For one thing, it forces the spotlight off the Alito nomination and back onto the issue of the administration's case for the war in Iraq and, of course, the related matter of the Scooter Libby indictments. Second, it also serves as a nice pre-emptive strike against the Republican "nuclear option" in the Alito fight, a reminder that the Democrats have power in the Senate and they're not afraid to use it. But perhaps best of all, it puts the two parties in strikingly different lights. The Democrats are starting to give evidence of actually having a spine, and the Republicans are crying like a bully who's stunned that someone he's tormented has finally struck back.
Check out these different descriptions of Frist and Reid from the CNN coverage:
Frist said Democrats had "hijacked" the Senate, and Democrats threatened to close the chamber each day until Republicans agreed to move forward with the investigation. "This is an affront to me personally," said Frist, a Tennessee Republican. "This is an affront to our leadership. It is an affront to the United States of America, and it is wrong." ...One party's leader is demanding the answers the country wants and, at long last, actually doing what Congress is supposed to do -- seek accountability from the executive branch. The other is crying because his feelings got hurt. I could get used to this.
Democratic leader Harry Reid said the surprise move was necessary to overcome Republican efforts to "obstruct" a full investigation of how the Bush administration led the United States into war. "There's nothing more important to a Congress or a president than war," the Nevada Democrat said. "I think the American people are entitled to know how we got there. That's what this is all about." ....
Reid said the GOP leadership in Congress has "repeatedly chosen to protect the Republican administration rather than get to the bottom of what happened and why." He said he had "zero regret" about the move: "The American people had a victory today."
7 comments:
Sen. Pat Roberts is on CNN, pissed off and promising to release all the public statements Democrats made about Iraq's WMDs on the run up to war. I don't understand why Republicans think this is such a smoking gun. Senators relied on the administration for intel briefings, and were clearly misled.
They should just quote the president: "Fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again!"
Your post summed up my feelings exactly, Otto. If Frist wasn't such a douchebag of liberty, I'd almost feel sorry for him being de-balled so very publicly.
According to my few conservative friends, Reid's move has got them hopping mad. That alone is worth it.
I love how conservatives are infuriated that Reid wants the Senate to do its job. Who does the asshole think he is, wanting Congress to provide oversight?!?!
Conservatives are really just mad that Reid picked up the Republican Congress by the hind legs and pointed out their neuticles.
Is there any reason they couldn't have done this earlier, say prior to the '04 election? Better late than never I guess.
Remember in "A Christmas Story" where Ralphie loses his shit on the redheaded bully?
Great analogy, Anne. "Scott Farkus. He had yellow teeth! I swear to God, yellow teeth!"
What?!?! Balls?!? Which party is this that grew balls?!? Who are these people and what did they do with my Democratic Party??
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