Democrats At A Loss
Democrats are at a loss again in trying to determine how to approach Judge John Roberts’ Senate Judiciary hearings which begin in two weeks.
The New York Times reports in a piece by David D. Kirkpatrick entitled, Senate Democrats Are Split on Tactics for Questioning Roberts (registration required) on the struggle in the Senate Democrat caucus. Here is the dilemma they are facing according to this article:
“Officials of the groups have warned Democrats that if Judge Roberts becomes a Supreme Court vote against their causes - for example, in a New Hampshire abortion rights case expected to be decided before the 2006 elections - they will hold accountable any senator who votes to confirm him. “I think it is a big problem for pro-choice senators if they vote to confirm Judge Roberts and he votes to uphold the New Hampshire law,” said Kate Michelman, former president of Naral Pro-Choice America.
On Monday, the Democratic Party plans to weigh in with a request under the Freedom of Information Act asking for files relating to Judge Roberts’s work during the first Bush administration, according to the party’s Web site. Senate Democrats had requested the same files, and the White House refused them.
Supporters of Judge Roberts have already ramped up campaigns in relatively conservative states to convince Democrats that “there is a price to pay at the ballot box” for voting against confirmation, said Gary Marx, executive director of the Judicial Confirmation Network, which helps coordinate the state efforts.”
Democrats are certainly at a loss. They are at a loss for ideas. They are at a loss for leadership. They are at a loss in winning elections. Now they are at a loss in their approach to the confirmation hearings.
The real loss they are facing, is that even if they win 100% of their liberal base, that won’t help them win in 2006 or 2008, and they will still be at a loss.
