Note this story in The New York Times about the Bush administration's decision to fight for the judges that Senator Daschle blocked in the Senate during the 108th Congress:
President Bush plans to renominate 20 candidates for federal judgeships who have been unable to win confirmation in the Senate, the White House said today, in a signal that the president is ready for a showdown early next year.
"An effective and efficient judicial system is vital to ensuring justice for all Americans," the White House said. "The president nominated highly qualified individuals to the federal courts during his first term, but the Senate failed to vote on many nominations."
...
Republicans picked up several seats in the November elections and will effectively have an advantage of 55 to 45 when the new Senate convenes early in January. (There are 44 Democrats and one independent, James Jeffords of Vermont, who generally sides with the Democrats.)
JASON ADDS: The AP also has a report on this topic headlined "Bush to Renominate 20 for Judgeships." It seems Harry Reid has stolen a page from the Daschle playbook:
"I was extremely disappointed to learn today that the president intends to begin the new Congress by resubmitting extremist judicial nominees," Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said in a statement. "Last Congress, Senate Democrats worked with the president to approve 204 judicial nominees, rejecting only 10 of the most extreme."
Sen. John Cornyn is quoted in the AP article too:
"The dynamics of 2006 are in play here," Cornyn said. "Those Democratic senators up for re-election in states Bush did very well in have to be looking at what happened to Tom Daschle in South Dakota and wondering if the same fate is in store for them if they continue to obstruct and prevent up or down votes on the president's nominees."
Daschle's Nov. 2 election loss cost him his Senate seat and the job of Senate minority leader.
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