via TTagaris: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has made it clear earlier today that he intends to disregard Senator Dodd’s hold on FISA. And because he chose the path of least resistance for it’s passage, it appears we’ll see a filibuster next week.
Chris Dodd will lead that effort, but he can’t speak forever and will need to lateral the ball at some point if we are going to sustain a filibuster for more than 8 hours or so.
The Senate phones need to be ringing off the fucking wall through the weekend and all Monday morning folks.
So…Harry Reid is actually going to show a little spine? Just a little, mind you.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid vowed on Wednesday to block former U.S. Solicitor General Theodore Olson from becoming attorney general if President George W. Bush nominates him to replace Alberto Gonzales.
Congressional and administration officials have described Olson as a leading contender for the job as chief U.S. law enforcement officer, but Reid declared, “Ted Olson will not be confirmed” by the Senate.
“He’s a partisan, and the last thing we need as an attorney general is a partisan,” Reid, a Nevada Democrat, told Reuters in a brief hallway interview on Capitol Hill.
Reid and other Democrats argue that after Gonzales’ stormy tenure the Justice Department needs to become less political.
Gonzales resigned last month, effective next Monday, amid a series of congressional investigations into his firing of federal prosecutors and his handling of Bush’s domestic spying program.
White House press secretary Tony Snow, amid word that Bush was nearly ready to pick a new attorney general, said, “We don’t have a decision yet.”
Snow brushed off Reid’s opposition, saying, “The president will pick who he thinks is best.”
I know we’re frustrated Progressives about the 110th Congress not doing what needs to be done. Now the media is misquoting Harry Reid. But Joe Lieberman is getting out of control. I am really beginning to think he’s a shill for George W. Bush. Listen to the clip below, taken from WTIC Radio’s Morning Show with Ray Dunaway, then read the story and start steaming about Lieberman a little more.
Since this Congress isn’t getting anything done any, send Lieberman packing and let him join the Republican Party where he’ll have no seniority what’so-ever! - JS
This following article is from a post at THINK PROGRESS!
A June 14 FoxNews.com article (retrieved via Yahoo cache) mischaracterized a question posed to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) during a press conference to convey the false impression that Reid suggested that Army Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of the multinational force in Iraq, is “incompetent.” FoxNews.com reported that Reid was asked whether he “considered Petraeus competent,” and that “Reid responded, A-Not as far as I-m concerned.- ” In fact, according to the transcript provided by Congressional Quarterly transcription services - as well as a video aired on Fox News Channel - Reid was asked whether he believed Petraeus was incompetent, answering, “Not as far I-m concerned.” Fox later altered the story online to accurately reflect the exchange but never issued a formal correction to note that a change had been made. Rather, the new version of the article simply changed the word “competent” to “incompetent,” indicating Reid’s denial that he regards Petraeus as incompetent. Fox News congressional correspondent Major Garrett, who is listed as having contributed to the FoxNews.com article, similarly mischaracterized the exchange on Fox News- Special Report. Later in the program, after playing a video clip of the exchange, Fox News Washington managing editor and host Brit Hume properly characterized the exchange, but he did not note Garrett’s false report.
Reuters, which also reported the exchange, correctly noted, “Asked if he thought Petraeus was incompetent, Reid said, A-Not as far as I-m concerned,- but he added, A-I-m not going to get into what I said or didn-t say.- “
Last month, America voted to end Republican rule. We also voted to end the killing in Iraq. And now we’re finding out that, to accomplish this, we must stand behind Bush and allow the killing to continue for a little while longer.
We’re kinda in the same boat as the characters from the movie, “The Wizard of Oz”, in that we lack heart, brains and courage… and we’re desperately trying to find our way home.
Reid: Brief troop increase OK in Iraq
WASHINGTON - The Senate’s top Democrat offered qualified support Sunday for a plan to increase U.S. troops in Iraq, saying it would be acceptable as part of a broader strategy to bring combat forces home by 2008.
President Bush’s former secretary of state, however, expressed doubts any troop surge would be effective, noting U.S. forces already are overextended. “The American Army isn’t large enough to secure Baghdad,” said Colin Powell, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman during the 1991 Gulf War.
…
Incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, whose party campaigned in the November congressional elections on changing course in Iraq, said he would be open only to a short-term increase.
“If the commanders on the ground said this is just for a short period of time, we’ll go along with that,” said Reid, D-Nev., citing a time frame such as two months to three months. But a period of 18 months to 24 months would be too long, he said.
“The American people will not allow this war to go on as it has. It simply is a war that will not be won militarily. It can only be won politically,” Reid said.
At least three other Democrats did not support Reid’s position on the additional troops.
Congressional and administration officials have described Olson as a leading contender for the job as chief U.S. law enforcement officer, but Reid declared, “Ted Olson will not be confirmed” by the Senate.
WASHINGTON - The Senate’s top Democrat offered qualified support Sunday for a plan to increase U.S. troops in Iraq, saying it would be acceptable as part of a broader strategy to bring combat forces home by 2008.
