Reid must go

He refused from day one to support Kerry and Kennedy and allowed the media to define them as far-left kooks.

Fuck him and the rest of the calculating, cowardly "leadership."

Make Kerry or Kennedy minority leader.

He is the Republican's wet dream...

A wet noodle who will lay down and let the tyrants stomp over the little guy.

Thanks ever so much

I seen some compassionate speeches from both. moving speeches, almost brought me to tears.

Harry was a day late and a dollar short.

The whole filibuster attempt was ad hoc. And came from "the bottom up", not from the top down. Kennedy and Kerry had to fight their way to the front to be heard and leadership did not support them.

I'm disappointed in Harry.

No more red state Dem for minority leader. They're to vulnerable to be true leaders.

I've been saying that for a long time.

Dodd, Kennedy, or Boxer for leader!

To have THIS MANY Democrats voting for cloture is humiliating, a terrible slap in the face to Democrats all over the country.

FUCK the 'vote of conscience'!!!! These votes should have consequences, but you know they won't!

Now we know why we lost in 2000. There were probably things there that not even Gore could have foreseen.

We just won't support Reid anymore. He'll have to bring in the next win on his own.

he should have WANTED the fillibuster.

of the Republicans.

When he folded on the threat of a so-called "nuclear option," and let those three Fascists get voted onto the Federal bench, I knew he would weasel on everything. All he's done is apologize and make Democrats look like spineless toads. Of course, they've been acting like a bunch of spineless toads, I must admit.

He's go to go.

I think he's basically a good man, but you know what they say 'nice guys finish LAST'!

I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but he was just incredibly weak on this...by not coming out in support of the "no" vote early, I think he cut it off at the knees.

someone with your nickname. :eyes:

Bully for you. Let me know how Alito works out for you.

What state are you from?

Big electoral votes there. 'Bout like the Dakota's.

Maybe it's time for someone from a significant state, for a change? How about Durbin from Illinois maybe? Levin from Michigan maybe?

Freakin' ridiculous.

of a failure to understand politics. You think that Kerry or Kennedy or Durbin in place of Reid would have made any difference in this confirmation fight? Thats as nutty as thinking we ever had a chance for a filibuster. Reid told everyone the facts as did Durbin. Our party is in the minority because we can't sell the platform to enough of the country, thats why we lost this latest battle. Wake the fuck up.

edited once

We have to beat the DINOS in the primaries and then if we can't do that seriously consider running a third party candidate in the general. We need to a DINO every election. This is the only way we can take back our party.

I think we should make an EXAMPLE out of him....

He shouldn't.

:eyes:

HE IS NO LEADER!

give us results, he's just another facade democrat.

Given that the Dems are such a minority, it's hard to expect more of him. What are you thinking? That he should be able to overcome a 10 vote majority, just by working a little bit harder?

I worked hard on this effort, and have not had enough sleep in a week, but I don't blame Reid for this disappointment; I blame the RW, the media, and the REAL traitor Dems who voted for cloture.

Give Reid a break.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

Making a list of where my money will be going this year. It's just become rather short.

Reid voted for the Filibuster, I will not group him with those who did not. Reid is not in a safe Democratic State. Nevada usually votes Republican. I don't believe Reid has sufficient power over individual Democratic Senators that he could have won this fight if he showed "more leadership". Senators are traditionally fairly independent. Yes he could have defended Kennedy and Kerry stronger, but he voted with us not against us, and he is even pro-life. My anger is directed toward better targets.

allowing the filibuster to continue. Same vote that Kennedy and Kerry made.

He just needs replaced as Minority Leader. If a red state Dem is too afraid to make a courageous stand for our values, he/she has NO business leading the caucus. The Republican senators are no longer independent - they vote as a bloc of unthinking sheep, regardless of personal ideology. I could forgive Reid if he'd even shown a modicum of real support, but he did not; he helped give the media and the Repukes ammo to defeat the filibuster even as he covered his ass with weak "support." We need a new Minority Leader who is unafraid to act like a real Democrat.

