Blogs: Real Security

An attempt to break the conservative minority filibuster of a proposal to effectively end the Iraq occupation fell short today. A majority of 53 senators, including four Republicans and one independent, supported an up-or-down vote (52 of which support the actual bill), but that's 7 votes short of the super-majority needed to end the filibuster.

In turn, Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid -- instead of turning the floor over to proposals that would maintain the Iraq occupation -- turned the Senate's attention to a different bill.

So, did the all-night debate accomplish anything? Absolutely. more »

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Minutes ago, Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid asked for unanimous consent to move to a vote on the Levin-Reed amendment to effectively end the occupation. Sen. Minority Whip Trent Lott objected, and the filibuster continues.

Reid admonished the obstructionists: "The time for speeches has ended … we want some votes."

Since conservatives surely want everyone to know about their glorious obstructing of the public will, be sure to watch the action on C-Span 2.

UPDATE (4:05 PM ET): Lott insisted that Republicans were "ready to vote." Minutes later, Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin repeated Reid's request for unanimous consent to move to a vote, and Lott -- sans shame -- objected again.

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I'll say this for Sen. John McCain. He thinks ahead.

During today's Senate floor debate, Sen. Carl Levin urged McCain and his fellow conservatives to refrain from filibustering his Iraq proposal, and allow for an "up-or-down" vote.

McCain shrugged him off, saying both parties have employed such procedural tactics in the past.

That wasn't McCain's song two years ago, when he joined the "Group of 14." more »

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When you’re Senate Majority Leader, everyone’s fighting for your ear. Today, the netroots have Harry Reid’s ear, instead of the punditocracy.

This blog has long been calling for Senate leaders to fight for bold, popular legislation and stand up to those blocking its passage -- instead of flinching at filibusters, chasing unprincipled compromises and accommodating the conservative minority.

We launched the petition last month urging Reid to do just that.

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Surge advocates were not held to account on the Sunday shows yesterday, as called for by the Watchdog.

On NBC's Meet The Press, Sen. Lindsey Graham was not reminded by Tim Russert of his December claim that the surge would bring stability and political compromise in Iraq.

Instead, Graham was allowed to shift blame to the Iraqi government for "not performing," instead accepting blame for advocating a failed strategy.

(Fortunately, Sen. Jim Webb was around to put Graham in his place.)

Similarly. on Fox News Sunday, surge policy architect Frederick Kagan was not asked to explain his contradictions in cheerleading his policy, nor was he asked to back up the favorable statistics he cites.

The Watchdog's question for Brig. Gen. Mark Kimmitt, about his role in the Abu Ghraib scandal, was rendered inoperative when National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley replaced him as a scheduled guest on CBS' Face The Nation.

Perhaps the White House is afraid of the Watchdog.

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Every Friday in our Weekend Watchdog feature, we post suggested questions for scheduled Sunday guests. You can add your own questions in the comment thread. We'll also include contact information for the shows, so we can let them know what their viewers want asked.

And on Sunday at 4 PM ET, tune in to Air America Radio's "Seder on Sundays" program, where I'll offer the Weekend Watchdog Wrap-Up.

For Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. (NBC’s Meet The Press):

In December 2006, you argued for a “surge of military capability” in Iraq “to provide stability” which would allow “the politicians in Iraq to find political compromise”.

As there has been absolutely no progress towards forging political compromise among Iraq’s factions, will you admit that the surge strategy isn’t succeeding in achieving the objectives you said it would? more »

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Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has lately been taking a tough line on ending the Iraq war. That comes in the face of weeks of stubborn Republican opposition to any attempt to bring the troops home or to even curb President Bush’s imperial use of power to keep the war going.

Reid should know that if he stands up to that Republican minority, he’s got public support—not just in a new USA Today-Gallup poll that shows that seven out of 10 voters want U.S. troops out of Iraq by April 2008, but in the thousands who have already signed the Campaign for America’s Future petition encouraging Reid to force a filibuster if he has to rather than back down on the basic demands the American public elected Democrats to meet.

That petition, though, needs more signatures as the Senate begins debate today on a 2008 defense authorization bill (H.R. 1585) that will be the Democrats’ opportunity to require the United States to withdraw its troops from Iraq. more »

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For the third week in a row, the Sunday shows go 0-for-3 for the Watchdog.

None of the shows raised the possibility that the commutation of Scooter Libby's jail sentence is an act of obstruction of justice, even though the Founders did not believe the pardon power gives the President the right to "stop inquiry and prevent detection" of crimes associated with himself.

ABC's George Stephanopoulos said, "the constitution basically says the president can do whatever he wants," and Fox News Sunday guest host Brit Hume said Bush was "exercising authority that no one seems to dispute that he fully has".

CBS' Face The Nation guest host Jim Axelrod at least asked Sen. Orrin Hatch, "Are you disputing that this was special treatment given to a top administration official?"

Also, NBC's Meet The Press failed to ask Sen. Chuck Hagel if he agrees with other Republicans who criticize the "surge" and want reduced troop levels, but still support occupying Iraq indefinitely.

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Every Friday in our Weekend Watchdog feature, we post suggested questions for scheduled Sunday guests. You can add your own questions in the comment thread. We'll also include contact information for the shows, so we can let them know what their viewers want asked.

And on Sunday at 4 PM ET, tune in to Air America Radio's "Seder on Sundays" program, where I'll offer the Weekend Watchdog Wrap-Up.

1. Several politicians are booked to discuss the virtual pardon of Scooter Libby: Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah on CBS' Face The Nation; Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich. on ABC's This Week and Reps. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Chris Cannon, R-Utah on Fox News Sunday.

The critical question for all of them is: more »

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For the second week in a row, the Sunday shows go 0-for-3 for the Watchdog.

ABC's This Week allowed Sen. Joe Lieberman to go on-and-on about bipartisanship, yet failed to ask him what he would do to stop the litany of conservative obstruction.

On CBS' Face The Nation, Sen. Richard Lugar said "American forces" should "stay relatively indefinitely in Iraq," yet the host failed to ask him if his disgreement with the House is merely over the size of the occupation, not about the occupation itself.

On NBC's Meet The Press, Sen. Pat Leahy was asked if he would take White House Counsel Fred Fielding's "offer" of private interviews with Bush's aides without a public transcript, or opportunities for follow-up. But Fielding's recent dishonesty about Bush's involvement in the prosecutor purge was not mentioned.

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