Statement of Senator Reid on the Retirement of Justice O’Connor

[Skinner]

Statement of Senator Harry Reid on the Retirement of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor has been an inspirational figure to all Americans. As the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court, she blazed a trail that many will follow. As a Westerner, she brought to the Court a love of the land and an appreciation for individual rights. And as a former state legislator, she had a practical sense of how to balance the will of the majority with the rights of the minority in our society.

Above all, Justice O’Connor has been a voice of reason and moderation on the Court. It is vital that she be replaced by someone like her, someone who embodies the fundamental American values of freedom, equality and fairness.

The decisions handed down by the Supreme Court profoundly affect the daily lives of all Americans. The Court is the final guardian of our constitutional rights and liberties. That is why the process of filling a Supreme Court vacancy is so important.

The Constitution gives the President and the Senate shared responsibility to fill this vacancy, because the President may only act with the “Advice and Consent” of the Senate. At this critical moment, the President must recognize the Senate’s constitutional role. He should give life to the Advice and Consent Clause by engaging in meaningful consultation with Senators of both political parties.

Working with the Senate, the President should identify a highly qualified candidate whose views are within the broad constitutional mainstream and who will make all Americans proud. With this nomination the President should choose to unite the country, not divide it. I look forward to working with the President and my colleagues in the Senate to fill this critical vacancy.

[kentuck]

1. A shot over the bow...

"The Constitution gives the President and the Senate shared responsibility to fill this vacancy, because the President may only act with the “Advice and Consent” of the Senate."

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. Excellent. Way to go Senator!

[DavidDvorkin]

2. That's promising

And heartening.

The first 2-3 paragraphs are to be expected, of course, but after that Reid lays out his position succinctly and well. If he can get some moderate Republicans to show some spine, we might yet avoid disaster. Might.

[MelissaB]

3. Above all, Justice O’Connor has been a voice of reason and moderation on t

Above all, Justice O’Connor has been a voice of reason and moderation on the Court. It is vital that she be replaced by someone like her, someone who embodies the fundamental American values of freedom, equality and fairness.

[BOSSHOG]

5. Freedom, equality and fairness are not conservative values

But a big ole atta boy to Senator Reid. I look forward to the fight. Lets see if bush will continue down the path of division.

[thinkingwoman]

18. actually they are

but they are not neocon or theocratic values.

[BOSSHOG]

22. I stand corrected

however I often subconsciously use the word conservtive in such contexts to piss the real conservatives off. I don't think they are doing enough to reclaim their heritage from those who swiped the name for political reasons only. I find they and christians especially would rather whine at my posts then identify and take on the real enemy.

[thinkingwoman]

32. that's a good strategy

it may eventually work.

I support all efforts to divide and conquer!

[OrlandoGator]

41. Just remember: real conservatives like to conserve things.

These shitheads currently in power have no such interests.

[buff2]

7. With that idiot at the helm?

Has this moron ever done anything in his worthless life that can be for the good of anyone but HIMSELF? This is terrible....a freaking war criminal who can't be stopped. And now this. What a horrible day in America.

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. "I look forward to working with the President"

Meanwhile, President Bush responsed to Reid's statement by saying,

" "

[Hugin]

6. Does he even know Reid said anything?

Ya think?

[Norquist Nemesis]

17. Reid had an excellent statement.

But the arrogant bastards in the WH will ignore it, as usual.

[Hissyspit]

10. You're not wrong. But at least Reid said what needed to be said.

[Norquist Nemesis]

19. Yes. Let's hope that Reid's call to work with the Democrats

is what gets the soundbyte for the news.

[Hissyspit]

23. I've got Headline News on right now. Not so far. They're talking Aruba

missing female.

[Coexist]

8. good statement

I wonder if there will be a deal made with the Bolton/SCOTUS appointments.

[Daphne08]

11. I'm seriously worried about our civil rights now that we have

Patriot Act, Patriot Act II, REAL ID and a Conservative Supreme Court.

I'm over 50 and have already seen this country change too much. So much so that I don't recognize it anymore.

Probably won't for the rest of my life either.

[MN ChimpH8R]

12. Well said, Harry

Now BACK IT UP and do your damndest to make sure the other Dems do as well!

[Zomby Woof]

13. I have been dreading this day, inevitable as it was

In fact, Stevens and Rehnquist are probably the next to go.

The Senate will probably not fight this nomination the way they should. We need to fight this 100 times harder than we did Robert Bork. But with more potential retirements in the wings, I am just not sure.

If Bush gets up to 3 nominations over the next 3 years, I am afraid that the damage to the republic could very well be irreparable, or at least set back several generations.

