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NYT: Administration, Democrats Playing Nice on AG Nomination
Can they all just get along?
From The New York Times:
White House officials said Wednesday that the search for a successor to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales would probably last at least several days. The officials said they were trying to strike a conciliatory tone with Senate Democratic leaders who will control the confirmation.The officials said a nominee might not be announced until after President Bush had returned on Sept. 9 from Australia....
In hopes of smoothing the nominee’s way, senior White House officials have contacted Congressional leaders to sound them out about candidates.
The contacts are routine for all cabinet nominations, although Senator Charles E. Schumer, the New York Democrat who is on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he was struck by the cooperative tone he had heard in a conversation about nominees with the White House counsel, Fred F. Fielding, who is overseeing the search.
“In the past,” Mr. Schumer said in an interview, “the White House has talked about consultation, but they were the most wooden conversations I ever had. This was the first time there was a real back and forth.”
Comments (12)
Son of Defarge wrote on August 30, 2007 12:43 PM:Republican Consultation: "...Traitorous scumbag, would you prefer a lethal injection or a noose..."
Democratic Reply: "..thank you sir!"
conniptionfit wrote on August 30, 2007 1:05 PM:...And may I have another, Sir? You got it in one, Son!
regular lurker wrote on August 30, 2007 1:20 PM:codeword: false (too easy..)
Does the NYT think we're stupid? Gonzales and Rove didn't both just coincidentally decide out of the blue to spend more time with their families.
So I wonder why they're buying into the the WH's lying? Gonzales wouldn't resign unless there was already a clear idea of who the nominee would be.
adsf wrote on August 30, 2007 1:29 PM:At long last, the administration is treating the Democrats with the respect they deserve. BushCo has learned expensive dinner with a sip of Taittinger might put congress in a favorable mood. It looks like a warm six pack of Bud and a stale bag of Doritos from the backseat just won’t give them the quick results any more. This time BushCo even promises to call the next day.
At least they can pretend to have some self respect when they screw us this round.
scavok wrote on August 30, 2007 1:33 PM:"trying to strike a conciliatory tone" means "we will pretend to listen and you will pretend that we are listening"
The only time the WH will actually listen to Congress on a nomination is when they run out of party hacks. Unfortunately, there are an infinite number of hacks to choose from.
After all there are still a few graduates from Regent University that don't already work at DOJ.
oldtree wrote on August 30, 2007 2:14 PM:At this point, with what the committee knows, would they consider approving anyone appointed by the administration? Why would they not nominate someone they can demand compliance of, and monitor, who will do the job for the people, rather than the enterprise.
PJ White wrote on August 30, 2007 3:00 PM:It seems irrational to consider approving of someone nominated to hide further crimes and give them time to pretend to cooperate.
I hope our senate isn't this gullible. I hope I am the dream of a butterfly
The WH will nominate the most outrageous person they can think of, the Judiciary Committee will flip, reject said nominee; repeat procedure twice; WH will nominate the person they had in mind all along, even though said nominee is a totally inappropriate hack, and the JC will okay them out of weariness. This is the way it always works. Do you think that the WH was serious about Harriet Miers on the Supreme Court?
ted wrote on August 30, 2007 4:05 PM:It will be someone like Fran Townsend, who worked in the Clinton Justice Department, who is/was Bush DHS adviser If it is Chertoff, Not only it will be a knifefight, and the Gov't role in Katrina, but it could effect Susan Collins, who was the chair of Gov't Relations during Katrina and her involvment in the no serious investigations. If Bush nominates Chertoff, the Dems can filibuster it or kill it before it gets out of committee.
Chertoff has too much baggage. Sen. Clinton would work on this to deep sixed his nomination given his role in the Whitewater investigation as well.
If the White House wants to cooperate they will select someone like Townsend, if they want a fight and then blame the Senate Dems, they will nominate Chertoff.
Wondering wrote on August 30, 2007 4:56 PM:PJ White, I sure hope you're wrong, but it would fit this administrations M.O. to a T. So far they haven't deviated from their usual tactics, so we'll see.
Somehow I seriously doubt that W & friends have changed their tune. This is just another head fake before they do the next outrageous violation of our institutions.
code word: Smell, as in this smells to high heaven of a double cross.
Richard L. Adlof wrote on August 30, 2007 11:42 PM:I hate to state the obvious but it appears that Fred Thompson needs a job . . . He has just been wandering about the country aimlessly. He has a law degree and played a lawyer on TV. He has far more job-reltated experience for the AG than most of the folk that Bush would consider . . .
Richard L. Adlof wrote on August 30, 2007 11:45 PM:I hate to state the obvious but it appears that Fred Thompson needs a job . . . He has just been wandering about the country aimlessly. He has a law degree and played a lawyer on TV. He has far more job-reltated experience for the AG than most of the folk that Bush would consider . . .
Richard L. Adlof wrote on August 30, 2007 11:47 PM:I hate to state the obvious but it appears that Fred Thompson needs a job . . . He has just been wandering about the country aimlessly. He has a law degree and played a lawyer on TV. He has far more job-reltated experience for the AG than most of the folk that Bush would consider . . .