Kerry's Filibuster an Uphill Climb

Ever hear the name John Kerry? You know, the one that fueled two years' worth of really good blogging material during the 2004 Presidential Campaign. "Why the long face, Sen. Kerry?" Yup, that's the one.

Well, the Respected Senator from Massachusetts is in the news yet again... but not from Massachusetts. Hard at work forwarding the liberal agenda of the leftwing fringe of the Democratic Party, Sen. Kerry has announced plans to call for a filibuster on the confirmation of Judge Samuel Alito. From Switzerland.

"I think it was a historic day yesterday. It was the first ever call for a filibuster from the slopes of Davos, Switzerland," [Bush spokesman Scott] McClellan said. "Maybe Senator Kerry needs to be spending more time in the United States Senate so he can refresh his memory on Senate rules. Senate rules say you have to have the votes in order to filibuster."

Republicans and even several of Kerry's fellow Democrats have played down the possibility of a filibuster, stating that Alito's supporters seemed to have at least the 60 votes needed to stop the political maneuver.

Earlier Thursay, Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, who is in charge of rounding up his colleagues for key votes, also played down the possibility of a filibuster, though he said no decision had been made.

"One of the first responsibilities of someone in Congress is to learn how to count," the Illinois Democrat said. "Having made a count, I have come to the conclusion it is highly unlikely that a filibuster would succeed."

Ouch! But wait, there's more!

Democrats cringed and Republicans laughed at his gesture, which almost no one in the Senate expects to succeed.

"God Bless John Kerry," said Don Stewart, a spokesman for Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, a member of the Judiciary Committee. "He just cinched this whole nomination. With Senator Kerry, it is Christmas every day."

(Was that Christmas in Cambodia, or just any regular old Christmas?)

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

Political analysts speculate that Kerry's posturing may actually have more to do with hopes for another run at the presidency in the next elections:

"...This is more about Kerry positioning himself for the 2008 presidential nomination than it is about Judge Alito. Kerry's allies believe this is a golden opportunity for Kerry to whip up support among the left, liberals very concerned that the high court is now tilting far to the right. The potential problem for Kerry is that this could turn off middle-of-the-road voters who help to decide those presidential elections.
[From the CNN video clip linked to in the above article.]

With Sen. Hillary Clinton at least talking a little more like a moderate of late, Kerry has no where else to turn but to the more liberal leftwing extremists for support in the initial stages of a primary battle. Sen. Kerry himself has started the media salivating with his non-committal remarks on the subject:

Asked whether he would run again, Kerry told The Associated Press: "We'll tell you somewhere down the line." Asked whether he would not rule it out, Kerry said: "No -- I haven't."

Oh, well, at least he'll have Teddy Kennedy's support. (Hic!)


UPDATE: LST commenter SargeVining has a great take on the Switzerland angle:

I know you guys like to give John Kerry a hard time and all, but I learned yesterday that he’s at an important Economic Conference in the middle of ski season, and I know from pictures we used to see of him at Killington, Cannon Mountain and other New England ski slopes that he’s making quite a sacrifice in going to that Economic conference instead going skiing in the mountains of the Northeast like he’d really like to do. I mean, it looks like the guy is always working for us.....giving up vacations and stuff. I mean, seriously guys, he really, really, really loves to ski, and I hear the slopes in New Hampshire and Vermont are smoking this year….even the Massachusetts slopes have lots of tasty snow, so for him to be out of town at a boring old Economic Conference....I just know he’d rather be skiing...

(Ring...Ring)

Hold on second, guys..... I need to get the phone.

Hello....Yah, this is Sarge...

Oh, really? SWITZERLAND?... The conference is in SWITZERLAND? Is that the Switzerland with all the Alps, you know, the big mountains with the Olympic ski slopes, THAT Switzerland?......It IS?.......OK, Thanks.

Click

Never mind, guys.....