VOTE HOLD UPDATES: VOTE IN PROGRESS… VOTE TO BE HELD AROUND 4:00 P.M. Republicans reject McCain’s call for a unanimous consent vote; demand a roll call.
3:25: Sen. Specter speaking on behalf of Clinton. (still waiting for a vote…)
3:11: Durbin speaking, citing Hillary’s “How do you treat your women?” standard. Still waiting… while Durbin reminds his esteemed Senate colleagues that WJC’s foundation is not a mafia organization, but has helped people around the world. No good deed goes unpunished, especially if you’re a Clinton.
2:57 eastern: Lunch passes and we’re STILL WAITING (… for the Republicans to get their act together.)
Senator Cornyn, after what was described as a “heated discussion” yesterday, said today he would vote for Clinton’s confirmation, but here we sit waiting for the Republicans to get their act together. This delay is absurd, as Senators McCain, Collins and Graham all said. The other Republicans have acted in bad faith on this one, as our challenges across the globe mount. This is especially true since Clinton will be confirmed. Senator Kerry did his best to move it forward, with McCain’s help, as even Lugar wanted a unanimous consent vote yesterday. This is a prime example why Republicans have lost credibility. This harsh partisan nonsense led by Vitter and Cornyn. Senator Kerry also read part of Sen. Lugar’s statement, because he was out ill today, saying he believes in Clinton’s integrity.
Then Senator McCain said, “we shouldn’t delay” and must move forward, also citing the “fragile cease fire” between Israel and Hamas. “We need to immediately… by voice vote move forward…” also saying he’s aware of approval ratings, but also Clinton’s qualifications. The American people want “us” to get to work. McCain showing already that he will be an asset to President Obama.
Sen. Susan Collins gave a ringing endorsement of Clinton as secretary of state, recalling a trip to Afghanistan they took together. Collins repeated the description that Hillary is “the epitome of a big leaguer.”
But here we wait until after lunch, because for Republicans, politics is more important than the challenges facing President Obama, for which he’ll need Hillary Clinton on the job. Frustrating in the extreme.
Boy Taylor, McCain is sure coming through for Obama. There are a few Republicans who just can’t get it through their thick skulls that this is not a time for partisanship. They seem to be more concerned with re-election than the way the country will go.
Must get off here and get some work done. But just want to say Taylor that I certainly appreciate your site. And am excited to read about your move.
Have to go to the base and have our fingerprints taken and our ID cards will be scanned. It’s a new thing they are doing so that they can keep track of who goes on base. Big Brother is watching, at least in the military.
New rules for lobbyists. Love it.
Betsy | 01.21.2009 – 1:11 pm | #
No kidding, and reinterpretation of the FOIA.
Gosh, I miss Molly Ivins. My husband tried to channel her for me this morning, but he came up lacking. I can only imagine what she’d have to say about Cornyn.
Oh Geez, Boxturtle doesn’t have his little turtlettes lined up yet and has to do it @lunch..??
Molly Ivins: “John Cornyn looks like a senator. I mean, he is the most senator-lookin’ sumbitch I have ever seen.â€
My disgust runneth over. Vitter shouldn’t even be in the Senate. Send Cornyn to the woodshed.
I would love to hear what Molly would say about this. That’s one lady I miss very much.
No such luck. Cornyn, who I would have sworn is not this stupid, apparently signed off on having the nominee “forget” he was a member of the Federalist Society, and Roberts obliged, which is strange considering his reputation for brilliance and a spectacular memory.
As Molly Ivins describes Texas -
“National Laboratory for Bad Government”.
djjl | 01.21.2009 – 1:51 pm | #
djj1 – I don’t understand what game he’s playing. It’s like Nero playing the violin (or whatever he was playing) while Rome burned. Is he trying to show that Repubs are still in charge? This makes no sense to me at all. We need Hillary out there now.
djjl | 01.21.2009 – 1:52 pm | #
I just hope they keep GWB there. The idea of him on the speaking circuit is too much for me to handle.
I liked Molly Ivin’s nickname for W – Shrub.
djjl | 01.21.2009 – 1:56 pm | #
It’s so appropriate. Little OT but my husband met her on a flight from Dallas to somewhere and fell in love with her. Of course that was before he met me but he was extremely fond of her.
anyone catch the nugget that neither he or previous presidents will be protected by the FOIA?
Should Cheney be nervous?
OT
Just saw a local Hyundai dealership commercial. Its says that if you buy a brand new Hyundai, and lose your job in the next year, you can just return the car. Wow.
JA
Cornyn is doing what Republicans have been doing for 40 years….trying to disable the US Government.
