If Clinton, Obama, Dodd or Biden had showed up & voted NO, Then NO MUKASEY as AG...

[Blackhatjack]

The 53-40 vote was one vote short of enough to force a cloture vote, which would have required 60 votes to cut off debate, and Mukasey would NOT HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED.

If they did not understand how this works, all they had to do was consult the Repubs who have called for more cloture votes in history this session --and have blocked more majority votes from passing legislation with cloture votes requiring 60 votes to pass.

Honestly, how can these Presidential Candidates explain their positions OPPOSING Mukasey and then they fail to show up and vote against him WHEN IT WOULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE.

IF JUST ONE OF THEM HAD SHOWED UP AND VOTED AGAINST MUKASEY it would have required one of the Senators voting against Mukasey to change their vote to approving Mukasey.

It sure looks like this was coordinated with the Democratic Leadership to produce the results we got with this vote.

Unbelievable.

[Demeter]

1. But Par for the Course

This is what they've been doing to us all along--refusing to act like they gave a damn.

[ellacott]

2. It is truly unbelievable

I heard one report that they said they were afraid of who Bush would choose if Mukasey were not approved. They also felt that the interim AG was a Bush puppet(aren't they all?) and that he would also be worse than Mukasey.

[BridgeTheGap]

3. That's a very strong point you make - if they were opposed

why didn't they show up to back up their opposition with a vote.
Probably behind the scenes shit happening here.

[orleans]

25. i heard reid moved the vote up so that it took place before the

candidates were able to get back.

not that i believe the candidates would have come back anyway, or that they would have bothered to vote had they been back--but i believe it is a little something reid pulled.

this from november 7th:
"Mukasey clears Senate panel, 11-8
The attorney general nominee is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate as early as next week. Criticism continues.
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/20071107_Mukasey_clears_Senate_panel__11-8.html

and this from november 7th
"Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced Tuesday that he'll oppose Mukasey because of the waterboarding controversy. Even so, he's expected to schedule a confirmation vote as early as next week.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/story/298454.html

and this from november 8th
Senate leaders struggled to agree when to hold the vote. Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said on the Senate floor that a possible vote Thursday had been postponed and that a final vote could come as late as December.
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gPVYG7lRx4WXnsqQABEwrXcEqFswD8SPO3NO0

THANKS FOR FUCKING US AGAIN HARRY, YOU BASTARD!

[Junkdrawer]

4. "It sure looks like this was coordinated" Ya think???

Now, me, I'd say the last 40 times were coordinated, but last night had a ring of authenticity to it. Oh, sure, it was EXACTLY the same script, but somehow it seemed fresh and genuine.

[peace13]

5. Who here will vote for those who can not be bothered?

Why do these candidates deserve anymore consideration than they give us. This is an outrage. Can't wait to hear why it is OK for Clinton, Obama, Dodd and Biden to fail to do their duties. I am sorry but this ship is sinking with the help of the crew!

[flashl]

6. ..

QuestionAll: how so...?

harry reid scheduled the vote, giving them 3 hours to get from their iowa campaigns to the senate chamber in DC...HOW is that- a.unforgivable? and b. their fault???

[Junkdrawer]

7. That's their story and they're sticking to it. Now, Reid DID give them a heads up...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3700473&mesg_id=3700473

My bet? It was all a coordinated, stage managed event.

[Blackhatjack]

9. I don't believe it, BUT IF IT DID HAPPEN THAT WAY why aren't they making publstatements of outrage?

That story is just lame.

Harry Reid did not prevent them from being present to vote against Mukasey. THey knew the vote was going to happen, and chose not to be present.

Look at the statements from the Presidential candidates' campaign officials.

Obama's campaign put out a statement that he would not be present, and people knew what his position was opposing Mukasey. That does not sound like the kind of statement coming from a candidate's campaign that was just hoodwinked by Harry Reid, right?

[Truth2Tell]

23. WHAT REALLY HAPPENED

was that there were Dem Senators who voted against this nomination who would not have supported a filibuster.

The Presidential candidates knew it didn't matter what they did - this outcome was preordained (at least after Torture Chuck and Lieberstein defected).

What is sad is that the whole caucus is essentially covering up for the "centrists" who are too afraid to participate in a filibuster. This is about fear of losing swing states and the majority in 08.

