www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/04/15/republicans.filibusters.ap -> www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/04/15/republicans.filibusters.ap/
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Republicans are moving to put some muscle behin d their pitch to eliminate judicial filibusters after watching liberals push out TV ads against them in anticipation of a showdown over who sits on federal appeals courts. "I think you'll see a greater, stepped-up message on part of the Republic ans, to go on offense on this issue." Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, after vowing last fall to stop Democra ts from blocking the most conservative of President Bush's nominees, wil l appear in a telecast later this month with leaders of social conservat ive groups. According to a flier for the Louisville, Kentucky, event, it will focus o n how judicial filibusters are being used "against people of faith." The telecast is being organized by the Family Research Council, which spo nsored a similar event last year opposing gay marriage. First's staff sa id he will probably record his message for the telecast. The Tennessee Republican, considered a likely contender for his party's p residential nomination in 2008, is under pressure to force a Senate show down before Congress breaks May 27 for a long Memorial Day recess. Under Senate rules, at least 60 votes are needed to cut off floor debate -- known as cloture. To keep a filibuster going, Democrats need just 41 senators to vote against a cloture motion. Most of the time it's merely the Democratic threat of a filibuster that k eeps GOP leaders from bringing a judicial nomination to the floor for a vote. Democrats have blocked 10 of Bush's 52 appeals court nominations through filibuster threats, while allowing the confirmation of 34 others. To change the rules, Frist needs a simple majority in the 100-member Sena te. He can get that by mustering 50 votes and bringing in Vice President Dick Cheney as the tiebreaker in his capacity as president of the Senat e under the Constitution. The Senate has 55 Republicans, 44 Democrats and one independent. But a ha lf-dozen GOP senators either have said they oppose or have refused to su pport changing the rules. Frist's plan has been dubbed the "nuclear option" because Democrats have promised to retaliate by blocking the rest of Bush's legislative agenda -- excluding spending and highway bills and national security measures. His supporters call it the "constitutional option," saying the forefather s never intended to let a minority of the Senate block a president's cho ices for judgeships. They have said they plan to keep blocking those 10 if they are brought up for confirmation again, and will block other nominees they consider to be too conservative. Writings or judicial opinions on abortion, civil or labor rights and the environment are often a litmus test. People for the American Way and MoveOn PAC have been running television a ds for weeks trying to discourage Republicans from forcing a showdown ov er filibusters. Democratic leaders Harry Reid in the Senate and Nancy Pelosi in the House have coordinated a message accusing majority Republicans of "abuse of p ower" and "arrogance." "From a leadership stand point, we've held back, which has allowed the vacuum to be filled by lot s of other voices. I hope what you will see over the next several weeks is us to do a better job." To help publicize their message, a GOP group called the Advise and Consen t Working Group now issues daily recaps of what GOP senators say about j udicial nominations and rebuts Democrats' statements on the issues. Republican senators have joined Democrats in giving daily speeches on the subject from the Senate floor. New conservative organizations like the Judicial Confirmation Network and the National Coalition to End Judicial Filibusters are entering the fra y to counter MoveOn and People for the American Way. The Judicial Confirmation Network has planned an initial $250,000 ad buy on cable television to counter the liberal ads. "The other side has started a pretty aggressive campaign," said Wendy Lon g, the group's lawyer. Some conservative groups have held off spending money on the filibuster b attle, saving resources for an anticipated Supreme Court fight. Chief Justice William Rehnquist, 80, is fighting thyroid cancer, and many people expect a retirement from the nation's highest court before Presi dent Bush ends his second term. But conservative senators and advocacy groups say there must be a resolut ion on the filibuster before that happens. Needing 60 votes to confirm a Supreme Court justice might affect whether Bush picks a conservative or a moderate, they say. Thune said a high-profile Supreme Court nomination and a simultaneous fig ht over whether that person can be filibustered by Democrats might muddy the water and make both objectives more difficult.
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