Steve Clemons reports on the bloggers' conference call with Harry Reid: Just say no to Alito

i'm very glad that there's someone like steve clemons out there who can engage in such candid conversation with someone like senator reid, another individual who holds my greatest respect...

I complimented Senator Reid for invoking Rule 21 and shutting down the Senate to compel Senator Pat Roberts and the Republican Senate establishment to stop dragging its feet on its investigation into the administration's use and potential abuse of WMD intelligence. Reid relished telling the tale of how it all unfolded.

I told him that such demonstrations of backbone needed to be less rare -- and that the absence of such resolve in the Alito confirmation process was disheartening. He said that he was meeting today with the Democratic caucus to see if there are 41 Senators willing to say no to Alito -- and really say no (meaning a filibuster). He indicated that there was only a 50/50 chance that there were 41 Senators and sounded doubtful.

But while I am all for constructive policy proposals, I also believe that "winning" is important. Alito should be filibustered in my view. He is the wrong judge to go to the Supreme Court in these times -- and Dems should send that message.

However, as I told Senator Reid yesterday, Democrats have too much of a tendency to concede defeat before the battle has really been fought -- and many Republicans, in contrast, are declaring victory even if they may be losing.

Dems need a combination of hard-edged tactics and serious resolve as well as good vision and proposals.

But we have three years left of one of the most dramatic and often disturbing presidencies in decades -- and I believe that the reasonable and sensible personalities in the Bush administration should be supported while the clan that holds close to Vice President Cheney -- and which is responsible for the worst disasters of Bush's term -- need to be exposed and vilified.

good luck, harry... i'm looking forward to hearing the outcome of the caucus...

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