A lot of this stage managed crap you see in the Senate is about exactly this. Political cover for the "moderates" afraid of seeming "confrontational." And it's dishonest as hell - on all of their parts.

[demnan]

8. Very believable

The corpro-crats and Constractians work together you know. Torture and war buddies.

[JohnnyLib2]

10. They all look bad together on this one.

It seems to me that any one of them could have had better publicity just by showing up to vote no. Smelly, indeed---and they are all in my top group.
Yuck.

:thumbsdown:

[HERVEPA]

11. Faulty logic in OP, I believe

Subject was
"If Clinton, Obama, Dodd or Biden had showed up & voted NO, Then NO MUKASEY as AG..."

Incorrect. If they had shown up, he still would have had enough votes. No reason to believe that all the Dem senators would have voted the same way on cloture.

I think the correct headline might have been

"If Clinton, Obama, Dodd or Biden had showed up & voted NO, and all Democratic senators who voted "no" would have voted against cloture, Then NO MUKASEY as AG..."

[hvn_nbr_2]

15. You are correct.

Nowhere near 40 of those 40 would have supported a filibuster, which is the only occasion when a cloture vote even happens. Cloture is completely a red herring.

[HERVEPA]

17. Thanks for the backup

I find a disturbing number of misleading headlines on DU.

[sellitman]

12. This makes me feel ALL my time on DU and other sites is a waste of time.

All my LTTE are pathetic, and all my donations a huge waste of money.

There is no party for Liberals is there?

[JohnnyLib2]

18. Easy, easy there. Advocacy means we keep hammering

where needed. Got lots to do!

[librechik]

13. we are screwn n/t

[bigwillq]

14. I'm very disappointed

that these Senators were not present. :mad:

[merh]

16. oh, but if they do it as senators

should they win the presidency, they will have it done to them and that's not right *waaaahhhhhhhhh* <<<<< their pathetic excuse/reasoning :grr:

I'm sick of the bastards allowing "politics" to control their moral and legal decisions.

:argh:

[jgraz]

19. They did the same thing on the FISA bill

http://senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00309

Only 60 Senators voted YEA on that bill. If the non-voting bloc had shown up, they would have been able to stage a filibuster -- or they would have at least had to explaing why they allowed a vote.

[Peace Patriot]

20. No surprise...

Clinton: war profiteer/global corporate predator tool, running for emperor (in fact, they're all running for emperor, except maybe Kucinich*); considers Bush/Cheney assertions of fascist powers to be like a yummy dessert cart, from which she can pick and choose which are the yummiest.

Dodd: major traitor to the American people, 'Democratic' (and Bilderberg Group?) point man (with Tom Delay and Bob Ney) on fast-tracking electronic voting machines all over the country, in time for '04, run on 'TRADE SECRET,' PROPRIETARY programming code, owned and controlled by rightwing Bushite corporations, with virtually no audit/recount controls. That WAS the fascist coup.

Biden: always a friend of the "military-industrial" complex, from way back; sunk in the lard.

Obama: always trying to walk down the middle--very characteristic of him, I've found; I don't have big objections to him, but it doesn't surprise me that he ducked the vote.

======================================

'Houston, we've got a problem!'

--------------------------------------

*(And maybe Edwards. Like Kucinich, he has mentioned the 'elephant in the room'--'TRADE SECRET' vote counting. Kucinich has said much more. But I warmed up to Edwards when he said something about this. This is really my touchstone issue. If they can proceed with this joke of a vote counting system, and NOT say ANYTHING about it, then their purpose in running is to impress the Corporate Rulers, and not us, and they are looking to be Diebolded into office (i.e., crowned emperor). You will recall in the Middle Ages, it was the Pope who had God's authority to place the crown upon the head of the Holy Roman Emperor. Now it's the Church of Global Corporate Predation that does so.)

[karynnj]

21. Not everyone who voted against it would have voted to filibuster

Remember the Alito numbers - he had well over 40 votes against him but only 20 something to filibuster. Many would point to their vote against - and support the leadership (and Schumer on the vote that counts.)

Not to mention, they did not know of the vote in time.

I support no one for President at this point - so this is not to defend anyone.

[UrbScotty]

22. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!!! It would've been 53-44

Get your facts straight.

[magellan]

24. Whatever happened, a number of Dems tacitly or directly approved of torture

And that's that.