Blink

The Democrats blink on judicial nominees.

Senate whip Mitch McConnell says the GOP has the votes to block the Dems' filibuster.

A spokesman for Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada promptly questioned the claim, while another Democrat, Sen. Joseph Biden (news, bio, voting record) of Delaware, floated a possible compromise to avert a fight that could bring the Senate to a near halt.

Snap.

This is, of course, straight out of the Clinton playbook. When you have control and are facing a tought fight, you delay, deny and destroy - in the case, delay the vote, deny that you're playing political games, and try to destroy the reputations of your opponents.

When you're on the short end of the stick? Ditto - and try to cast yourselves as the reasonable ones, which is what's behind Biden's "compromise": "Hey, we're offering them free passage on all but two. Two! What could be smoother, I asks you?"

There was no immediate response from Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. But a spokesman for the Tennessee Republican reiterated that Frist planned to present Reid with a "comprehensive proposal" within a week to 10 days...Biden, appearing on ABC's "This Week," said, "I think we should compromise and say to them that we're willing to -- of the seven judges -- we'll let a number of them go through, the two most extreme not go through and put off this vote" to end the filibuster.

If that proposal involves anything but pressing ahead with the whole agenda, Frist can kiss any chance of a nomination for President goodbye. Republicans need to learn to play politics as a full-contact game, like the Dems do.

Posted by Mitch at April 25, 2005 12:11 PM | TrackBack