Dems already use extraordinary circumstances

In this CNN story it shows how far the 'good faith' of the Democrats lasted. Less than one week.

The Senate voted 56-42 for cloture, four votes shy of the necessary 60 votes to cut off debate. Frist entered a motion for the Senate to reconsider the vote when senators return next month after a weeklong Memorial Day holiday break.

Uh, I told you so. Now, I understand that this is not a judicial nominee, but I guarantee that the good will was over as soon as the 3 nominees got their votes earlier this week. There is no intention by the Democrats to allow any more votes on non-radical liberal nominees.

Frist reacted angrily to Thursday's outcome, saying he was "very, very disappointed" with Democrats after starting the week on a high note with a bipartisan agreement on judicial nominees, in which it was agreed filibusters would be used only for "extraordinary circumstances."

The agreement precluded filibusters on three of Bush's judicial nominees who had been held up during his first term. (Full story)

"What America has just seen is engagement of another period of obstruction by the other side of the aisle, and it looks like we have -- once again -- another filibuster," Frist said.

This is the trial baloon for the Democrats. They want to test how far they can push the 'extraordianry circumstances' without public opinion being affected. They may even allow a vote on Bolton to occur next week. They only want to see if the public will bitch about the Democrats abusing the language of Monday's stupid agreement.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, noted it was the end of May and this was "the first filibuster of the year, and may be the last."

"I hope so," Reid said. "It isn't as if we're looking for things to have extended debate on. We need to work together and I think this week has established that. But how can we work together when information is not supplied? So, I hope that we'll all slow down the rhetoric during the break."

I put this quote because I have a feeling that Reid & Co. will turn up the rhetoric over the break...and I want this quote to refer to later.

At issue, supposedly, are requests for some "documents on Syria and 10 National Security Agency intercepts that Bolton, as the State Department's undersecretary for arms control, had once requested." Why? Of what relevance to Bolton's qualifications are these documents? So, while Bolton requested documents in his position for whatever reason suddenly the Senate wants them too?

They are fishing for reasons to filibuster Bolton while gaining access to other information. Considering Reid's indiscretions about FBI files I do not think any documents need to be handed over.

"They have the information they need. This is just about resorting back to a partisan approach," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said. "Just 72 hours after all the good will and bipartisanship, it's a shame to see the Democratic leadership resort back to a partisan approach. This is a nominee who has majority support."

There is not any reason that these requested documents are needed by the Senate Democrats. Well, except to give an excuse to claim 'extraordinary circumstances' and begin the filibustering on all nominees that prior to Monday the Democrats already claimed were extraordinary circumstances.

Pathetic.