Dems win on judges

We've got to savor these victories when we get them.

Democrats capped a nonstop U.S. Senate debate of nearly 40 hours on Friday by blocking two more of President Bush (news - web sites)'s federal appeals court nominees, boosting to six the number stonewalled.  

On each of two showdown votes, Republicans fell seven short of the 60 needed in the 100-member chamber to stop delaying tactics against California jurists Carolyn Kuhl and Janice Rogers Brown and clear the way for confirmation.  

Democrats also sustained by the same margin the procedural hurdle known as a filibuster against another nominee, Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen, who was first blocked in May [...]

Democrats pointed out that Republicans blocked 63 of Democratic President Bill Clinton (news - web sites)'s judicial nominees, preventing most of them from even getting a hearing.  

"I find it incredibly remarkable ... that the very people who lament not getting a vote for (the blocked Bush's nominees) were participants in the effort" to stop 63 of Clinton's judicial candidates, said Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota.