ConfirmThem

By AndrewHyman Comments () / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

MSNBC’s Tom Curry reports:

Asked Monday whether Frist has the votes to pass his proposed rule change, Sen. Edward Kennedy, D- Mass said, “I think that at this time there are probably three, maybe four senators that haven’t indicated where they are on this vote. But I don’t underestimate the power of this executive and the administration in trying to win the last couple of votes. As we have seen on vote after vote in the United States Senate, when the administration wants to lean hard on members, they have been very, very effective."

Among the uncommitted Republicans are Hagel, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, and Sen. John Warner of Virginia.

Three Republicans, Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, and Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, have indicated they would vote against the proposed rules change.
….
“Sen. Hagel has been spending a lot of time in New Hampshire lately," noted Wendy Long, chief counsel to the Judicial Confirmation Network and a former law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas. “I grew up in New Hampshire and I’ll tell you something: somebody who, on this issue, is on the side of (liberal groups) Moveon.org and People for the American Way is not going to fare very well in the New Hampshire Republican primary. They are going to be laughed across the border to Vermont."
….
[Former Frist aide Manuel] Miranda said the idea of nominees voluntarily withdrawing would be “terrible for the Republicans, terrible for the presidency" and would make Americans “cynical."

I sure hope the nominees hang in there for a little while longer, until Memorial Day at least.