LiveBlog MotherShip II: Mukasey Atty. General SJC Confirmation Hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee is beginning the confirmation hearing for Michael Mukasey this morning at 10:00 a.m. EDT.

Official Hearing Notice and Witness List

Bio on Mukasey from Wiki

Link to C-Span3 and their various players

   Rules, Rules Rules, yes we have Rules.

   Please recommend this Diary.  

   No pictures - not a one and yes; this includes you.

   Please reply to the first comment only with transcriptions.

        New diaries usually pop up roughly when the comments break 200.

The Live Blog line up:

  Live Blog Mother Ship

  2.  chaucer2
 
  3. Fabian aka Mother Ship redux (you are here)

  4. lurks a lot

  5. Miss Blue

  6. SallyCat

•  Fabian-

  You're going to have to be the new Mothership 2.  Here's what I sent you in an e-mail.
  The Mothership is about to fall off the Rec List.  Can you make YOUR diary Mothership2?  It'll be the same idea as the original Mothership; Rec the Mother not the children diaries.

  Last time we had to do this I titled it something like this:

  Live Blog Mothership II: Mothership I Sunk. SJC Mukasey Atty Gen'l Hearing.

  In the diary, link back to the Original Mothership and gchaucer2's diary and any subsequent children diaries.

  I'm going to see if I can find you via comments on kos.

  Donna

  by donnamarie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 10:54:27 AM PDT

  •  Please Rec this diary

    it is the new Mothership as the original Mothership is sinking fast or will have sunk.  Damn those long recesses!

    by donnamarie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 10:55:24 AM PDT

    •  Doesn't look like we'll be needing,,,,

      a Part Five.  

      Such a shame.  I put together such a nice live blog, lol.

      by Miss Blue on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:00:40 AM PDT

      •  Not sure about that, Miss Blue

        There's a third panel with a butt load of folks.  Of course, not sure how many Senators are actually showing up for questions.

        by gchaucer2 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:01:47 AM PDT

    •  I linked to both

      the original Mothership and this diary in Liveblog II.  I directed folks to Rec this diary as the new Mothership.  Not sure if you have done it yet, donnamarie, but last I looked your diary was still directing folks to LBII.

      Thanks for all the hard work and cat-herding.

      by gchaucer2 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:13:05 AM PDT

      •  Just in the title

        I can't make it switch.  I've added the update to Mothership II.

        by donnamarie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:18:22 AM PDT

  •  Okay.

    No problem, it'll just take a few minutes to re-arrange things.

    by Fabian on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 10:57:12 AM PDT

    •  Thanks for catching this, Fabian

      I hate when this happens LOL!
      Couple things:

      1. Put Live Blog in the title.  We've been following the Mothership lingo but not everyone has.

      2. Put Mothership II in the title.  That's how I refer to it in the original Mothership and that's how gchaucer2 linked to it.  We've created enough confuzzlement for the day! (Love that word, Thanks!)

      3. We don't need any more volunteers so you can remove the reference to the original Mothership.

      Thanks so much Fabian for being such a trooper on this!

      by donnamarie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:23:05 AM PDT

•  Transcription ONLY (please)

  Committee doesn't reconvene until 2:30 eastern, but I'm launching now.

  Mukasey has been comparatively forthcoming, although the committee hasn't liked some of his answers.

  CNN took a few callers on the hearing and Brand Bush is dee-ee-ay-dee.  The most positive callers were waiting until the hearing adjourned to make up their minds and one caller thought that the Democrats(!) were going to confirm Mukasey as a kind of entrapment plot.  More than one caller said in effect "Bush nominated him, so I'm suspicious.".

  And someone was floating JEB as a potential GOP nominee?  Only if he can win with 24% of the vote!

  by Fabian on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 10:55:58 AM PDT

  •  Jeb Bush,,,

    has as much of a chance to be President as I do.  Which is to say, none.

