Updates 1:30 AM, 6/28: Here is the Voinovich interview you can listen to. It is truly remarkable.
Tomorrow is the huge cloture vote on immigration. As of now, it is razor close - 39 confirmed no's (four new no votes - Burr (NC), Bond (MO), Domenici (NM) Nelson(NE).) One more is needed - maybe two - as Indiana's Evan Bayh is rumored to be possibly switching from no to yes. Wavering still are Dodd (CT), Coleman (MN), Murkowski (AK), Stevens (AK), Gregg (NH), Ensign (NV), and Bingaman (NM - could be swung by Domenici) Webb (VA) and Pryor (AR -not that likely). Still should be close, as people like Ted Kennedy are expert arm twisters. No one will want to be vote #60 (can be labeled as the amnesty enabler senator), and there could be some vote switchers that come from nowhere and surprise everyone. My list is based on everything I can find tonight. Ensign could be a switcher - rumors are saying that the NRSC funds have come to a halt this week and he could be forced into a no vote since he is in charge of fundraising over there. (end update, and the Phillies bullpen sucks).
"The Fact of the Matter is"
I don't know who else out there just heard that trainwreck of an interview that George Voinovich just gave on Hannity (title given because he uttered that phrase literally at least 10 times in the 15 minutes). I heard he was going to be on at 3:30, so I tuned it (I will usually listen to Hannity a couple of times a month). The interview started out with Voinovich appearing to endorse the Fairness Doctrine, before someone in his office must have frantically told him to laugh it off and pretend he didn't. Then Hannity moved to press Voinovich on how he would vote tomorrow - after he had to correct Voinovich that today's major amendment had failed by reading the AP story - Voinovich was said he was sure it passed; it did not. In typical Voinovich fashion, he wouldn't answer how he would vote tomorrow. He then accused Hannity and his Ohio consituents of trying to "intimidate" him into voting one way by bothering his office. He said he had been in the business 40 years and we should stop trying to influence his vote (yes, us, the people who vote for him). He said "people are saying it will be the end of my political career if I vote yes." Basically he said he didn't care what anyone else thought - an interesting statement to make.
A few minutes before Voinovich said he had enough, he threatened to hang up, claiming he wasn't allowed to answer Hannity's questions. In fairness, Hannity does do that often. This was not one of those times - Voinovich just didn't want to be on the spot. It seems there is a very slim chance he will vote "no" tomorrow - he kept defending the bill, after Hannity got him to admit he had not read it. He ended up telling Sean he was going to go and he lost respect for him and maybe next time he would talk about some other topic if he ever came back. Hannity thanked the "mighty senator" for coming on. Senator Voinovich embarrassed all of Ohio today - even those who didn't vote for him. You really had to hear it. Voinovich's attitude was truly unbelievable - and I would be saying that even if he said he was voting no tomorrow.
I will see if I can get a transcript of this at some point today. Fellow SOBer Nasty Brutish and Short liveblogged it.
Tomorrow is the huge cloture vote on immigration. As of now, it is razor close - 39 confirmed no's (four new no votes - Burr (NC), Bond (MO), Domenici (NM) Nelson(NE).) One more is needed - maybe two - as Indiana's Evan Bayh is rumored to be possibly switching from no to yes. Wavering still are Dodd (CT), Coleman (MN), Murkowski (AK), Stevens (AK), Gregg (NH), Ensign (NV), and Bingaman (NM - could be swung by Domenici) Webb (VA) and Pryor (AR -not that likely). Still should be close, as people like Ted Kennedy are expert arm twisters. No one will want to be vote #60 (can be labeled as the amnesty enabler senator), and there could be some vote switchers that come from nowhere and surprise everyone. My list is based on everything I can find tonight. Ensign could be a switcher - rumors are saying that the NRSC funds have come to a halt this week and he could be forced into a no vote since he is in charge of fundraising over there. (end update, and the Phillies bullpen sucks).
"The Fact of the Matter is"
I don't know who else out there just heard that trainwreck of an interview that George Voinovich just gave on Hannity (title given because he uttered that phrase literally at least 10 times in the 15 minutes). I heard he was going to be on at 3:30, so I tuned it (I will usually listen to Hannity a couple of times a month). The interview started out with Voinovich appearing to endorse the Fairness Doctrine, before someone in his office must have frantically told him to laugh it off and pretend he didn't. Then Hannity moved to press Voinovich on how he would vote tomorrow - after he had to correct Voinovich that today's major amendment had failed by reading the AP story - Voinovich was said he was sure it passed; it did not. In typical Voinovich fashion, he wouldn't answer how he would vote tomorrow. He then accused Hannity and his Ohio consituents of trying to "intimidate" him into voting one way by bothering his office. He said he had been in the business 40 years and we should stop trying to influence his vote (yes, us, the people who vote for him). He said "people are saying it will be the end of my political career if I vote yes." Basically he said he didn't care what anyone else thought - an interesting statement to make.
A few minutes before Voinovich said he had enough, he threatened to hang up, claiming he wasn't allowed to answer Hannity's questions. In fairness, Hannity does do that often. This was not one of those times - Voinovich just didn't want to be on the spot. It seems there is a very slim chance he will vote "no" tomorrow - he kept defending the bill, after Hannity got him to admit he had not read it. He ended up telling Sean he was going to go and he lost respect for him and maybe next time he would talk about some other topic if he ever came back. Hannity thanked the "mighty senator" for coming on. Senator Voinovich embarrassed all of Ohio today - even those who didn't vote for him. You really had to hear it. Voinovich's attitude was truly unbelievable - and I would be saying that even if he said he was voting no tomorrow.
I will see if I can get a transcript of this at some point today. Fellow SOBer Nasty Brutish and Short liveblogged it.
posted by Ben at
6/27/2007 04:07:00 PM
6 Comments:
I listened to this and was embarrassed to be from Ohio. We are being representing by a man who is an idiot. I'm moving.
dewine = voinovich
who in the hell do the unwashed masses think they are to try to influence him. We should just be happy he consents to represent us.
The fact that our votes and voices mean nothing is a scary propsition.
Never did I think in my life time it would come to wondering if we might have to take to the streets to take our country back.
I heard a great analogy today.
our governemt is like big itme wrestling. They sit in a big room laughing and counting the money then crawl in the ring and pretend to hate each other while we cheer for our favoirtes and argue who is better.
well he aint running again, thats for sure.
This is a big vote for the Republican Party.
Unfortunately the Senator's attitude is probably symptomatic of the attitude of most of our elected officials, regardless of the state the office holder resides. However most of the officials who may feel contempt for those who put them in the jobs they have are much better at keeping their true beliefs of 'governing' the country to themselves. This Senator has managed to give the public a glimpse into the true minds of the Senate, and Congress as a whole. I don't think that this country will really wake up to the dangers that the politicians of his ilk has put American in until it is too late.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home