Estrada vote fails again

Okay, maybe Senate Republicans are starting to get the message:

Republicans on Thursday lost a second attempt to force Hispanic lawyer Miguel Estrada past a Senate filibuster, with the last undecided Democrat coming down squarely against quick confirmation of President Bush's prized nominee for the federal appeals court.

In a 55-42 vote, Senate Republicans failed to win the 60 votes needed to move to the confirmation of Estrada, who wants a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

Every Republican voted to end the filibuster. They were joined by Democratic Sens. Bill Nelson of Florida, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, John Breaux of Louisiana and Zell Miller of Florida.

I hadn't realize that Miller moved down to Florida... In any case, Graham got an opportunity to vote "nay" this time around, repairing damage done when he missed last week's more tense vote.

The big question now is whether Dems will filibuster Priscilla Owen. I'm a bit undecided on the matter, but I'm leaning toward letting Owen through and training our guns on Lott-backed segregationist judge Pickering.

Then again, with public attention focused on war, the Dems can pretty much line up to moon Frist and no one would notice or care. Perhaps now's the time to filibuster all of the wingnut nominees...

Posted March 13, 2003 01:12 PM | Comments (43)