    Georgie-boy killed those dreams along with every other dream anyone in this country ever had.  Which may be the only good thing to come out of the last six years.

    by Miss Blue on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 10:59:45 AM PDT

    •  The Carville/Matlin brain trust cooked that one.

      by Mary2002 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:03:59 AM PDT

  •  Sen Brownback versus Mukasey

    Subjects: FISA, wiretaps

    blahblahblah
    "right into this" (ha!)
    Comes down on the side of the Executive, not Civil Rights. (Brownback phrased it that way.  Mukasey agreed.)

    Concerns about this conflict?
    No general conclusions, prefers to wait for a specific, concrete situation.

    (I dunno but Brownback grates on my nerves.  He doesn't ask "What's your name?", he asks "What does your wife call you?  Is that the same thing that your boss call you?   Why or why not?".  ARGH!)

    by Fabian on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:53:30 AM PDT

  •  More Brownback

    M: One system of laws, all the time, everywhere.

    Brownback's running the clock out, barely says anything.  blah-blah-BLAH-blahblah!

    B:Recidivism?  M:Yes, controlling this is a good idea.

    by Fabian on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:58:47 AM PDT

  •  Schumer! thank the gods and godesses!

    S: book by Goldsmith
    S: Executive ignored Congress, did not seek cooperation on FISA and detention.  
    S: Cooperation with Congress good for the Executive?  Yes.
    S: same re: FISA?  Yes.

    S: Unilateralism a bad idea?  Yes.  (re: executive, generally)

    [gotta head out for a half hour] be good!

    by Fabian on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:04:39 PM PDT

  •  Oh, DAMN! Greenwald live blogged this!

    Glenn Greenwald did a (partial) live blog of the hearing today.  I think he only did the first half.

    But anyway, he did a bang up job!  Go there!

    by Fabian on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 02:08:53 PM PDT

•  Snarky comments....kind of.

  This hasn't been a snark fest exactly.   Mukasey has been reasonable and he's got little to hide at the moment.  Mostly it's been interesting to listen the Senators.   No much in the way of buttering Mukasey up, mostly they just detail the problems with the Bush administration and the DOJ.

  by Fabian on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:01:36 AM PDT

  •  Dick Durbin layered it on thickish

    by UniC on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:30:06 PM PDT

•  Thanks for taking over

  blogpatrol, Fabian.

  by gchaucer2 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:02:51 AM PDT

  •  Yes, thank you to all the livebloggers.

    You're a lifeline for all of us who can't watch or hear this.  

    by sherlyle on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:08:19 AM PDT

•  Has anyone questioned Mukasey on....

  Enforcement of Conressional subpoenas?
  Contempt of Congress?
  Rove, Meiers, Josh Bolton, etc?
  I had the broadcast on for about 90 minutes, and haven't heard even a peep about these issues (assuming anyone besides me considers these thing issues.)

  by manwithnoname on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:20:49 AM PDT

  •  I would love to get him to promise to send all

    contempt of congress citations to a grand jury.  Let the people decide what is a valid charge or not.  He'd never do that but that would be sweet if someone got that out of him.

    by Dr Colossus on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:23:38 AM PDT

  •  I think Leahy did

    and Mukasey danced around the answer.  We have to look at the subpoenas, see if we have enough to get to court after reviewing executive privilege, blah, blah, blah.  I hope someone comes back on this question, even though it is clear that they are going to push this nomination through.

    by gchaucer2 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:27:44 AM PDT

    •  Balancing a right against a right.

      Not balancing a right against a wrong but balancing two rights - in reference to executive privilege versus turning over documents and so forth.

      He was correct, but it was still a weasely answer.

      He also pointed out that Congress is responsible for creating legislation for properly handling things like Guantanamo Bay inmates.  Which makes me wonder about the GOP Congress which essentially ignored any legislative authority over these things and instead punted them entirely to the Executive and the Judiciary.

      by Fabian on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:38:34 AM PDT

  •  Read the first two diaries

    many transcribed some of the issues you ask about

    by kimoconnor on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:30:39 AM PDT

    •  There's some great transcription

      at the top of the Live Blog diaries.  Transcription is at the top, snark is below.  Links are posted at the top of the diary.
      And we have GREAT transcribers in the Live Blogs.

      by donnamarie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:32:42 AM PDT

•  OT while we are waiting

  If you haven't read debel u's diary, "Only part of her neck and jaw remained" go read it.  It is probably the most powerful diary I have read here.