Reid has pulled off some pretty strong stuff for a minority leader with only 45 Democrats to begin with, including several who are half Republican. Like shutting down the Senate that time. Do you remember that Democrats did not even filibuster Clarence Thomas? I am proud of Kerry and Kennedy, but I will not blame Reid. Republicans have been more prone toward authoritarian group think than Democrats for a generation or more. It is part of what I hate about that Party. They follow orders because by doing so they get a cut of the action, and when they don't they are hung out to dry, no matter how principled their position is. The Democratic Party does not have that tradition, and no Minority Leader would have that type of power when so many individual Senators believed that their own reelection is tied to not supporting a filibuster against Alito. I believe that had we really gotten one or maybe two votes short of overriding cloture, that Reid might have fought harder to win that one or two votes. We did great work, but we never were able to get it that close. Reid still has to work with all of the Democrats in the Senate to help defeat Bush's agenda on a broad range of issues. He would not shed Democratic blood in a fight he was going to lose.

As I type this I am listening to Barbara Boxer pointing out that the Republicans are already attacking Harry Reid, Quote: "keep it up Senator Reid. You must be doing something right to elicit that type of attack".

I still think that had he been behind it, it might have gotten more votes. It may just indicate how scared the red and swing state Democrats are. Also, any of the Senators even remotely likely to join the filibuster likely had to be persuaded by either more information or compelling arguments. The frustration I have is that I agreed 100% with almost everything Sens Kennedy and Kerry said - obviously those voting against either bought the Republican argument that it should be an up or down vote or they're ok with Alito.

In away, we couldn't convince them, kerry and Kennedy couldn't convince them, and Reid couldn't have convinced them either even if he cared as passionately as Kerry and Kennedy did. It was worth the effort in the sense that people at least heard some of the issues.

BEING one in your guts, in your soul, and damn those that get in your way. Because you are fighting for the people - for truth, justice and the American way. We need some super(wo)men!!

Reid is a keeper.

reid is no dino. if he had voted for cloture yes. lieberman voted eye for cloture with the repugs

that Alito will be confirmed tomorrow. If anyone was on the fence that really helps.

But that there was an important statement to be made that some Senators cared enough, that the issue was important enough, that they would do all that they could do to stop Alito, even though they knew they would fail. The Senate is not a big group, only 100 members. By 2:00 I am sure there was no doubt how the vote was going to end up. It was like when Boxer challanged the Ohio Electors. It was an effort that had to be made but the handwriting was clearly on the wall. Reid did not hurt our chances with that comment.

Alito wasn't acceptable and he knew it, it appeared he was playing bass in the string section of the right wing to me.

I like Harry Reid and many things he had done. It's time for a change we need a Boxer, Dodd, or a Kerry. Someone that knows how to lit a fire.

His leadership was wishy-washy to the point of non-existent.

I have to admit.... I am stunned.

TC

way at the beginning for Daschle. I was saying we needed someone with more mainstream Democrat values in charge that was from a safe state. I was worried about this very incident then on how he would handle leading a fillibuster against a judge nomination like this! Looks like I was right, damnit! I agree, that we NEED to replace Reid now! No more do we want a DLC/"moderate" minority leader from a "battleground" state. I want someone that will work HARD emphasizing our values and not have the excuse of being afraid of getting thrown out like Daschle was when the going gets tough like it did today!

what are you, Rush Limbaugh?

it's Democratic values, and Reid is great

"leadership" position. I've thought so for a long time.

We need a REAL Democrat, from a liberal state.

I'm an idiot, I have never thought of the ramifications of this before. Duh. We need a Minority Leader that is not worried about if he/she will be able to keep a job if they take on the tough leadership positions.

We want someone who actually REPRESENTS our values. I am fucking sick unto death of these craven and cowardly sellouts. Damn them all AND the horses they rode in on!!!

His hot and cold mentality in the face of historic moments is what is killing us.

When the minority leader can't get the message of the people or understand the gravity of the situation, it's time for him to go.

Reid has made some good choices in the past, remember this is the guy that closed down congress and pissed off Frist, but when it comes down to nut cutting times such as this, he takes the safe route.

And there is the problem with the Democratic leaders. We have a wide range of opinions but none will stay on message.

If there is one thing and only one thing the repukes have over us, it's that they stay on message. No matter how much it hurts them personally, they stay on message.

Our Democratic leaders always choose what is best for them in the end, not what is best for the Democratic party.

Reid chose what was best for him. Period.

