Today I participated (listened in really) on the DNC's conference call with Minority Leader Harry Reid regarding the Democrat's position/plan on the upcoming Supreme Court nomination process (or perhaps battle).
The following is a loose transcript of what was said:
Howard Dean did the introductions:
Thank you for taking part in this call. As you know the stakes are enormous. We, the Democrats, simply want to get the President to something he should have done a long time ago - reach out to the 48% who didn't vote for him. The President needs to pick someone we can vote for. This is a tough test for Democrats and the implications are enormous. This is probably the most important thing we'll do.
The Senator Reid thanked Dean for the the introduction and complimented the work he has done this far. Reid went on to give a quick summary of the meeting he had with the President this morning:
We had a good, albeit, brief meeting this morning. Senators Frist, Lehey, Spector and myself joined The President, Vice President and Andy Card. However, I hope the President recognizes that this was a first meeting and NOT consultation. This was the beginning of consultation. The President has a chance to unite the country with this nomination.
It is up to the President to do like Presidents Regan and Clinton did. The decisions made by the Supreme Court profoundly effect the daily lives of all of us. There are conservatives out there who we can vote for.
I am going to be vigilant. I won't be satisfied with a show of consultation. We need to know who is on the President's list.
Then it was onto the questions (which had been submitted by e-mail the day before):
David in Redondo Beach CA: Democrats have been hearing that Frist still intends to remove the filibuster, is this so? Are Democrats committed to using the filibuster if necessary?
The Nuclear Option is off the table. We...I've always felt that the filibuster is an extraordinary measure. But the Senate is not a rubber stamp. If the President sends us a consensus nominee then we will vote to approve. If the President sends us an activist we will use all the procedural tools at our disposal. Even Senator Ben Nelson, one of the most conservative members of our caucus, would agree to filibuster if necessary.
Steve in Oakland, CA: How can Democrats ensure a balanced court without resorting to a litmus test?
Democrats don't have litmus tests, the Right Wing does. Even Bush has had to tell those extremists to tone things down. Again, we are not here to pick a fight, this is entirely up to the President.
Tim in Denver, CO: How radical a change is it for Bush to be discussing his potential nominee with Senate Democrats?
Frist came out and said that what the President is doing (meeting with Senators of both parties) is unprecedented. This is flim-flam. There are many times in the past when presidents have discussed their nominees with Senators.
Herbert Hoover called Bora, the powerful senator from Ohio, to talk about his choices. Hoover even gave Bora a list. Bora told Hoover that he liked the list, but the order was backwards and that Benjamin Cardoza should be at the top of the list.
Bill Clinton wanted to nominate Bruce Babbit, but when he discussed that choice with Orin Hatch, he was told that that was a battle he wouldn't want and so Clinton picked someone else.
When presidents consult with the Senate the easily get a confirmation. It is not unique for presidents to do this.
Sondra from Nevada: What can citizens do to advocate for impartial justices in this atmosphere?
- Call your Senators.
- Write letters to your local newspaper
- Call, Call, Call talk radio
- Talk to your friends and neighbors
- See what they're saying in the blogs
You must NOT sit back and let this one go. This decision is so important and will effect everything that goes on in your life.
And that was it. Given that I was working from furiously handwritten notes I trust you will grant me your indulgence for any spelling errors and the like.