  Bookmark it if the hearing starts -- it should be on the rec list in any event.

  by gchaucer2 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:29:17 AM PDT

  •  Christ

    That diary is just as powerful as TNT.  A whole bunch of it.

    Spent some minutes crying before I could come back here to post a link.

    Thanks for the suggestion, gchaucer2.

    debel u's diary

    Have the Kleenex at hand - you're gonna need it.

    by Miss Blue on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:42:16 AM PDT

    •  Thanks for providing the link.

      That diary should be FP'd.  And re-published periodically.  I'm still teared up.

      by gchaucer2 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:44:05 AM PDT

      •  It's been front-paged

        BarbinMD added it about 40 minute ago.

        by sardonyx on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:46:59 PM PDT

  •  Astounding diary

    The best thing I have ever read here.  Message and delivery are incredible.

    by donnamarie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:48:12 AM PDT

•  Jeebus,

  is anyone else listening to the winger caller on C-Span 3 -- says that the hearing is a circus and Gonzo is a great man.  Uh, a circus?  Does he understand what advise and consent means and why we have hearings?  He must be in the 24% with the rest of his relatives who still support Bush.

  by gchaucer2 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:32:22 AM PDT

  •  that was

    Mrs. Gonzo.

    by MadAsHellMaddie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:33:44 AM PDT

  •  sorry...

    can't listen. Sanity comes first today...

    <sigh>

    by kredwyn on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:35:12 AM PDT

  •  Framing

    The RightWrong wing frameshoppers got a jump on us with that "advise and consent" thing...

    The turn of phrase goes thus:

    Constitution says (paraphrasing, of course):

    The Senate shall advise and consent...

    Which means, in a more expanded form...

    "The Senate shall be allowed to advise the president and retains the authority to consent or object to each appointee"

    The wingers got it screwed up in the lingo:

    "The Senate provides its adviCE and consent...so it's up to the Senate to do its job and provide consent...now..."

    by floundericiousMI on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:38:09 AM PDT

  •  That was Mr. LivesinaCave.

    I think he's a regular on Washington Journal too.  lol

    by lurks a lot on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:45:28 AM PDT

•  here is something else to look at

  while we are waiting...

  Go to whitehouse.gov and then look to the right of the front page and you get this load of bullshit

  

  by MadAsHellMaddie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:37:07 AM PDT

  •  'nuff said.

    Bush? White House?
    bullsh*t?  Mais oui!

    by Fabian on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:40:10 AM PDT

  •  Pssst!! NO PICS!! Dem's da rules!! n/t

    by lurks a lot on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:43:17 AM PDT

    •  crap I forgot

      since it has not started yet.

      by MadAsHellMaddie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:45:15 AM PDT

      •  This one was worth it Maddie. n/t

        by gchaucer2 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:47:28 AM PDT

    •  K I removed it

      but everyone go to the "Setting the record straight" part - its all full of lies!

      by MadAsHellMaddie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:46:37 AM PDT

      •  "Through the looking glass"

        should tell you all you need to know about the meaning of the word "straight".  I wish we could compost all the shit that issues forth from this Admin, but it's so toxic that we'd probably just wind up with another Superfund site.

        by lurks a lot on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:52:05 AM PDT

      •  hey guess it didn't remove

        must be meant to be seen.

        by MadAsHellMaddie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:10:57 PM PDT

        •  Can't update comments, darlin' n/t

          by donnamarie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 01:04:58 PM PDT

•  Game on!

  by Dr Colossus on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:45:50 AM PDT

•  Leahy has gaveled the hearing back in. n/t

  by lurks a lot on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:46:43 AM PDT

•  Brownback questioning now.