This is why he has to go.

Sorry Harry, it's been fun, but it's time to step aside and allow someone to actually lead the party instead of your own interests leading you.

My heart sunk to it's lowest depths after this vote. If you actually want to call it a vote. It was a sham. A true reflection of our leaders and how they are divided on message.

I will protest the SOTU tomorrow, I will call and support those who voted for the filibuster, I will not lift a finger or donate a dime to those that didn't. They can twist in the wind. The DINO's have to be voted out.

I will work hard to win back the senate and the house.

And in the end if our leadership shows as much balls then as they did today, I'm done.

I will not have left the party, the party will have left me.

but I can't really blame the red state senators.
They would be defeated acting like democrats 100%
of the time. Then we get a repug replacement.

Which is better? A DINO from red state or a repug
from that state? I say DINO!!!!

But I really can't understand why blue state democrats such
as Lieberman, Cantwell etc. voted with the repugs on filibuster.

and he didn't believe it. NO..... you dont get to penalize him for doing what you demanded of him. how ridiculous.

He voted against cloture but did everything to make sure the vote failed. It was his job as Leader to make the filibuster sucessful. He didn't want the filibuster to begin with. He is a rat bastard.

those who stuck their necks out to support us by voting against cloture.

Go after the Republicans, or those who voted "YES," if you want, but if you go after a "NO" voter on this, you are only giving further support to the RW.

You have to convince the rest of the members of your party in the Senate to come around and vote the way you're voting and the way the Democratic Party as a whole should be voting. He utterly failed at that.

The filibuster was well intentioned by quixotic. Harry Reid did a better job than anyone else could have.

secret, I will say I agree. On a different but related subject, this is why we are losing the PR battle. The opponents speak with one voice, right or wrong. They all should have stood behind Kerry-he is the one who wants to be President-they should have backed him.

I understand some people in this thread disagree with me, and I respect that. I am NOT condemning him for voting no - obviously, that's a great thing.

But Reid is NOT just any old senator. He is a caucus LEADER who had an OBLIGATION to BUST HIS BALLS for this filibuster to stop Alito. He did not do so, and has lost much esteem in my eyes.

this year - all the while they had not enough power to overturn anything.

They stopped Social Security Reform.

They busted through to the truth on the war.

We have won some. Lost some. Hold tight. Reid is the one. He's done a better job than anyone else. Our message is getting through to the public.

filibuster is okay with you? I suppose Liberman and the Gang of 14 are also understandable? Reid has accvomplished nothing. Kery galanized more activism in less than a wek than Reid has done all year!

Each time I hear him on the news, I cringed. He voted for the Bankruptcy Act, for Priscilla Owen, was rarely able to keep his caucus together and today, he did all he could to explain he was not for the filibuster, even if he was voting against cloture.

He voted against cloture

Frankly, I was not sorry to see Daschle go, and have been happy to see some occasions where Reid has exhibited spine where his predecessor likely wouldn't have, but even with that, he falls far short of what is really needed by the party at this point.

At this point, our message to the Dems should be "Lead, follow, or get out of the way." No more tolerance for Dems who impede or sabatage the efforts of Dems who are trying to exhibit real leadership.

what did we expect?

:bounce:

Unless you just mean you don't think Reid deserves any blame... which several other people have said, and with which opinion I respectfully disagree.

Who isn't bought and and paid for in Congress? (Not a rhetorical question)

Kerry, Kennedy, and a select few others.

I voted against it.

Just like Obama did on Snuffy yesterday.

I will vote for the filibuster because Alito sux, but I know we will lose.

WHAT KIND OF MESSAGE IS THAT ?????????


Especially when it came out of the mouth of our leader.
That is NOT how a leader talks.

back down when the going gets tough.

I'd like to see Senator Boxer as Minority Leader.

It seems that today it was proven that several senators are still stuck in the past. Bush likes to mention the post-9/11 world that we live in. Well it is more like a post-2000 election world. When it comes to the Republicans, all bets are off. They seem to say "The Constitution? Minority rights? Checks and balances? Fuck them. Anything to win." Democrats are still stuck in the pre-2000 election world. Reid is among them. They try to play by the old rules, compromise, debate.
I get it, DU gets it, the blogs get it. Is it Reid and company's fault that they don't get it? I don't think so. No matter what, they will serve their own interests, most of the time it is insuring that they stay in office. Well, we must make their interests (staying in office) align with ours (fixing this fucked up country). This fight over Alito was a big victory for us; we showed and will show that if they don't listen to us, they're gonna fucking hear it.
Reid and others are slowly but surely understanding this. I know I'll be here to make sure they get it. I can't wait for November.

