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Are Republicans Blackmailing Obama?
A Republican Senate staffer further has confirmed to me that the Johnsen nomination was discussed at the last G.O.P. caucus meeting. Not a single Republican indicated an intention to vote for Dawn Johnsen, while Senator John Cornyn of Texas was described as “gunning for her,” specifically noting publication of the torture memos.
No decision was taken at that Republican caucus meeting whether to filibuster or not, though Cornyn was generally believed to support filibustering Johnsen and potentially other nominees. Johnsen has met recently with moderate Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, both of whom are being lobbied heavily by colleagues and religious right groups to oppose her nomination.
Both Koh and Johnsen are targets of sustained attacks coming from right-wing lobbying groups. The Daily Beast previously reviewed the attacks on Johnsen, while Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick has catalogued the recent attacks on Koh. Former Bush administration Solicitor General Ted Olson recently endorsed the Koh nomination, calling the Yale dean “a man of great integrity.” But connecting the Obama nominations to the Bush torture memos escalates the conflict toward a thermonuclear level.
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Scott Horton is a law professor and writer on legal and national-security affairs for Harper's magazine and The American Lawyer, among other publications.
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Scott Horton is a law professor and writer on legal and national security affairs for Harper's Magazine and The American Lawyer, among other publications.
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peziak
Doesn't the Obama administration realise that they have a huge amount support from their constituents? One of the initiatives that the Obama admin has pushed for that we wholeheartedly agree with is greater transparency.
We aren't going to tolerate the Republicans f*cking with that. They could mess with a lot of other things but don't mess with what we have been waiting for, for the last 8 years. We want to know what Bush did, we want to find out about the torture, we want to know about his politicization of the DOJ.
Transparency should be at the foundation of government. If Republicans are unwilling to support that then they should removed.
sconover
This is the first big battle. If Obama plays this really well, and the R's keep defending the Cheney wing of the party, the moral depravity on display (combined with, say, being totally on the wrong side of history WRT recent economic policy) could be an existential crisis for the GOP. Gingrich is absolutely right that third parties would be formed to challenge the GOP as the second party.
Perhaps the odds are low but at this point it's certainly not unthinkable.
Here's one spectator ready to see the best fusillade the GOP can muster. Everyone pay attention with pens at the ready for who comes down on what side of this one.
This will cement the image of the GOP in the eyes of people under 40. Just as of us wants to get near an American car, to our deaths the GOP will stand for beating the shit out of taxi drivers.
dana64
BLACKMAIL ? definitely
Poor Obama , no matter how hard he tries, the obstacles mount.
Next they will blackmail him about HEALTHCARE
The Republicans are not the only ones who blackmail the Administration............WALL STREET also blackmailed the administration into SUBMISSION to their WILL.
see how tough it is to change things.
Good luck to Obama............we understand !!!
CosmicChuck
I think that's despicable behavior on the part of the Republicans involved in "blackmailing" the Obama administration. It's certainly not covered under the rubric of classified information - need to know.
Rather, we Americans have a right to know the illegal acts performed with the consent of the Bush administration - Truth & Reconciliation. The people from countries whose citizens were illegally tortured have a right to know as well.
I would suggest to Mr. Cornyn, et al. that such behavior on their part will all but guarantee Mr. Gingrich's belief that the 2012 elections will see a 3rd party. It might happen even sooner in 2010. Such arrogant people are certainly not representing their constituents in good faith. In comparison, what Mr. Dodd did regarding the AIG bonuses in ARRA is mild.
outwithSenShelby
President Obama please do not give in to blackmail.let's give them transparency,Why do The republicans want to suppress information ?Rush where are you and fellow neocons.I can't hear you.
JoyceH
Go nuclear? I say let them. Let them take a public stand as the party of torture. Let them see who the public sides with on this one. The Obama Administration needs to go public with this threat, explain to the American people what the Senate Republicans are doing, and why - we'll do the rest.
ultrabop
Bring it on! Why back down? Let them filibuster. The public reaction would be rather decisive, I would think. Not every Senate Republican is going to stand on the side of torture. Does Olivia Snow believe in using torture? I think not.
cbl99201
I have to agree that these memoranda should see the light of day. This is one worth fighting over. Even Mcain would support it !!
melissamsouza
This is scary stuff. The Administration must use every available means to expose these Republicans and bring them down. Now is the time. They are holding not only the Administration, but the Nation hostage in depriving the government of its personnel. This borders on criminal conduct, not only by the past perpetrators of torture, but by their colluding senators.
VenusMuse
It's probably better stated that the Obama administration has and will continue to shut out the GOP. "What a tangeled web he weaves, Obama." And he now wants to ram down our throats the War Dead?
xbainx
This is not really "politics" this is corruption, being covered up. I don't want to see the torture memos. The American public knows what went on. Keep them in a safe for the historical archives and get the nominations.
But let this be a lesson to people who like to go hard on Obama and soft on Bush: this is corruption, or "pay to play" chicago style politics. And it's being played by Republicans. Because Republicans are terrible people.
kamknauss
Prosecute.
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pennsykid2000
I can't wait to see attack ads against Repubs in 2010 for defending the Bush policy essentially advocating torture. I also don't think filibustering will necessarily work in the long run. Senate Repub leader Bill Frist and other Repubs threatened to change the rules several years ago and require only a majority to confirm appointments, so the Dems can do the same and point to that Republican precedent to justify it. Once again, Republican short-sightedness will turn out to bite themselves in the ass.
hockeydog
Why, this is exactly the way other thugs behave. Threats
and intimidation! No wonder things are all messed us right now. We have been RULED by thugs for a decade, and sort of got used to it. Karl Rove and Adolf Hitler were true geniuses.
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