  Heh - I'm surprised he showed up.  It looks like either Cornyn or Sessions is there also.

  by lurks a lot on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:48:28 AM PDT

  •  Showing up,,,

    is about all he's got.  Certainly never asks anything worth hearing an answer to.

    by Miss Blue on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:49:35 AM PDT

    •  What would Jesus ask? n/t

      by gchaucer2 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:50:26 AM PDT

•  Brownback's playing softball.

  Do you respect the rule of law?

  Yes.

  Will you protect America?

  Yes.

  by Five of Diamonds on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:50:02 AM PDT

•  What the hell did that last statement mean?

  We need to understand intelligence gathering is the same as for criminal activity???

  by vigilant meerkat on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:52:58 AM PDT

•  M:

  Rights of free speech are very much in tact in this country.  Some people think intelligence interferes with privacy...collecting intelligence is like law enforcement building cases, nothing different in kind.

  by Five of Diamonds on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:53:21 AM PDT

•  He is just too damned relaxed

  when answering the "questions" put to him by rethugs.  They have such nice reasonable conversations, don't you think?

  by vigilant meerkat on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:54:13 AM PDT

  •  This is eerily reminding me

    of the Roberts hearing -- he too was very facile and look at we have now.

    by gchaucer2 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:56:50 AM PDT

    •  Yes!

      Exactly my thoughts.  Too, too chummy.  These guys are hopeless; they'll never learn.

      by vigilant meerkat on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:07:14 PM PDT

  •  B: Do you like puppies.

    M: Yes.

    B: Do you like apple pie and baseball.

    M: Yes.

    B: Do you believe in scary Muslim laws?

    M: No.

    by Five of Diamonds on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:57:44 AM PDT

•  How interesting

  They had a private conversation about pornography.  

  by vigilant meerkat on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:56:37 AM PDT

  •  Was it in a stall? n/t

    by gchaucer2 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:57:24 AM PDT

    •  Did it involve a wide stance?

      Come on, we need to hear the details here.

      by vigilant meerkat on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:06:10 PM PDT

      •  no, we don't.

        I am still waiting for my new supply of brain bleach to arrive.

        by JLongs on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 01:32:10 PM PDT

•  Slate.com via NPR: Everything is peachy now

  I just heard a report on NPR.  Apparently, Mukasey is being treated with respect and has used some strong, strong language to imply that he will be on the correct side of truth, justice, and the American way.  It sounds as though the never fully acknowledged problems at Justice have been happily solved.  Now we can go back to being the happy, tv-saturated citizens our forefathers envisioned.
  (Sorry if this is too OT.  I just wanted to comment on the shallow, "everything is fine now" coverage already trotted out on our most liberal of MSM.)

  by geomoo on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:56:41 AM PDT

•  Brownback asking about application of Sharia!?!

  What a dick!!  I hope he understands that theocratic zealotry arguments can be applied to the Christiban as well.  Jerk.

  by lurks a lot on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:57:40 AM PDT

•  Brownback talking about porn...one of his

  favorite subjects, it appears.

  by darthstar on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:57:41 AM PDT

  •  It's axiomatic, doncha know!

    He's a Repub, therefore he's obsessed with porn.  Q.E.D.

    by lurks a lot on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:59:38 AM PDT

  •  this whole thing

    feels like a porn movie.

    by MadAsHellMaddie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:17:38 PM PDT

•  OMG - advocating for

  faith based programs to cut down criminal recidivism!

  by madgranny on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:58:03 AM PDT

  •  Faith-based bathroom hand-jobs.

    Brownback is a fucking fraud.

    by darthstar on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:59:02 AM PDT

  •  Are you surprised?

    I mean we are talking about Brownback.

    by kimoconnor on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:00:13 PM PDT

  •  Hey don't knock those

    faith-based programs.

    I used to have a very wide stance.  Now, thanks to a faith-based rehab clinic, I sit prim & proper with my legs crossed.  

    Ugh.  That didn't come out right.

    /snark

    by Johnathan Ivan on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 03:08:03 PM PDT

•  The rethugs clearly are not interested

  in the Unitary Executive stuff.  They want to talk about criminals and the prison system.

  by vigilant meerkat on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:58:22 AM PDT

•  OMG Schumer, please try to contain yourself

  If you are totally in love with the guy, just yield your time and let us move on.  We don't need to hear it.

  by vigilant meerkat on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:59:12 AM PDT

•  Schumer:

  We are so nice to each other it's so nice and honest and everyone's enjoying themselves.  Have fun gutting the constitution.

  by Five of Diamonds on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 11:59:36 AM PDT

•  Schumer is clearly enjoying the whole process

  Oh, we're all just so collegial here.  Members of the club, patting each other on the back, bantering, chuckling.

  by vigilant meerkat on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:00:34 PM PDT

•  How nice - the Judge gives a

  book report!  he couldn't put it down.  Now, does he agree?

  by madgranny on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:00:35 PM PDT

•  Schumer is all chummy

  It's a love-in.

  by rock the ground on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:01:37 PM PDT

  •  or a

    Schu in

    by mango on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:04:00 PM PDT

    •  Good one.

      by rock the ground on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:09:55 PM PDT

  •  yeah what is up with that?

    I thought for a second Chuck was going to crawl into his lap, twist his ears and ask for candy.

    by MadAsHellMaddie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:12:33 PM PDT

    •  He did that at

      their private meeting.

      by wozzle on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:15:45 PM PDT

      •  must have been

        good candy.

        by MadAsHellMaddie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:28:05 PM PDT

•  How 'bout the president HAS

  to go to Congress?  Not does the judge thinks it's nice for Bush.

  by madgranny on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:02:20 PM PDT

•  Christ, I feel like

  I'm listening to Hatch.  Grassley was a million times better than Schumer.

  by gchaucer2 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:03:30 PM PDT

•  Schumer: "The last AG was nothing more....

  than a potted plant or a rubber stamp when it came to working with Congress."

  How true!

  by lurks a lot on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:05:08 PM PDT

  •  So as long as you're a metal stamp - made of

    sterner stamping stuff, Schumer's happy.  sigh

    I just keep telling myself - Mukasey is better than Keisler, Mukasey is better than ...

    I don't know what happens when I decide to stop talking to myself.

    by Mary2002 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:36:44 PM PDT

•  I don't like all these

  I will "TRY" answers and he's just too good at word parsing.

  by madgranny on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:05:36 PM PDT

  •  I agree with you madgranny. All the parsing

    makes it seem as if he actually hasn't answered a direct question.

    by KatHart on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:18:15 PM PDT

•  Did Schumer lose the power of original thought?

  Right now all he's doing is channelling Goldsmith.

  by lurks a lot on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:06:33 PM PDT

•  No wonder Schumer

  is happy.  He'll review OLC.  The most important committe you never heard of, according to Frontline last night.

  by astoundedstill on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:06:38 PM PDT

  •  Review OLC? Big deal

    this administration has quite a few 'reviews' ongoing now. And none are going anywhere.

    That was quite a show on Frontline, wasn't it?

    by kimoconnor on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:12:47 PM PDT

    •  Yes it was

      I was glad it was aired on the eve of this hearing.

      by astoundedstill on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:21:33 PM PDT

•  This Shumer love-fest is sad.

  He's tossing softballs easier than Brownback.

  by Five of Diamonds on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:08:02 PM PDT

•  What a cakewalk

  Remind me:  What is the purpose of this hearing?

  by vigilant meerkat on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:11:14 PM PDT

•  Executive privilege question -

  Schumer indicates he and judge disagreed earlier.  Uh-oh if Schumer doesn't like the answer of his BFF...

  by madgranny on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:11:15 PM PDT

•  Cornyn - Ughhh

  by madgranny on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:12:27 PM PDT

  •  Sweet Jesus I can't stand Cornyn

    Cornyn mentions M has written that critics of Patriot Act should read it and not be recreational about it.  Interesting, what would you call the condemnation of "move on."

    He (Corny) claims he's better at discerning law stuff than the court of public opinion.

