Extended Debate on Alito? NRO Says Dems Will Do It (KOS)

[kpete]

Today, Byron York reports that:


Word is that Democrats will stage a talk-a-thon on the Alito nomination when it reaches the Senate floor. The nomination is expected to be approved by the Judiciary Committee this morning, and Majority Leader Bill Frist is expected to move it quickly to the floor. But now it is also expected that Democrats will push for extended debate on the issue, with every Democratic member taking the floor to stretch out debate in what will amount to a non-filibuster filibuster.

This could be encouraging. However, York writes that the Republicans have a counterplan:


But one Republican source says this morning that the GOP plans to "accommodate them without delaying the vote." By that, the source means that Frist will likely keep the Senate open very late to allow Democrats to talk into the night. And then Frist will file for cloture, and unless Democrats choose to filibuster the nomination, which seems highly unlikely, there will be a vote. "Judge Alito will be Justice Alito" before the president's State of the Union address next Tuesday, the source says.

An interesting situation could arise -- the Democrats could take this great opportunity to explain the monumental issues at stake to the American People and the country could have the national discussion that should have commenced in earnest about the extremist Justices that Bush promised to place on the Court. Judges like Scalia, Thomas and Bork. Is that what America deserves and desires? Let's debate it. In the Senate. Exercising its constitutional duty of advice and consent.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/1/24/162329/893