Will the GOP Call Harry Reid's Bluff?

Yesterday, President Obama dared Republicans to continue their obstruction by announcing three nominations to the DC District Court of Appeals. His nominees are U.S. District Court Judge Leon Wilkins, Georgetown law professor Cornelia Pillard, and Patricia Ann Millett, a partner at the prestigious law firm Akin Gump. This announcement comes just two weeks after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid threatened the so-called “nuclear option” if Republicans continue to obstruct President Obama's nominations.

Right on cue, the Republican leadership in the Senate signaled they may put Senator Reid's threat to the test. At his weekly press conference, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell questioned, “the appropriateness of confirming these three judges,” but dodged a question about whether the nominees should be filibustered. Senator McConnell also repeated one of the newest GOP talking points about the nominations, saying, “I think the issue is, if there is one, with regard to the D.C. Circuit, is whether this circuit court – which is apparently less busy than all but one circuit court in the nation – needs to have a full complement of judges.”

Anticipating such remarks, President Obama addressed that same talking point in his press conference earlier in the day. He said, “When a Republican was President, 11 judges on the D.C. Circuit Court made complete sense. Now that a Democrat is President, it apparently doesn't. Eight is suddenly enough.” President Obama called on Senate Republicans to stop the obstruction, and give these nominees a fair up-or-down vote. We will all have to wait and see whether that will actually happen. Stay tuned.

Comments

David Abbot's picture
David Abbot 9 years 42 weeks ago
#1

The Twain Report 6-05-2013

All The News That Mark Twain Says He Would Report If He Was Alive Today In a surprisingly humble move, the republican party held a press conference early this morning, to admit that for thirty years they have had only one goal: the destruction of America. Republican spokesman Pat Robertson said, "While I was praying and grinning late last night, God gave me a Divine Revelation. And as a result of that Divine Revelation, I have completely revamped all of my thinking on politics. God showed me how the republican party's mental capacity has been so severely compromised that even if you hooked all of our brains in parallel, our score on the SAT still wouldn't get us into the Lowered-Expectations Vocational School whose ads you see on late night tv. God showed me how we republicans have destroyed everything we have touched. And God wants all that to stop." In the shocked silence that followed this amazingly honest revelation, Robertson stood at the podium silently weeping. Then, pointing his finger heavenward, he said, "And God revealed the three reasons why He has caused the republican party to be so destructive. First off, of course it's the gay peoples' fault- everyone knows that. And secondly, God wants us to shrink government until it can be drowned in a bathtub. And finally, God wants corporations to rule the world." Glen Beck then joined Robertson for a photo op, complete with great big tears. In a touching display of Mormon-to-Christian solidarity, Beck took Robertson's hand as he stole Robertson's watch, and in an equally touching display of Christian-to-Mormon solidarity, Robertson gave Beck's bottom an encouraging squeeze as he stole Beck's wallet.

historywriter's picture
historywriter 9 years 41 weeks ago
#2

Harry Reid needs to get a backbone on this and stand up to these cretins. If he doesn't, they will achieve their goal of destroying President Obama and the rest of us with him.

2950-10K's picture
2950-10K 9 years 41 weeks ago
#3

Will the corp. media articulate a single grunt regarding blockage of these District Court nominations, which by the way is simply more republican targeting of Obama? I think not.....they're too busy with their fake story about the IRS targeting Teabaggers, otherwise known by us folks in the real world as the political groups who willfully committed tax fraud.

These teabag groups cry and kick about being targeted while in reality their targeting of Obama and our democracy hasn't had any impact on the public servants in their crosshairs, they all have socialist benefits and are taken care of for life. This targeting has done a couple things though, it has temporarily destroyed the working class and delayed the inevitable transition we the people will make to a form of liberty already in place in Europe, Canada, and much of the rest of the world.

I've got news for the Teabaggers, the IRS ain't the problem. Those who manipulate your little minds have untaxed trillions stashed in offshore bank accounts. That is a real problem and really does need to be targeted!

Idaglia's picture
Idaglia 9 years 41 weeks ago
#4

Code BLUE on November 4, 2014, across the board.

Ducinni's picture
Ducinni 9 years 41 weeks ago
#5

Harry Ried is a GOD DAMN COWARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He is a FUCKING DOORMAT DEMOCRAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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