NYT,pg1: G.O.P. Reaches to Other Party on Supreme Court Pick

G.O.P. Reaches to Other Party on Supreme Court Pick
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and CARL HULSE
Published: November 2, 2005


WASHINGTON, Nov. 1 - Facing deep Democratic skepticism over the choice of Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. for the Supreme Court, the Bush administration turned quickly on Tuesday to moderate Democrats who could be crucial to the confirmation as the two sides braced for a polarizing fight over Judge Alito's legal views.

The White House hurried Judge Alito into a get-acquainted session with Senator Tim Johnson, a Democrat who represents the solidly Republican state of South Dakota, even before the judge met with senior Democrats on the Judiciary Committee, who will first consider the nomination.

On Wednesday, the judge is scheduled to meet with Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska, a moderate Democrat who helped engineer a Senate pact to break a stalemate this year over judicial nominations, and on Thursday with Senator Mark Pryor of Arkansas, another moderate Democrat who signed the pact....

***

Rising tensions between the two parties over the rationale and planning for the Iraq war could spill over into the nomination arena, making the fight over Judge Alito even more contentious.

The administration focus on moderate Democrats from conservative states reflects an early recognition that the debate could grow into a Democratic filibuster - and a Republican effort to overcome it by changing the Senate rules....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/02/politics/politicsspecial1/02confirm.html


ON EDIT: Adding --

WP: Moderates' Support Sought for Alito
White House Tries to Forestall Filibuster by Targeting 'Red State' Democrats
By Peter Baker and Charles Babington
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, November 2, 2005; Page A06

With its conservative base now secure, the White House turned its attention yesterday to wooing moderates in both parties as it seeks to build a Senate coalition that will confirm Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. to the Supreme Court despite the aggressive opposition of liberal Democrats.

A day after President Bush nominated him to succeed retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Alito spent the day on Capitol Hill introducing himself to more lawmakers. He focused on Democratic senators representing Republican-leaning states as well as Republican members of a bipartisan coalition that headed off judicial filibusters this year.

White House strategists assume that they will lose at least the 22 Senate Democrats who voted against confirmation of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. in September. But they hope to win over enough red-state Democrats to thwart any attempt to block Alito. If the Republican leadership can hold together its 55-member caucus, it would need five Democrats to break a filibuster and ensure Alito's confirmation.

At this point, it is not assured that the Republicans will stick together. More-liberal Senate Republicans who support abortion rights have kept a cautious distance from Alito, and Democrats will try to peel them away from the fold.

But the Bush team won important support from key senators yesterday. Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), a member of the bipartisan "Gang of 14" that agreed this year to oppose judicial filibusters except in "extraordinary circumstances," made clear yesterday he sees no such circumstances with Alito's nomination....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/01/AR2005110101479.html

nt

again against Democrats.

I find Judge Alito's positions on "Work Place Law" and the "Safety Net" (Family Emergency Medical Leave Act, ERISA, Age Discrimination In Employment Act, Americans With Disabilities Act) wholly unacceptable.

Even worse then his limits on Roe.

His nomination is an insult to America's working families --

What fresh idiocy is this? The proper name is even shorter than the odd little headline euphemism they came up with.

johnson outta be kicked in the ass if he makes a deal with scrub over this SCOTUS nomination.

with a barrel pointed at whom they're "reaching out to"?

I seriously wonder what it means when Junior and Company takes moderate Dems into private meetings.

What's involved, exactly? Bullying? Threats? Blackmail?

I doubt civil conversations are taking place.

These moderate Dems need to vote against this judge. Right now, the Reps shouldn't be making ANY decisions about ANYTHING important in our country. They are thugs. They're under investigation for lying America into war. They shouldn't be allowed to cut ribbons at grocery stores, let alone pick SC judges.

Dems, do what you have to do--to get through the bullshit--but vote against their nominees. Play nice in the one-on-one meetings. Nod and smile. Lie about your intentions if you have to. However, do not vote for this nominee.

than Alito - nothing to base that on really, but worry about it.

"Okay, now that we've decided to shove this guy down your throats and you're complaining about it, let me try to sell him to you" is not "reaching out." Asshats.