Praise where it’s Due
Props to Sen. Pat Leahy, D-VT, for having the stones to actually do something towards improving the climate in Washington, namely pledging to vote to confirm Judge John Roberts:
“Is a no vote the easier and more popular one? Of course, for me it is, especially with my constituency,” said Leahy. “But in my judgment, in my experience, but especially in my conscience, I find it is better in this nomination to vote yes than no.”“Judge Roberts is a man of integrity,” he said. “I can only take him at his word that he does not have an ideological agenda.
“For me, a vote to confirm requires faith that the words he spoke to us have meaning. I can only take him at his word that he will steer the court to serve as an appropriate check on potential abuses of presidential power.
“I respect those who have come to different conclusions, and I readily acknowledge the unknowable at this moment, that perhaps they are right and I am wrong.”
Welcome to the 60% party, Sen. Leahy…
4 Responses to “Praise where it’s Due”
Comment from jank
Time September 21, 2005 at 2:43 pm
Easy, there, Mustang.
First, the 60% was a reference back to this idea which obviously hasn’t stuck. I’m done being a hack, hence my avoidance of political content for most of the last 9 months. (Well, that and the complete and total death of anything resembling small-government conservatism in favor of bloat, pork, and endless bureauracracy…)
Second – geez, Mr. Language Police-Man. Last I checked, pledge meant “ A solemn binding promise to do, give, or refrain from doing something”. I’d say that standing on the Senate floor and saying you were going to vote a certain way was a pretty darn solemn binding promise. And are you saying it’s not possible to be patriotic and be a Democrat? Taking Sen. Leahy at his word, despite ideological differences, is a sign of the respect that needs to be given both ways to dial down the bile a bit.
Comment from K.Chad Hauser
Time September 21, 2005 at 3:40 pm
You don’t think, nahhh, well, ok, I’ll ask it. It’s possible that Patty has his eyes on the prize, well, the second prize, as it were. Perhaps he’s moderating his retrick as part of the run up to ’08. Me thinks he’s taken a shining to the notion of being called VPOTUS.
/conspiracy theory
Comment from jank
Time September 21, 2005 at 4:21 pm
Two northeast liberals on the ticket for the DNC?
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Comment from etrigan
Time September 21, 2005 at 1:54 pm
First, this attitude of yours isn’t improving the climate in Washington. What does the verb “pledging” have to do with it other than colorizing-with-assumed-patriotism this particular vote in the overall scheme of Leahy’s job.
Second, Leahy (second in D command) said the same thing as Reid (top of D command) in that this is a tough decision and his final vote was not easy. If you could measure the amount of trust each of these men have in Roberts, it would be probably be very close.
Third, when does a majority party (60%) mean a worthwhile party? When you start listening to Mariah Carey, let me know.
Last, Roberts is probably going to make a good judge and I think most people recognize that. (Even the groups who oppose him aren’t being very vocal.) Not to mention the judge that he’s replacing will probably only be positively remembered for protecting the power of the judiciary — self-preservation, as it were — and negatively for doing his best to diminish early desegregation, killing competition and fair use (and choosing a POTUS without allowing the election to complete.)