http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/05/19/ap/congress/main20064471.shtml(AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — A liberal law school professor may become the first Obama administration judicial nominee to be defeated by the Senate.
Senators scheduled a vote Thursday on ending a Republican filibuster against appeals court nominee Goodwin Liu of the University of California.
A number of Republicans who earlier voted to end a filibuster against a district court nominee said they would not do so this time. It takes 60 votes to stop a filibuster and Democrats only have 53, including two independents.
Members of both parties have said the 40-year-old Liu is a brilliant legal scholar. He could be a future Supreme Court nominee. That's one reason why conservatives are fighting hard to stop his nomination, while liberals are lobbying for his confirmation.