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Cornyn to Sotomayor: 'You Will Get An Up Or Down Vote On The Senate Floor'
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) has taken a softer approach than most of his colleagues to Sonia Sotomayor since President Obama nominated her to the Supreme Court. But now, with her confirmation hearings entering their third day, the high-ranking Republican is saying he'll go to the mat for Sotomayor if Republicans try to filibuster her.
Of course some have been filibustered, they've been denied the opportunity to have an up or down vote on the Senate floor. I told you when we visited in my office, that's not going to happen to you if I have anything to say about it. You will get that up or down vote on the Senate floor.
Cornyn's job, of course, is to make sure vulnerable Republicans don't lose their Senate seats, and that task is complicated when the Republican party is seen as--or is actually--hostile to Hispanics. A filibuster attempt against the first Latina nominated to the Supreme Court would probably be a major headache for him.
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Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Whatever happened to an up-or-down vote?
July 15, 2009 10:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
It was amusing and an important message that Senator Leahy introduced letters of support from Hispanic organizations just after Cornyn's questions -- and called out the organizations from Texas who added their signatures to the letter.
July 15, 2009 10:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Su vota es su voz, y'all.
July 15, 2009 10:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
Cornyn is on the edge of becoming the senior Senator from Texas when Hutchinson retires to run for Governor against the christian right representative current governor Rick Perry in 2010. So Cornyn is cleaning up his act and reaching out to the growing Texas Hispanic population which is beginning to actually vote.
But the christianists were crucial to the Republican takeover of all statewide offices in Texas back when George W. Bush was elected Governor in 1994. Cornyn has been their man also. He came up in that environment. He's not going to change his stripes.
I'm going to have to give him credit for reading the change in the political environment, though. He knows to change his public appearance as the political audiences who are important to his career change. A lot of his fellow conservatives simply haven't done that.
July 15, 2009 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
That would be Senator Hutchison not Hutchinson.
Spell-cop on the beat!!
July 15, 2009 12:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Probably a deft move to keep the "Party of No" label from becoming permanent.
July 15, 2009 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
He doesn't have the votes to filibuster. So to say he won't allow it can also merely be positioning him and his party. He can promise to not do what he cannot do anyways, and so can appear magnanimous.
I suppose he could also be positioning for the future. If R's do get 40+ votes following 2010, 2012, or 2014, they can point to a "principled" stand with Sotomayor, while taking a harder stand on some other nominee who they will argue is beyond the pale. Or something.
July 15, 2009 11:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Isn't that decision McConnell's?
July 15, 2009 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Lindsay Graham was part of that infamous gang-of-14 SuperFriends club, and I'm sure he registered long ago with McConnell and anyone else that he wouldn't vote to filibuster.
Not with the GOP hemorraghing Wise Latino voters left and, er, right.
July 15, 2009 11:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Wise Latino voters" -- touche, my friend! :)
July 15, 2009 12:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Filibuster"...a word only delusional republicans and right-wing neo-hacks dream of in their sleep. Cornyn couldn't start OR stop a filibuster if he wanted..he's as toothless as his ass-clown pals Sessions and Graham and Kyl.... Be good to see him back in texas shoveling cow patties into his mouth...
July 15, 2009 12:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not Cornyn's decision for an up or down vote. The Judiciary committee is made up of 12 democrats and seven republicans. He doesn't have the votes.
July 15, 2009 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't have the votes, huh John?
hahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
Cornyn = Texas Senator
Texas = lots of Hispanic voters
Sotomayor = Hispanic
You do the rest of the math.
July 15, 2009 12:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Could someone explain what the deal with 'an up or down' vote is used in this context?
My understanding of the term meant when a committee chooses to have the vote go to the floor, in which all senators have an 'up or down' vote in deciding whether to approve of whatever, in this case a SCJ.
But how is it that a filibuster can occur *before* the vote leaves committee, as Cornyn is suggesting he won't allow happen? While the hearings are still in committee, do the same rules of 60%+ needed to override a filibuster apply to only committee members if, say one member attempts to mount a filibuster?
Also, can the committee choose to approve a nomination without requiring having it sent to the floor?
Thanks in advanced to anyone kind enough to take the time to clear this up for me.
July 15, 2009 11:18 PM | Reply | Permalink