I think he’ll pay for that. Too bad he just won another Senate term. I think folks recognize what a mess Republican ideology has gotten is in and won’t look too kindly at Cornyn playing games…especially when he says he intends to vote for HRC.
Should Cheney be nervous?
justlen | 01.21.2009 – 2:03 pm | #
I still want to know why that energy meeting that Cheney attended in the beginning of the Bush years was classified as secret and he wouldn’t give any info. I have no idea why or what went on but things seemed to start coming apart in CA after that. Or maybe I was imagining things. It’s a while back and I have forgotten alot of the particulars.
AG
That’s been running for a while here.
Ken Lay was in on that meeting.
Ken Lay was in on that meeting.
djjl | 01.21.2009 – 2:11 pm | #
I remember that and Enron and then Enron collapsed. I’d really like to know what went on.
OY FRICKIN’ VEY… We’re now waiting for Senator Diapers who wants to speak yet again.
Remember:
These meetings included at least one between Cheney and Lay.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/ken-lay-on-trial-why-are_b_19873.html
“It was at this meeting that Lay handed Cheney a memo that gave the administration its marching orders on how to handle the 2000-2001 California energy crisis — a crisis that we now know was largely rigged by Enron and other energy companies. The crisis cost the state an estimated $45 billion.
Lay’s memo called on the administration to “reject any attempt to re-regulate wholesale power markets by adopting price caps.” Just a few weeks after literally getting the memo from Lay, Cheney said of price caps: “We think that’s a mistake.” Bush followed suit, announcing: “I oppose price caps”. This cozy relationship allowed Enron traders to rip off the people of California with impunity.
Who (other than the reporters covering the Lay trial, that is) can forget those tapes where Enron traders joked about cashing in on the crisis they manipulated? Both “folksy” Ken Lay and his cover-providing pals in the White House bear responsibility for the California debacle. “
Let’s not forget that all this went on and was NOT covered by MSM.
Until the harm was done.
TaylorMarsh | Homepage | 01.21.2009 – 2:14 pm | #
He likes the sound of his voice.
Yeah, and he hasn’t a clue about foreign policy either. It’s not like the g.d. world isn’t falling apart.
cha-rist, Cornyn is holding up Holder as well.
djjl | 01.21.2009 – 2:17 pm | #
Truth really got lost in the Bush/Cheney Administration. Do we call this fraud for openers?
The sane one from LA. is speaking, thank you Sen. Landrieu.
Yeah, I know, justlen. He’s the GOP Jackass Designee.
TaylorMarsh | Homepage | 01.21.2009 – 2:18 pm | #
I think we should start jamming their telephones in Wash. I don’t know if you can do that if you’re not a constituent though.
…and no matter how you feel about WJC, his charitable work has changed lives across the globe. No. Good. Deed. Goes. Unpunished. If. You’re. A. Clinton.
Obama has an agreement with WJC that he can live with and that should be enough.
from RollCall on Jindal “
not endorsing Vitter at this time.”
http://www.rollcall.com/news/31402-1.html
“According to GOP sources, private polling shows that the once-popular Vitter has close to even favorable and unfavorable ratings and is doing particularly poorly among women.
“Vitter has worked hard to sell the idea that he has fully recovered,†according to a GOP operative familiar with Louisiana. “That’s interesting, but not reflected in polling.â€
At the moment, Vitter’s political prospects are uncertain. While some Republican insiders would like to find a strong primary challenger to the Senator, so far no one has come forward. And even Vitter’s critics within the GOP acknowledge that he has done a good job of securing the support of key donors in the state.
Vitter also appears to be trying to use votes to shore up conservatives. On Thursday he was the lone vote on the Foreign Relations Committee against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s (D-N.Y.) nomination for secretary of State.
Part of the Republican concern about Vitter stems from doubts about his strength against a formidable Democratic opponent.
“Our chances of holding the seat are shaky. If [Vitter is] nominated, his chances depend on who he’s running against,†according to the concerned Republican operative, adding that Vitter is operating from a “very significant level of weakness.â€
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is already looking to recruit a serious candidate into the race, and the longer Vitter’s numbers remain weak, the better the DSCC’s chances of succeeding. “
You can call, absolutely:
Vitter
Washington, D.C.
516 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4623
Fax: (202) 228-5061
Cornyn
(202-224-2934)
What channel are you guys watching this on?
I’m so glad that Vitter is up for election next year – at least we may not have to deal with him 6 more years like Cornyn.
CNN live video feeds
C-SPAN.
McCain is dead-right on this one.
I am glad that Geithner is getting through.
