Last-Minute John Kerry Filibuster of Samuel Alito Falls on Deaf Ears

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jan 27, 2006   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Last-Minute John Kerry Filibuster of Samuel Alito Falls on Deaf Ears Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 27, 2006

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Failed pro-abortion presidential candidate John Kerry waged an 11th-hour campaign to mount support for a potential filibuster of Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, but even members of his own party bemoaned his quixotic effort.

Although Kerry is out of the country hobnobbing with international political leaders in Switzerland, he manned the phones to call his colleagues and urge them to filibuster Alito next week.

The calls came after news reports surfaced showing Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist planing to call for a cloture vote Monday afternoon to end debate on Alito’s nomination and hold an up or down vote Tuesday.

On Thursday, Alito picked up the support of two more Democrats and two others said they would not support a filibuster. Even Democratic leaders recognized the writing on the wall.

"No one can complain on this matter that there hasn’t been sufficient time to talk about Judge Alito, pro and con," Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said on the Senate floor Thursday. "I hope that this matter will be resolved without too much more talking."

Number two Senate Democrat Dick Durbin of Illinois agreed: "I’ve come to the conclusion that it is highly unlikely that a filibuster would succeed."

Most observers felt Kerry’s filibuster was a purely political move rather than a genuine effort to block Alito’s nomination to replace retiring pro-abortion Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

Steve Schmidt, a White House spokesman, told the New York Times that Kerry’s move "says a lot less about Alito than it does about the Iowa primary in 2008."

Despite it likely being doomed to failure, Kerry’s filibuster attempt has picked up two supporters — fellow pro-abortion Democrats Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts and Ron Wyden of Oregon.

The abortion industry is delighted about Kerry’s filibuster bid and called for more senators to line up behind him.

Vicki Saporta, director of the National Abortion Federation, a trade group of abortion businesses, said it "calls on Senators to use the filibuster to stop the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito because of his extreme views on the right to privacy and Roe v. Wade."

Saporta said "appointments to the Supreme Court are so important that it should take a supermajority of 60 votes to confirm a nominee."

TAKE ACTION: Make your views about Judge Alito’s noination known by contacting your senators. You can reach them by going to: https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm