"The Deal" behind "The Deal"
By pollyusa Posted in User Blogs — Comments (14) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
FoxNews May 26,2005
The source is video, this is my partial transcription. The video includes clips with DeWine and Specter. There is a short commercial you must watch first.
Senior Republican sources tell Fox, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and The Bush Whitehouse were worried enough about possibly losing the vote to end judicial filibusters that they dispatched two conservatives, SC Lindsey Graham and Ohio's Mike DeWine to cut the best possible deal.
The principle source of anxiety was Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter. Top GOP sources say it was unclear until the last minute how Specter would vote...
Dewine said uncertainty was very real.
DeWine:
"No one knows how the vote on the Constitutional Option would have come out. We might have won. We might jave lost. If we lost it would have been devistating to the president."Specter:
"I can do alot better with divergent interests if I maintain as close to a centrist position as possible and that means keeping quiet."
I also found this quote from Senator Specter
Tom Curry, MSNBC
May 24, 2005
Specter seemed to hint at that outcome as he told reporters that the separation of powers between the president and Congress "functions best when people are a little uncertain as to how it is going to work out."
In other words, if Bush knew his nominee needed 60, not merely 51, then he might choose a less conservative nominee.
The Senate and Bush "are now back to pre-1987 (before the defeat of conservative Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork). Everything is a little on tippy-toes as to how to proceed and that is the best way for our separation of powers," Specter said.
I knew there was something suspicious when I didn't see Specter in the compromise group. I posted this the other day.
Slightly off topic, I think the vote was hanging on Specter. Snowe, Cafee, Collins, McCain, and Warner were I think going with the D's. Specter was not one of the 14 who signed "The Deal". I called Specter's office today and the answer there was that Specter has not issued any statements about the deal or why he was not part of the 14. I thought he was part of the discussions at some point, anyone know what happened with Specter?
I expect he's still trying to make up for that 'magic bullet' nonsense he dreamed up aeons ago.
and predict this thread breaking the record for most posts. Way to open THAT can of worms.
held up the deal or this is damage control.
This could let Graham and DeWine off the hook.
Either way Specter will probably take a hit here. Specter looks pretty pleased with himself in the video.
meant the magic-bullet-JFK-assassination can of worms. It's one of three topics I avoid like the plague. Religion. Abortion. JFK assassination.
I was being absolutely off topic. Sorry.
advised me to avoid Politics and Religion. She is a wise woman.
vote Republican since that would conflate both.
start being less snippy or you are going to be (justifiably) banned. Just a heads up.
I'll admit. It took me a while to revisit you... You've been playing nicer and only flirting with the magic banning line this time.
But, you got suspiciously active the last few days. And then your diary tonight made me go back and take a look.
And guess what everyone? Gorgeous George is Flintstone/Mandate! And we all know the rules around here.... A fresh account does not a new chance make.
Goodbye. Adieu. And rest assured you've given me the inspiration for a new, advanced troll finding tool that I'll be giving the editors very soon now.
tried to troll me once. And I'm sometimes worried that I'm treading the line vis a vis the mission statement.
Interestingly the one post I made that I thought might get me banned only got one comment. Go figure.
The three traditionally taboo dinner party topics are Politics, Religion, and Sex. Religion doesn't apply in the South (at least, acoording to Ms. Manners) because churches are such an important social instituion.
Actually, I was disappointed with my diary on Pope Benedict. No controversy, just a brief discussion on the nuances of Catholic and Orthodox theology. I guess I always could have posted it on Kos.
PS Sorry for being gone for so long, been completely busy with school.
I'm just a little sad that my snarkiest comment to date got nuked with his diary. :D
-bro
You can get the video at the FoxNews Website. Click Politics on the right, then click " Behind the Scenes " on the right.