Those are just my thoughts. Felt like saying them (maybe a little more to myself than anyone else).

Interesting post. Welcome to DU!

As a reader for more than two years now, I don't think I've seen DU as inspired, efficient and just plain fucking awesome as we were in a long time. Of course there is no easy solution but keeping up the pressure is a good method. It's tough because it is like fighting two battles at once: the fight to make sure the Democratic party is as close to our ideals as possible and the fight against all the daily lies and bullshit from the Bush administration. It is emotionally draining. I think Dean is doing a lot of good by establishing a long-term base of support in all 50 states at the local level. It is easy to be totally occupied by fighting the battles that take place on the national stage but if more participate at the local level, this country will begin to turn around. And I believe that once (if ever) elections run in an open fair way, we will have more than a fighting chance.
But what do I know? I'm sure there are people with way more knowledge and experience than I!
It's good to articulate these thoughts, though. Thanks for the welcome!

it's been a hectic day! I would like to know what the hell happened to "Phase II"??? Anybody???

That quickly fell out of the news...:eyes:

it's being held up due to a complicated investigation on Feith. The Pentagon is wanting to investigate themselves.

I thought they were suppose to report two-weeks after the whole Senate shut-down thingee.

But I did- last January. He would sell us all out for sure. And I kept on saying it- even though I got shit about it, rollover after rollover.

The man's been an embarassment. To himself- and the party. He really needs to find a graceful way out...

I really did. I gave him the benefit of the doubt more than once. I've been uneasy about him since Kos started using him as a pawn in his anti-Kerry vendetta - Kos always employs the bogeyman of an "anonymous source in Reid's office" to try to add some official party imprimatur to his smears of Kerry, one of which occured on the exact same day that Kerry voted against the atrocious bankruptcy bill, while Reid voted for it. So I've had reservations for a while, but tried to look on the bright side of things.

Today was the last straw. Reid is not only openly hostile to the more liberal elements of his caucus such as Kerry and Kennedy, but he is also a weak and ineffectual leader who can't even wrangle together a majority of votes on something as important as a dangerously extreme SCOTUS nominee. Everyone keeps saying "oh, wait on Reid, he's a boxer, he's got a super-secret strategy up his sleeve, he's a fighter." Well, I keep on waiting, but I fail to see this brilliant strategy. We need a new and effective minority leader who is capable of holding together this caucus.

Reid had a lot of big talk- which Daschle lacked- but he never backed it up- and never got results.

At least Daschle managed to squeeze out a few victories here and there.

My senator would be a JYD!!!:kick: :kick:

Just like any job, when you screw up, you need to be relieved from your duties.

YES, Reid did vote along with Kerry and Kennedy BUT HE DID NOT LEAD and that's his damn job!

On the other hand, if Reid had actually led the effort to vote No on Cloture, the Republicans would have called him names like "obstructionist", and gee wiz guys, that can really sting! :sarcasm:

so therefore he must go.

perfect logic.
In fact, we should round up all 25 who voted Nay on cloture and defeat them first. Because they voted with Reid, they should go. Meanwhile we should ask Karl Rove if he needs anything else from us.

:sarcasm:

This is exactly why they nominated Alito. To divide us. You think they give a shit about his conservative views? Sit down my friend....Republicans are NOT conservative. They just manage to hoodwink conservatives and take them for a ride.

If a majority of Democratic Senators want him out, they are free to elect a new Minority Leader. So far so Democratic Senators have publicly expressed a desire to do that.

but he failed to support Kerry/Kennedy in organizing the filibuster. This is where he failed us. As the minority leader he should have been up front, instead it was Kerry/Kennedy and the rest of us out here trying to organize this and thats why it failed yesterday. We can't have a leader from a Red state that is afraid to take a stand on these issues. We need someone like Boxer or others that will fight without worrying about the next election.