Obama's 'Victory' Over Senate Confirmations Not All That Clear

[Better Believe It]

Obama's 'Victory' Over Senate Confirmations Not All That Clear
By Sam Stein
February 12, 2010
Sam Stein is a Political Reporter at the Huffington Post, based in Washington, D.C. Previously he has worked for Newsweek magazine, the New York Daily News and the investigative journalism group Center for Public Integrity.

The confirmation of 27 presidential nominees late Thursday is being hailed as a major victory for the Obama White House after a political showdown with Senate Republicans over their foot-dragging.

But the sentiment is not shared by all. In the halls of the Senate, Republicans insist that the nominations were non-controversial and part of regular parliamentary order.

The president still came up short in getting some of the bigger names confirmed -- most notably National Labor Relations Board appointee Craig Becker.

Democrats, likewise, aren't universally thrilled with the deal stuck on Thursday night. A party leadership aide called the pool of confirmations a "step in the right direction" but not one that makes up "for the months we've wasted on the floor. There are still so many more to get through."

Despite winning his "showdown" with Senate GOP leadership, more than half of Obama's appointments remain unconfirmed -- which places the president well behind his predecessor. As Obama's own press secretary, Robert Gibbs, noted at Thursday's briefing, there were 63 nominees who have been waiting for a vote for more than a month, "when in a comparable period of time in the Bush administration that number was six."

More shocking to some, especially those in the labor community, was the president's willingness to reward McConnell for the move. In a statement released on Thursday night, Obama called the confirmations "a good first step" though with "dozens of nominees" still needing a vote. In the interim -- he implied and aides confirmed -- there will not be recess appointments, which allow the White House to circumvent the Senate.

"I will be looking for action from the Senate when it returns from recess," Obama said. "If they do not act, I reserve the right to use my recess appointment authority in the future."

The president, in short, delayed the possibility of getting Becker on the NLRB to the next Senate recess on March 29. Just days earlier, one of the most powerful union leaders in the country, Richard Trumka of the AFL-CIO, urged Obama to use a recess appointment to get Becker into the post. Another union official, speaking on condition of anonymity, called the concession to McConnell "insane."

Read the full article at:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/12/obamas-victory-over-senat_n_459934.html

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So, did Senator Reid withdraw the nomination of Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board after failing to get 60 cloture votes to end the fake "procedual" Republican filibuster? If he didn't, the nomination remains alive and Senate Democrats have the power to force a genuine Republican filibuster until 60 votes are obtained to end an authentic Senate debate on the nomination.

If Senator Reid killed the nomination by withdrawing it and if President Obama refuses to make a recess appointment of Craig Becker
to the NLRB we can only draw one conclusion.

The Democratic party leadership must be held responsible for yet another failed nomination.

And that once again organized labor and working people have been stabbed in the back by its alleged "friends"

[ProSense]

1. I think confirmation of 27 presidential nominees clearly shows that Republicans won and

if Obama does any recess appointments, the GOP is going to score big in November.

[Better Believe It]

2. You can have more than one cloture vote on a nomination or legislation.

If the nomination or legislation is kept "alive" in the Senate by not withdrawing it.

Does anyone on DU know if Senator Reid withdrew the nomination after only one cloture vote attempt?

If you know the answer, please post your reply with a link.

Thank you.


Oh .... the previous poster is on ignore. Probably because they posted trash talk and personal attacks on DU rather than engage in civil debate.

[asjr]

3. Are the rest of the nominees left

in limbo? When will they know whether they will sink or swim?