Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid vowed on Wednesday to block former Solicitor General Theodore Olson from becoming attorney general if President George W. Bush nominates him to replace Alberto Gonzales.
I'm shocked.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid vowed on Wednesday to block former Solicitor General Theodore Olson from becoming attorney general if President George W. Bush nominates him to replace Alberto Gonzales.
2 comments:
As opposed to Gonzales - who I thought was adequate and whose policies I generally supported - there is absolutely no arguing about Ted Olson's qualifications. He is one of the most respected attorneys in the entire country. He'd be a great choice.
Greg,
//there is absolutely no arguing about Ted Olson's qualifications//
That's kind of what I was thinking, you know?
I was also thinking that a President pretty much has the constitutional right to nominate someone to this position. And as a general rule, history and tradition is that he appoints someone that is a member of his party, and shares similar beliefs about how the department should be run.
Historically, the only two things that would stop a confirmation was a serious ethical/legal history or they were on the extreme fringe. Bork was the beginning of obstructionism as a tactic to neutralize the power of a powerful President. He was conservative, but so was the man who nominated him, Ronald Reagan.
That was done late in Reagan's second term. This is late in Bush's second term.
From a strategic standpoint, it is imperative that the Dems deny this, going into the 08s.
Essentially, the bottom line in all of this is: Unless Bush lets the Democratic leadership pick the next AG, he gets no one by them. They are the gate keepers.
The Dems need to think long and hard if they want to do this. The pendulum swings back harder and harder, each and every cycle.
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