But I do wonder why there was such a huge outcry over Kimba Woods and Zoe Baird.
TaylorMarsh | Homepage | 01.21.2009 – 2:23 pm | #
Thanks Taylor – I was very polite but told both offices that as an American I felt that what Sen. Cornyn and Sen. Diapers, oops I mean Vitter (don’t worry I didn’t call him that) were doing was very unpatriotic. And I told the young woman who answered Sen. Cornyn’s phone that it was un-American not to be willing to work with the President of the United States. Both offices were polite and thanked me for calling.
Good for you, JA. Word.
Now it’s time for my nap. I was up late last night watching the parties.
wake me when they get around to voting.
I took a peek at the J Crew site – it was down for a bit – but are they celebrating.
…even the Rep. are bored. Corker rambling on about the economy, because his fellow Rep. still haven’t gotten their act together.
I can’t get the HuffPost article to come up now, because the link “Obama orders new ethics rules” goes to the releases schedule story. Anyway, in the comments when that article WAS available, one “AnnfromCA” commented that it was Kerry who was holding everything up while the GOP was trying to move things along. To that Ann, the ethics thing didn’t pass the smell test.
So is Kerry obstructing or helping?
Kerry is trying to get it done.
Kerry’s doing all he can. Even McCain jumped in, as well as Collins and Graham.
THIS IS RIDICULOUS.
That’s what I figured. The wording of the comment reminded me of the local “AnninCA” and it was very spinny. Spin-spin-spin. That appears to be all the GOP has and I don’t think it’s going to be effective for much longer.
I am watching the Holder hearings, they are equally asinine. It’s basically “you gave us crap for Ashcroft and Gonzales, so this is only fair.”
Holder’s confirmation is also being held up by Cornyn..because he’s afraid that Holder may actually want to prosecute people for ordering/committing torture and he (Cornyn) thinks that ain’t peachy because the Military Commissions Act was passed precisely to grant immunity to those who believed they were acting legally.
Anyway, Cornyn is going to be a serious thorn every step of the way.
It’s remarkable about Holder, especially on Marc Rich. No one ever brings up the pressure from Israel for WJC to offer the pardon.
That’s what I figured. The wording of the comment reminded me of the local “AnninCA”
wuulfgar | 01.21.2009 – 2:45 pm | #
FYI: they are one in the same
Actually Arlen Spector made it official. Holder is delayed a week. Childish tit for tat.
They’re terrified of torture prosecutions.
Now we’re waiting on Specter…
Great, now Spector is headed to the Hillary hearings.
It’s remarkable about Holder, especially on Marc Rich. No one ever brings up the pressure from
Israel for WJC to offer the pardon.
TaylorMarsh | Homepage | 01.21.2009 – 2:47 pm | #
That would be a little too even handed. They don’t like to do anything other than further their agenda. They planned to do what they did to the Clintons in 92. Have you ever read The System by Haynes Johnson and David Broder.
I’m just getting caught up. Thanks Taylor for that great clip from this morning, Amazing Grace is my favorite.
I am calling Cornyn’s office and telling them that I will give to his next opponent.
I hope a great women runs against Vitter!Total jerk!
Good, Durbin’s speaking. A little push from Dems is in order.
Good for you, LL.
here’s McCain’s statement from the Senate floor. (he’s distancing himself from the obstructionists)
“I think the message that the American people are sending us right now is that they want us to work together and get to work. I think we ought to let Senator Clinton, who is obviously qualified and obviously will serve, get to work immediately. And so I would ask unanimous consent at the completion of the remarks that any of my colleagues might have, that we initiate the vote at 4:30 and proceed by voice vote to the confirmation of Senator Hillary Clinton to be the next secretary of state of the United States of America.”
Thank you Senator McCain.
Tim Palenty just said on MSNBC that the Repubs need to ‘get on with it’, and let the cabinet appointments go through. He also said, the Repubs were deep in the wilderness.
yeah, and they’re getting deeper every day. holding up clinton STILL is a prime example of how tone deaf they are.
I got through to Vitter’s office and used Jane’s great unamerican line! I was polite and they were polite.
All of Cornyn’s lines were busy. I will call back.
This is what President Obama was talking about yesterday. Citizen involvement! We need to keep up the pressure on the neanderthals!
He’s working on his 2012 stance. They asked him about why they lost the minority and youth vote, and he said they would have to start including people. So he is working it for 2012 bigtime.
Citizen involvement, amen.
At least what Specter is saying is worthwhile in the void of a vote.
What is the story about Israel putting pressure on WJC to pardon Rich? Who Has written about it?