[spooky3]

25. You could be right, but I predict that if * goes with a wingnut

we will see a HUGE fight from the Senate Dems if the Rethugs force it. The Dems have set the stage for a filibuster by giving in on 3 prior wingnuts. The Rethugs in the Senate know that they now have to give back.

Give the polls (and if they worsen, I would have more confidence in my prediction), I predict * will try to find someone who is RW but not as extreme as he would nominate if he were politically stronger. Then the Rethugs will try to convince the Dems that this is an acceptable candidate and paint them as extremist to the public if they fight. With a very extreme candidate, it would be much harder for them to win this PR battle.

[Zomby Woof]

29. True

We may win this first battle, but will we win the war?

I want any and all nominees of an extreme caliber Borked out of the Senate chamber. That was the last time the Senate had a seriously contentious process for a SCOTUS pick. Why Scalia and Thomas had an easier time is what worries me. Could that happen again?

[navvet]

36. Maybe not the Senate GOP could counter this

statement

"The Dems have set the stage for a filibuster by giving in on 3 prior wingnuts. The Rethugs in the Senate know that they now have to give back."

with the so called nuclear option.

Unless at least 6 GOP senators are willing to cooperate with Sen Reid than BUsh will be able to put any one he wants to on the Superem Court bench, and he will be able to do so constitutionaly (more is the pity).

[UCLA Dem]

40. The polls are too low. He doesn't have the clout. It will backfire in '06.

[myrna minx]

14. Way to go Senator Reid.

He is eloquent while providing fair warning that the Senate will only accept a moderate. :fingers-crossed:

[Pithy Cherub]

15. This is the reason Senator Reid was smart enough

to put the names of "good qualified" republicans he found acceptable on the record before the first SCOTUS retirement announcement. Now when the * administration says Democrats don't find anybody worth voting aye for, well voila! Reid pulls out the dated release he has and says it was BEFORE any SCOTUS retirement announcement.

Great Strategic Play Senator...

[Walt Starr]

16. That whistling sound you hear is the nuclear option being dropped

It'll fly, too. Watch.

this nation died today.

[GOPFighter]

24. Nuclear option

I'm ready. It's time to finally confront these thugs and stick it to them!

[Walt Starr]

26. If they drop the nuclear bomb

the filibuster goes away and the Christofascist nominee gets in.

[xchrom]

20. with rehnquist we knew it be a conservative

for a conservative.
now?
well, seems to me that things are looking VERY desperate.

[ComerPerro]

21. Wow. Very diplomatic, good statement

[spooky3]

27. the guy and his staff have excellent PR skills

[ComerPerro]

35. heh. heh. You said "staff"

[progressoid]

28. If shrimpy's numbers keep falling maybe we have a half way decent chance

of getting a half way decent justice.

Maybe.

Hopefully.

Oh man, I need a drink.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

30. Well said Senator Reid

But I fear the President will, as usual, thank him for reaching across the aisle, and then nominate Roy Moore.

Another year of hearing Up or Down, and the theater of the absurd that accompanies it..

[Tsiyu]

31. Thanks, Skinner, for posting Reid's response to this madness

When I clicked on GD this morning and saw that O'Connor had resigned, I just said to myself, "Self, when do we just give up?" And I am NOT the give-up sort, but it just hit me square in the gut - they are getting everything they want to turn this nation into their theo-oligarchy.

Hearing a Senator's thoughts on the matter gives me a tad more hope. He reminds us all that the Senate shares responsibility for appointment. The problem is, the pResident doesn't give a damn about what the Constitution says. And neither, it seems, do the majority of Repukes.

Hang on for a wild ride....

[Mick Knox]

33. Wishful thinking

we're so fucked.

shit

[lonestarnot]

34. Thank you Senator Reid!

[maxrandb]

37. Chimpy, Big Dick and Rove to Sen Reid

"Go Fuck Yourself".

I think that it is past time we had this fight once and for all. Let the little "42 percenter" put up his wing-nut choice. Let the American people start to feel the walls of fascism closing in on them. Let woman be forced to carry horribly disabled and maimed babies to full term, only to find there is no more social safety net that they can turn to. Let the FBI and local law enforcement collect your personal data for whatever the hell they want to collect it for. Let them use Patriot II to lock up American citizens and hold them "incommunicado" (sp) for as long as they damn well see fit.

And after all that is presented to the American people, if they don't sweep these Repukes out of office, then FUCK AMERICA!!!!! It's dead anyway.

[uncle ray]

38. i'm sure * will file that right next to the DSM petition..n/t.

[UCLA Dem]

39. Good response. I like it. When the repukes pick an extremeist...

it will make them look like fools. Its a good starting point.