Yesterday the Republican Party made history by filibustering the confirmation of Chuck Hagel as Defense Secretary. Never before has a minority blocked a cabinet level appointment. This leaves the Defense Department in a state of transition, while we have troops in the field, while they go on vacation.
The White House has said that President Barack Obama "stands strongly behind" Senator Chuck Hagel as his nominee for Defense Secretary despite a move by the Republicans for a full-scale filibuster of his nomination.
"The President believes that Senator Hagel would do a wonderful job in a very important role, which is leading the Department of Defense at a challenging time for our country," Principal Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters aboard Air Force One that took Obama to Decatur, Georgia, on Thursday.
In an unprecedented move in the Senate earlier in the day, the GOP senators succeeded in blocking Hagel’s nomination as a cloture vote fell short of the 60-vote threshold the Upper House needed to move toward a final confirmation vote, which in effect is a filibuster.
Although the Senate vote — 58 to 40 — paves the way to continue debate on the presidential defense nominee, the White House expressed hope that Hagel would eventually be confirmed when the Senate returns from recess on February 25…
Inserted from <RTT News>
These are the filibastards:
Alexander (R-TN)
Ayotte (R-NH)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Blunt (R-MO)
Boozman (R-AR)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coats (R-IN)
Coburn (R-OK)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
Cruz (R-TX)
Enzi (R-WY)
Fischer (R-NE)
Flake (R-AZ)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Heller (R-NV)
Hoeven (R-ND)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johnson (R-WI)
Kirk (R-IL)
Lee (R-UT)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Moran (R-KS)
Paul (R-KY)
Portman (R-OH)
Reid (D-NV)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rubio (R-FL)
Scott (R-SC)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Thune (R-SD)
Toomey (R-PA)
Wicker (R-MS)
Inserted from <US Senate>
Hatch (R-UT) voted present. Vitter (R-LA) did not vote. Reid’s NO vote was a procedural switch, to enable him to bring it up again.
Rachel Maddow and Andrea Mitchell discussed this outrage.
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Rachel agrees with the position I took yesterday? She also blames the Nevada Leg Hound, Harry Reid. Where Reid’s claim to protect the filibuster for a future Democratic minority falls short is this. If the Republicans ever have a majority again, you may be sure, the filibuster rule will be gone on day one. After abusing the rule so severely, for so long, there is no way that they would risk being on the receiving end.
13 Responses to “The Filibastards Struck!”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
It's getting to the point that Reid is more of a detriment to the Democratic party than an asset and the sooner he's gone the better IMHO! It's his job to prevent such deplorable events to occur on his watch, just as his stance on gun control is equally deplorable! If he is so at odds with the President on any issue – he should keep his mouth shut and vote with his Party! He's the disgrace here – we know that the Republicans are all an embarrassment to the nation, but it's Reid who is the skunk!
Well said, Lee.
Reid is patently not a Democrat and does not seem to have been one for many a long year – it is time he crossed the floor to openly admit he is a Repuglicon – or perferably left politics altogether!
I would like to see hin defeated in the primary next year.
Sorry – should have read 'preferably left politics altogether' – my dyslexia struck – 'dyslexia lures KO'(!).
They did this ONLY to show their displeasure with Americans for re-electing a "Black" man to another term in the "White" House.
God only knows why McConJob carries such a grudge against Hagel. He disagreed with GW on a lot of points too. But that's the excuse he gives in public.
Patty, there is aq good answer to that in today's Open Thread.
Harry Reid said he had a gentlemen's agreement with McTurtle that there would be no unusual use of the filibuster. Well McTurtle is no gentlman, and he lied.
If it looks like a filibuster, sounds like a filibuster and acts like a filibuster then it IS a filibuster!
All this to get so called information from the administration that has absolutely nothing to do with Hagel. Unbelievable but totally Republican/Teabagger!
They don't care about that information.
The behavior of the Tea Bag contingent is nothing but shameful–an absolute disgrace- Every one should hang their head and crawl back under the rotting corpse that once was the GOP with the rest of the maggots..
You just insulted maggots!
Reid is a doofus for not realizing he's Charlie Brown to the repubicans' Lucy.
… BUT I can only hope that this unending episode of repubican irresponsibility will make Americans realize just what ASSHOLES they are.
(Yeah, I know … "Fat Chance" … but hope springs eternal)
I hope so too!