McCain On Roe: "Elections Have Consequences"

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Elections 2008
Posted on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 08:11:03 AM EST
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Last night, John McCain said:

[E]lections have consequences when presidents are nominated. This is a very important issue we're talking about. . . . I do not believe that someone who has supported Roe v. Wade that would be part of those qualifications [to be on the Supreme Court].

Barack Obama said:

[I]t is true that [choosing Supreme Court justices] is going to be, I think, one of the most consequential decisions of the next president. It is very likely that one of us will be making at least one and probably more than one appointments and Roe versus Wade probably hangs in the balance. Now I would not provide a litmus test. But I am somebody who believes that Roe versus Wade was rightly decided.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

< Zero:McCain's False Attack on Obama's Health Care Plan | The Polls - 10/16 >

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McCain On Roe: "Elections Have Consequences" | 28 comments (28 topical)

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It will be very interesting (none / 0) (#1)
by Steve M on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 08:26:43 AM EST

to see what the Senate Republicans do with Obama's judicial nominees, if they have, say, 42 or 43.

Specter, Snowe, Collins (if she's still there) (none / 0) (#2)
by andgarden on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 08:39:02 AM EST

Republicans need more or they won't be able to do a thing.


Everything I've read says (none / 0) (#8)
by Faust on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 10:24:49 AM EST

Collins is in a very good position to hold her seat. You think she might get kicked?


No (none / 0) (#9)
by andgarden on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 10:36:13 AM EST

But it would be icing on the cake.

There are five Republicans left representing New England in Congress. Four are Senators. My expectation is that there will be three left come January. Two would be better.

(From Shays, Collins, Snowe, Sununu, and Gregg, to just Snowe and Gregg.


Oh I'd be supper excited (none / 0) (#10)
by Faust on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 10:41:39 AM EST

I'm not clear why she's so popular, she sure doesn't seem like a moderate from what I've seen of her positions. But I'm overall pretty ignorant about her so she must have something going for her to be as secure as she is in this climate.


Maine's a funny place (none / 0) (#11)
by andgarden on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 10:45:57 AM EST

Did you know that FDR never won Maine?


Nor (none / 0) (#13)
by cal1942 on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 11:01:46 AM EST

Vermont.

Some political attitudes are passed from generation to generation.

Until Jeffords jumped ship and Sanders got elected, didn't Vermont have a long run with at least one Republican Senator?


: Jeffords's seat (none / 0) (#15)
by andgarden on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 11:04:15 AM EST

was held by a Republican longer than any other in the country.

I did not (none / 0) (#24)
by Faust on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 12:16:07 PM EST

that's interesting. Well, it is telling that most of Stephen King's stories take place there and that he chose to live there. Maybe there is something special in the water.


Well (none / 0) (#19)
by Steve M on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 11:26:01 AM EST

as you probably know, the Republicans never really relied on cloture votes very much anyway, they just used procedural tactics to block nominees they didn't like. The question is whether the Dems are going to be aggressive about getting Obama's nominees through or whether we're going to continue letting them place anonymous holds and such.

But if it comes down to it, I think it would be funny to see if Republicans are willing to renounce every argument they made during the nuclear option debate and engage in a filibuster of their own.


I think the kind of majority we'll have (none / 0) (#23)
by andgarden on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 11:57:54 AM EST

next year pretty much ensures that Obama can appoint just about any reasonable candidate to the SC.

There will be enough Republicans willing to give deference that it won't be a problem. And putting a hold on a SC nomination? That won't last, and is informal anyway.


It's not about the Supreme Court (none / 0) (#25)
by Steve M on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 12:29:42 PM EST

it's about the hundreds and hundreds of lower federal judges. Of course Obama will get who he wants on the Supreme Court.


: Yup, lower court judges matter (none / 0) (#26)
by andgarden on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 12:33:38 PM EST

but for all of the whining and complaining about obstructionism by Republicans, W. still got many, many, unacceptable judges through.
If we have 56-60 seats, the Republicans are going to be hard pressed to block many. They'll probably make a show out of a few, but that's just to keep their base happy.

McCain v Breyer (none / 0) (#3)
by robrecht on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 09:31:32 AM EST

Does McCain not know the difference between Alito and Breyer? Surely just a slip of the tongue or a memory lapse, but it does not inspire confidence that McCain is deeply immersed in the issues confronting supreme court nominations. Is he? I really don't know.

If McCain wins (God Forbid) (5.00 / 0) (#5)
by WS on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 09:34:15 AM EST

McCain will appoint Sarah Palin to the Supreme Court. What a Maverick!


I suspect (5.00 / 0) (#14)
by coigue on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 11:02:46 AM EST

that Ms. Palin cannot wait to get back to her home.


I wonder (5.00 / 0) (#20)
by WS on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 11:35:14 AM EST

if Palin is regretting her accepting McCain's VP invitation.


: How long do you think it was until Bush (none / 0) (#21)
by coigue on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 11:46:33 AM EST

regretted becoming Karl Rove's puppet?
He sure took a lot of vacations to Crawford.

I didn't see the transcript (none / 0) (#6)
by andgarden on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 09:42:21 AM EST

but I thought McCain was talking about Bill Pryor.


He was (none / 0) (#17)
by cal1942 on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 11:06:29 AM EST

talking about Pryor.

Those two no votes should could as a plus for Obama.

It also knocked me out when McCain cited a right-wing anti-tax group during the interminable talk about taxes.

McCain lives in a right-wing fantasy world.


: Thanks (none / 0) (#28)
by robrecht on Sat Oct 18, 2008 at 06:33:18 AM EST

Someone in the McCain campaign had made a statement that he meant Alito, not Breyer, but as we all know McCain does not speak for the campaign so maybe he did mean Pryor.

Roe v Wade is important. (none / 0) (#4)
by Fabian on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 09:31:40 AM EST

But health care is more important. Talk to me of universal reproductive health care if you want me to stand up and cheer.

I was in a bar (none / 0) (#7)
by eric on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 09:47:23 AM EST

eating pizza when the debate was on. People were actually watching the debate pretty closely. When Obama said, "But I am somebody who believes that Roe versus Wade was rightly decided," people were cheering. People were openly laughing at McCain. Minneapolis is not McCain territory. Heh.

For all that McCain is trying to distance himself (none / 0) (#12)
by akaEloise on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 10:55:00 AM EST

from Bush, he certainly stole that "elections have consequences" line fast enough.

As far as I can tell there is only about (none / 0) (#16)
by inclusiveheart on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 11:05:32 AM EST

a millimeter between them - in the wrong direction I might add.


: I see the difference (5.00 / 1) (#18)
by cal1942 on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 11:10:03 AM EST

between Bush and McCain as the difference between an angry old right-winger and a 'what me worry' frat boy right-winger.

same with the (none / 0) (#22)
by coigue on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 11:47:43 AM EST

wealth redistribution remark.

Both phrases should be trademark GOP.

He is running a very stupid campaign


For what it's worth (none / 0) (#27)
by 1980Ford on Thu Oct 16, 2008 at 06:22:26 PM EST

John McCain on Crime

Barack Obama on Crime