I did when it happened. Lately, Joe Conason:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/2009/01/16/holder/
Hi, TMers!! Just a quick note to say I have been busy trying to catch up on all the news about PRESIDENT Obama. Couldn’t watch at work because of the filter we have here. So, I’ve been relying on internet articles, some TV and comments here at TM. I usually can’t make myself read the comments at other sites – some get so ugly.
Taylor and TM posters have such good insight – I have to check in every day!!
I’ll be checking back often to see how Hillary fares.
Molly Ivins: “John Cornyn looks like a senator. I mean, he is the most senator-lookin’
sumbitch I have ever seen.†~
djjl
I’ll bet that’s the nicest thing she ever said about him, lol. I’m hoping to get a chance this weekend to read some of her old columns. She simply makes me happy.
Why’s Specter playing stall ball?
So after all of this BS will Cornyn vote to confirm Hillary? That’s what I’m getting.
Thank you Senator McCain.
djjl
I wonder if Mccain ever has regrets about not taking Kerry up on the VP offer in 2004. He has to know that the GOP has completely jumped the shark. My wife is a kindergarten teacher and I helped out in the class when I was in between jobs once, and they are about that mature (although unlike Vitter, the kindergartners are all out of diapers). Unfortunately, the GOP is far more dangerous than they are).
GeoT | 01.21.2009 – 3:24 pm | #
That’s the first line in my post!
Finally… VOTE WILL BE AT AROUND 4:00 P.M. EASTERN.
Yes, I’m shouting, sorry.
Thanks for the link Taylor. It just infuriates me more with the MSM, they are not only lazy and ill informed but they love their narratives so much that any set of facts that do not support their CDS get screened out. I always wondered about that pardon,never made sense that it was related to contributions to his Presidential Library. I wonder why he has not defended himself on it?
Republicans reject a unanimous consent vote. They’re demanding a roll call.
GeoT | 01.21.2009 – 3:24 pm | #
That’s the first line in my post!
TaylorMarsh | Homepage | 01.21.2009 – 3:31 pm | #
I see that now :=)
Why a roll call? Are they trying to set up fellow Repubs? These guys are so out to lunch when it comes to what the american people expect of them right now.
FYI:
C-span live streams:
http://www.c-span.org/Watch/C-SPAN_wm.aspx
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Cornyn’s office must have set it to VM, can’t get through ……denile is a river in Egypt.Jeez! I hope this means that lots of HRC supporters have been calling!
Re: Holder & Cornyn:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/21/senate-republicans-to-del_n_159740.html
If the Repubs are holding up Eric Holder as AG, that might last longer than a week, what can we do about that?
Call your congress critter.
Here comes the vote.
Here comes the vote.
justlen | 01.21.2009 – 4:00 pm | #
I can’t get CNN’live
I can’t get CNN’live
GeoT | 01.21.2009 – 4:03 pm | #
Buy a new modem.
CNN says Mitchell as mid-east envoy
it’s on c=span 2
http://www.c-span.org/Watch/C-SPAN2_wm.aspx
Buy a new modem.
justlen | 01.21.2009 – 4:04 pm | #
it’s a plug-in problem. I have a brand new modem
it’s a plug-in problem. I have a brand new modem
GeoT | 01.21.2009 – 4:07 pm | #
Reinstall Flash
(the modem thing was a joke)
all aye’s
justlen and GeoT
If you want to take the low-tech route…throwing your shoe at the monitor also works.
LOL
I will call Kit Bond’s office. I hope I am safe in assuming that McCaskill is not a problem.
The Repubs are making themselves look guilty.Like they are afraid since Holder left no doubt of where he stood on torture.They are probably afraid too of all the dirty laundry coming out on Rove’s interferrence with the Justice Department. We probably have no idea how many benefitted from it.
The Justice Department needs rehabing from top to bottom.
I haven’t heard one no vote.
demint NO
Vitter and DeMint: No.
Vitter NO
Demint and Vitter voted no.
So WTF is this on HuffPo that the DNC is abandoning the 50 state strategy and throwing Dean under the bus?
What the hell is going on? Their just getting around to voting. I went to sleep two hours ago.
I went to sleep two hours
ago.
Jane Austen | 01.21.2009 – 4:17 pm | #
We told them to wait for you.
In a way a lopsided YES vote for Hillary is a vote of confidence that works to her advantage.
DeMint and Vitter…let”s remember them when their elections come up!
Confirmed! 94 to 2!!!
94-2! Three cheers for HRC! Hooray, Hooray, hooray!
NEW FRICKIN THREAD…
Hillary is NOW SoS … YES!!!!!!!! I feel safer already LOL