tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post6806357341767365418..comments2023-10-16T07:13:12.123-05:00Comments on A plain blog about politics: StevensJonathan Bernsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-83895079584638829252010-04-09T15:40:36.429-05:002010-04-09T15:40:36.429-05:00This sounds about right. If worse comes to worse,...This sounds about right. If worse comes to worse, I can see Obama allowing it to drag out for a bit just to paint the Republicans further into the corner before resorting to parliamentary trickery, but I don't think it'll come to that, at least not on a middle-left judge.<br /><br />The Republicans may genuinely be crazy enough these days to actually fight to block an inoffensive candidate, but I doubt they can take many more defeats like the Healthcare bill and maintain party discipline.<br /><br />Andrew: There are a few ways, baring sitting it out, to get around a filibuster, particularly when you control the reporting committee in question. Johnson's favorite tactic was to hold it in committee until its major opponents were out of town, then send it to the floor, or to pop it into the agenda right after a mundane bill while most senators are off goofing around instead of in chambers. I know Senate rules have been changed since his time, and doing something like that with a SC confirmation is unheard of, but it isn't impossible. For various reasons, I think Obama would want such a filibuster to actually be televised though, if it were to happen.Heronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14776242322789918501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-62387585825942777882010-04-09T14:28:24.108-05:002010-04-09T14:28:24.108-05:00Hate to play the devil's advocate again, but.....Hate to play the devil's advocate again, but....<br /><br />What makes you so sure that Obama's nominee will be confirmed?<br /><br />If, as you predict, the right wing noise machine does what it does best--whip the base into a wild, frothing frenzy--then which GOP senator will have the courage to vote for cloture on the confirmation?Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15913245096162048743noreply@blogger.com