    Now that debatable.

    by astoundedstill on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:16:14 PM PDT

•  Ah I see

  They've all met privately with the nominee.  This is the time for stroking the nominee.  How reassuring it all is.

  by vigilant meerkat on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:12:51 PM PDT

  •  uggq

    this gives me the creep chills.

    by MadAsHellMaddie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:16:19 PM PDT

•  hey lets all call

  Chuck's office and tell him he is acting like a teenage girl interviewing Justin Timberlake for Tiger Beat Magazine.  What an embarrassment!

  Schumer's Office
  Washington, DC
  313 Hart Senate Building
  Washington, DC 20510
  Phone: [phone]
  Fax: [phone]
  TDD: 202-224-0420

  by MadAsHellMaddie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:15:39 PM PDT

  •  Fanklly, I don't agree

    and if your going to harrass anyone... why not a repub.  Anyway, if you have some constructive criticism, I'm all for it, but the teen girl, Timberlake yadayada....doesn't resonate with me.

    by astoundedstill on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:18:16 PM PDT

    •  Just because they have a "D" after their name

      does not mean they should not be held accountable.

      It is obvious some deal was made.  He looks like a grabass and he should know we are watching.

      by MadAsHellMaddie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:26:16 PM PDT

•  Did the Democrats get any documents they wanted

  prior to holding this confirmation hearing?

  Or did they totally cave?

  by kimoconnor on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:19:01 PM PDT

  •  Or are they thinking they'll get the

    documents they need when the right guy gets in?

    by astoundedstill on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:20:05 PM PDT

    •  if they think that will happen

      they are living in the same bubble as Bush.

      by MadAsHellMaddie on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:26:51 PM PDT

  •  They apparantly got some

    of no consequence according to DiFi.

    by gchaucer2 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:20:46 PM PDT

  •  Never mind, they caved. nt

    by kimoconnor on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:41:24 PM PDT

•  Wow, Cornyn doesn't

  want to cover Stalkin Malkin's ass?

  by gchaucer2 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:21:42 PM PDT

•  So Mulkasey doesn't like the shield law.

  Does this bother anyone else or is it just me?

  by KatHart on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:22:06 PM PDT

  •  Sorry, Mukasey.

    by KatHart on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:23:18 PM PDT

  •  It is troubling if he hasn't

    read the legislation which doesn't protect journalists if they are protecting something criminal -- I agree with that.  Otherwise, there is a real chilling effect for whistle blowers who are not protected.

    by gchaucer2 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:26:31 PM PDT

    •  Fitzgerald and EW at TNH don't either. I do.

      by Mary2002 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:33:01 PM PDT

•  I look forward to Whitehouse.

  Graham makes me nauseous.

  by madgranny on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:24:59 PM PDT

  •  I didn't hear his name mentioned when

    Leahy indicated what the remaining line up was.

    by vigilant meerkat on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:26:04 PM PDT

    •  Yes, he was the last

      democrat named.

      by gchaucer2 on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:27:10 PM PDT

      •  Good

        Poor guy.  We expect so much from him.

        by vigilant meerkat on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:29:24 PM PDT

        •  He usually delivers!

          by madgranny on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:33:00 PM PDT

•  Uh-oh - Durbin's in love, too.

  by madgranny on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:25:51 PM PDT

  •  It's an epidemic

    This is another total waste of time.  They're already deferring to him and treating him as though he's there to interview and pass judgment on them.

    by vigilant meerkat on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:28:22 PM PDT

•  Oh YUCK! The 'pubbies are in the house!

  We're gonna hafta suffer through Graham, Kyl, and Sessions.  :(

  On the Dem side:  Durbin, Whitehouse, Cardin.

  by lurks a lot on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:26:15 PM PDT

  •  Can't wait for Whitehouse

    smart, smart, smart!!!!

    by astoundedstill on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:28:07 PM PDT

    •  I've adopted him as my proxy Senator. :)

      Worlds better than that dink Lieberman.

      by lurks a lot on Wed Oct 17, 2007 at 12:32:08 PM PDT