washington, but for a lawyer you are remarkably cavalier with any idea of justice. I am here today but last week you already found me guilty. You traduced my name around the world without ever having asked me a single question, without ever having contacted me, without ever written to me or telephoned me, without any attempt to contact me whatsoever. And you call that justice.

Senator, in everything I said about Iraq, I turned out to be right and you turned out to be wrong and 100,000 people paid with their lives; 1600 of them American soldiers sent to their deaths on a pack of lies; 15,000 of them wounded, many of them disabled forever on a pack of lies.
...

"As a matter of fact, I have met Saddam Hussein exactly the same number of times as Donald Rumsfeld met him. The difference is Donald Rumsfeld met him to sell him guns and to give him maps the better to target those guns. I met him to try and bring about an end to sanctions, suffering and war, and on the second of the two occasions, I met him to try and persuade him to let Dr Hans Blix and the United Nations weapons inspectors back into the country - a rather better use of two meetings with Saddam Hussein than your own Secretary of State for Defense made of his.

George Galloway before the U.S. Senate subcommittee on Investigations

[DELUSIONAL]

6. Exactly! The dems need to take lessons from George Galloway

Thanks for posting that -- I love the way he delivers that message.

He doesn't roll over for the abuser and smile pretty hoping that the beating will stop.

[Iowa]

8. Yep, he is weak and ineffective...

Just examine his words:

"I am disappointed that the Justice Department is unwilling to make available some of the documents relevant to the Roberts nomination."

Disappointed? If ever there was a mealymouthed way of making a demand, it's to say you're "disappointed". Harry, if what you're really feeling is "disappointment", then you're a passionless, gutless, coward who is afraid to stand up to a bully. Get the hell out of the way and let a real man or woman lead the way.

"I urge the White House to reconsider this initial decision, and to work cooperatively with Judiciary Committee Democrats so that the Senate can do its job more effectively."

Jesus Christ almighty! You urge them to reconsider? It's a wonder they don't run your culottes up a flag-pole, yank your silk panties up your crack, and give you a well deserved swirlie.

This really comes down to a matter of individual strength and character, and our side is sorely lacking.

[wtmusic]

9. A passionless, gutless coward who stood down the Mafia

Don't mistake diplomacy for a lack of inner strength. As an ex-boxer, he knows when to pick a fight and when to walk away.

And don't forget: Harry Reid is responsible for saving the filibuster. Period. There would be a whole new face on American politics without him.

[Iowa]

11. Nah...

There's no way I'll by into any spin that would portray Reid to be "picking a fight" by standing up in this situation. The WH picked this fight. Besides, even if they hadn't, it might actually HELP our side's image to come off sounding like principled fighters instead of mealymouthed wimps. As far as knowing when to "walk away"... that's bull. Our guys shouldn't be walking away from fights that matter. Reid has an obligation to fight - win or lose. Diplomacy? Yeah, right - that should work.

I'm sick of hearing excuses for the weakness of our Dem politicians. Until voters stop confusing cowardice with political strategy, we'll continue to have politicians who will sell us out. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry pretends to be an armchair political strategist these days, pondering "the big picture" and coming up with wise and insightful observations not readily visible to the common riff-raff. More often than not, they make excuses for our representatives: "it's a 'strategy', their hearts are in the right place, their hands are tied, what they really meant to say was ____, blah, blah, blah". The blame is always laid elsewhere. It's bull. More often than not, if someone talks and acts like a wimp, they ARE being a wimp.

[wtmusic]

13. Come down off that high horse for a second

and 'splain to me why your "armchair political strategy" is any better than mine. :eyes: Every RW pundit who sounded off about that deal said they got the bad end of it, and I agree.

There's no strategy in politics. Very funny. You and President Kucinich keep fighting for principles, the rest of us will keep getting things done.

[depakid]

12. Reid pretty much lost all his credibility with those 3 judges

At this point, he can't even threaten to act anymore- and every time he opens his mouth with some tough sounding statement, everyone knows that his bark is worse than his bite.

I never thought I'd praise Daschle, but here I go-

Daschle would never have threatened to shut down the Senate over the filibuster of the likes of Owens, Brown & Prior- and then turned around and let them go through- without so much as a fight andthen claim "victory!"

There's no "strategy" in that- not from our side at least.

That's learned helplessness- precisely the kind of behavior one sees in battered women who, when abused, threaten to leave or go stay with their friends for a couple of days, then turn around and go back to their abuser.

And before anyone says, "well what can he do with a 45-55 minority," just look at what Bob Dole accomplished in 93-95 with his 41-59 minority.

Not only did he block healthcare reform and the fairness doctrine- and several other things- but the Republicans took back the Congress and Senate in the next election! So much for the downside of being "obstructionists."

[wildwww2]

5. Watch him be a wimp and let that fascist be confirmed anyway.

This filthy pompous ass Roberts needs to be filibustered. The maggot helped the pukes run to court to keep my vote from being counted. And I`m still pissed. And him and his asswipe warmongering buddies can just "get over it".
Peace
Wildman
Al Gore is My President

[MasonJar]

7. George Herbert Walker Bush was the president then (and

earlier V.P.) I do not know what is in those papers, but Bush immediately upon stealing the WH refused to let his dad's papers be released.

[Supersedeas]

10. Cooperation? But this is a matter of privilege-not for Clinton-but Bush