WATCH: Dem Senator Nelson Open To Filibustering Obama Court Nominee

[democracy1st]

President Obama said on Saturday that a Supreme Court nominee is coming soon, but Republicans in the Senate have spent weeks working to frame the type of judicial resume that would be unacceptable on the bench. On Sunday, the GOP got what could be a bit of a boost, as a key moderate Democrat left the door open to filibustering a possible Obama Court nominee.

Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Sen. Ben Nelson warned the president against appointing an activist judge to replace the retiring David Souter. In the process, the Nebraska Democrat acknowledged that the scenario could present itself where he joined the GOP in voting against cloture.

"I think that's the test, will they be an activist or not?" Nelson said. "And I would hope that there wouldn't be any circumstances that would be so extreme with any of the president's nominees that the other side would feel the need to filibuster or that I might feel the need to filibuster in the case of extraordinary circumstances."

Watch:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/24/nelson-leaves-door-open-t_n_207146.html


One of the key negotiators behind the "Gang of 14" compromise in 2005 that preserved the use of the filibuster and allowed several Bush nominees to go to a vote, Nelson is a veteran participant in the high-drama of judicial nominations.

Earlier in the interview, he said that as the "author of the words 'extraordinary circumstances'" - the phrase that, per the 205 compromise, now serves as a the basis of the filibuster attempt - "I do understand that there could be certain circumstances where you might vote against somebody on the filibuster."

[Enrique]

1. i'm looking forward to the definition of "extreme"

you know it's coming.

I think the only way to avoid accusations of "extreme" would be for Obama to appoint a RW extremist.

[jaxx]

3. I think extreme is anyone left of far right to the pubs.

Freakin idiots, they will make all nominations a farce. Can those nominations be done with the reconciliation 51 votes?

[Davis_X_Machina]

2. President Nelson...

...already decided, with President Collins, what stimulus package you should get. Why shouldn't he decide who sits on the Supreme Court?

[Me.]

4. HE WARNED THE PRESIDENT?

Getting above himself and his station. He should know better than to dare Obama but luckily for him it will be done so smoothly he'll never feel the knife going in.

[polmaven]

7. While I think Senator Nelson is

off base in many of his positions, and that he is too much to the right for my tases....The President is not "above" a Senator "and his station" of any ilk....They are co-equal brances of government.

Just sayin'.

[Me.]

10. Not So, IMHO

While the branches may be equal, the president is a head of state and thus has the advantage over one of a 100 senators and it is why senators stand when the president enter a room and not the reverse.

[DatManFromNawlins]

12. Doesn't matter

Obama is President, not King. Senators have the right to go on the record stating their position in advance. It ultimately only takes one senator to change his mind in order to stop a President from getting what he wants.

[Me.]

14. That May Be

But what exactly is your point? That a single senator who always supports the corporate interests rather than those that benefit the people is as important as the president? I hardly think so. While certainly not a king, though those such as Nelson let 41 behave in such a manner, the president is the leader of our country and a senator is not. As to airing his views as he did today on Faux News, he is indeed free to do so, just as he did when he said he was going to start a coalition against the president's health care policy (so far the coalition is a coalition of one). Frankly I find it interesting that Nelson didn't try to stop * initiatives but keeps threatening to do so to the president who os a member of his party.

[polmaven]

19. Your post

#4 inferred that Senator Nelson doesn't have any right the CHALLENGE the President. He has EVERY right to challenge him, and the president has every right to challenge him back. I was responding to your apparent outrage at the thought that a Senator would DARE to even question the President. Even using all capital letters!

And yes, a single Senator may have the ability to stall legislation. I do not believe the President is, as you suggested, is above the station of a Senator. This is not a monarchy, it is a representative democracy.

If Senator Nelson's constituents don't like what he is doing, they can replace him....It is they who are above him....not the President.

[Me.]

24. What Utter Nonsense

[polmaven]

26. Oh, I'm sorry,

I thought we both were living in the United States of America.....I guess you are someplace else...please accept my apologies.

[polmaven]

25. Oh, I'm sorry...

I thaought we both were living in the United States of America.....I guess you are someplace else...please accept my apologies.

[Me.]

27. ROFLMAO

[mkultra]

28. I'm afraid his "warning" is very ostentatious

While Nelson has the "right" to challenge Obama verbally at will, he is still made a fool by his own actions. A single senator rarley has as much power as he thinks, even when he believes himself to be the keystone vote. When the chips fall, speaking out early is just vibrato.


With that in mind, it seems clear that our dear senator is trying to move back across the ideology line. Sounds like there must be a conservative trend happening in Nebraska.

On edit, let me add that the head of the executive branch has far greater authority than any single member of congress and yes, Nelson is out of his pay grade on this one.

[w4rma]

17. And it *always* takes one senator to change his mind in order to stop another senator from getting

what he wants.

[AllentownJake]

5. Oh Fuck it send Nelson over to the obstructionist party

We got Specter, he isn't going to help on the filibuster, let him join with the repigs.

[spanone]

6. won't matter, it'll just show his ass

[Thrill]

8. Says the guy who voted for Alito. And is the reason for the Bush taxcuts

[vaberella]

9. And people think because we control Congress and the Senate, O can get shit done.

Yeah, fuckin', right. Obviously he can't.

[emsimon33]

11. When does Nelson come up for reelection?

[question everything]

13. Not soon enough: 2013 (nt)

[Hawkowl]

15. Strip his committee assignments

A true majority leader would wup his ass raw in the woodshed and threaten his committee assignments as well as any, and all, special little pork barrel projects. A strong president, would also call Nelson to the Whitehouse and explain how Nebraska federal funding on all levels might be held up for the next 4 years.

There is no reason to tolerate such traitorous behavior.

[depakid]

16. Why shouldn't Nelson behave this way?

The party "leadership" isn't going to do a thing about it- which leaves Nelson only accountable to the corporate interests he serves.

[olegramps]

18. Demcrats should refuse to support Nelson and drive him out of office.

The National Committee should denouce this bastard and refuse to support him in amy way what-so-ever.

[Honeycombe8]

20. Did LIEberman join in that warning, too? With supporters like this, who needs the GOP? nt

[spanone]

21. democrats would NOT filibuster bu$h*, but they will filibuster Obama

there's our democratic congress in a fucking nutshell

[mgcgulfcoast]

22. too many trouble makers

everytime we turn around someone is popping off. nelson should shut up and keep his differences off the media.

[EndElectoral]

23. This guy isn't a Democrat. Never has been.