Reid: Amnesty bill is “over with” and “done” if next cloture vote fails; Update: Reid begs Bush for help!
posted at 3:13 pm on June 7, 2007 by Allahpundit
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That’s the word from NBC per an off-camera briefing Reid gave after the first cloture vote bombed. The 5 p.m. deadline isn’t set in stone, though; according to aides, it could go off anywhere between 4 and 8.
While we wait, Hugh Hewitt catches Trent Lott throwing the second pro-amnesty tantrum of the day; the Wash Times catches McCain and his crony taking dictation from Ted Kennedy; Pew catches a plurality of Americans across the board opposing the bill; and then there’s this:
Subject: RE: TIME TO CALL RADIO
Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2007 22:15:22 -0400
From: David Nix
To: ‘Adam Temple’
CC: Mike GibbonsAdam,
Please consider this my resignation as Aiken County chair for McCain. I am too far from him on the Amnesty Bill. I was hopeful that he could keep his nose clean this time around, but he can’t read the pulse of the American citizens.
Please pass my regrets on to Henry McMaster.
David Nix
Aiken County
Mike Gibbons is a reporter, as Politico notes, so clearly Nix wanted this publicized. Happy to oblige, David!
Exit question: Gun to your head, who would you vote for — Silky Pony or Bill Richardson? I’m honestly not sure right now.
Update: It’s come to this. What an unholy union:
Reid appealed to Bush to twist the arms of Republicans who voted against limiting debate, saying an inability to pass the legislation would produce headlines that the “president fails again.”
“This is the president’s bill. He has worked long and hard,” Reid said. “This bill that’s on the floor is not a Democratic bill, it is a bill that was worked on by Democrats and Republicans in cooperation with the president.”
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I got right through to my Senators on The Jorge Soros Amnesty hotline 1-800-417-7666.
Richard Burr of NC had a change of heart and is now voting against the bill.
Lots of political careers getting trashed over this.
Valiant on June 7, 2007 at 3:18 PM
Is this another bluff, or will he really let it die?
Bad Candy on June 7, 2007 at 3:20 PM
By the way, if the GOP tries this nonsense again, you can get back all your political donations for the past 12 months by calling RNC Membership Services at (202) 863-8743. Just give them your membership number.
Valiant on June 7, 2007 at 3:22 PM
I’d say shoot.
KelliD on June 7, 2007 at 3:23 PM
can’t wait to see how this one turns out.
jummy on June 7, 2007 at 3:24 PM
I think I agree with Kelli on the exit. Fire away.
Bad Candy on June 7, 2007 at 3:25 PM
Looks like Bush reads the blogs after all.
A warning shot across the bow to all other presidential contenders…seal the borders first, let me say it again, seal the borders first. Then we can talk about the next step.
right2bright on June 7, 2007 at 3:26 PM
LOL, I’m glad I set my coffee down before reading.
Hollowpoint on June 7, 2007 at 3:26 PM
Reid is begging Bush for help? HA! What, with his 28-29% (IIRC) approval?
Bad Candy on June 7, 2007 at 3:28 PM
The entire magazine of bullets.
steveegg on June 7, 2007 at 3:28 PM
Die bill, die!
brak on June 7, 2007 at 3:30 PM
Nah, my favorite line from Reid is: “This isn’t a Democrat bill… this is Bush’ bill!”
Wow so who was it that brought it to the floor and demanded it be passed through? How about Ted Kennedy’s push of the bill?
I can’t help but wonder if Bush isn’t playing ringer for the Dems…
Skywise on June 7, 2007 at 3:31 PM
Fax your congress-critter and tell them Just say no…..
http://www.numbersusa.com/faxcenter
doriangrey on June 7, 2007 at 3:32 PM
Either way the MSM get to play it the same way…Booooosh bashing….
Either he slaps down the base or the base slaps down him. None of the Sunday talking-head shows will say it was a Bi-partisan defeat. It will be either Bush lost or the base lost.
Limerick on June 7, 2007 at 3:38 PM
Heh.
Jaibones on June 7, 2007 at 3:39 PM
By alienating the base, Bush lost any ability to twist arms. Hopefully, this nightmare is about to come to an end.
TheBigOldDog on June 7, 2007 at 3:39 PM
The nightmare is just beginning
tomas on June 7, 2007 at 3:40 PM
Does the swimmer have something on GWB? I almost hope he is being black-mailed.
bbz123 on June 7, 2007 at 3:41 PM
Ugh. This is like Christmas Eve and a root canal, all rolled up into one.
p.s. Bill The Pony! /geek
Tanya on June 7, 2007 at 3:42 PM
Glass is Half Full
BushRove did this to get the Dems and some of the lamest Republicans to support a bill hated by the great majority of citizens — all in an effort to clean out the dregs of the GOP (McLame, Graaaaham, Specter), and give the guys who ultimately defeat this POS a head start in 2008 for a new majority, with some strong conservative leaders.
Whatta ya say?
Jaibones on June 7, 2007 at 3:42 PM
where do you guys want to go from here.
tomas on June 7, 2007 at 3:43 PM
I like how Reid is dropping this stink-bomb on Bush’s lap. Very politically astute of him, and very easy to do given Bush’s open support of it. And Bush probably won’t bother to point out that it’s far more the Democratic Congress’s failure than it is his. Bush never does take these opportunities to damage the opposition–something I’ve always disliked about Bush. He doesn’t communicate well at all, and he rarely sticks up for himself or the Republican base. All Bush would have to do right now is express regret that the Democratic Congress couldn’t get the bill passed, even with control of both houses of Congress, and even with the support of a president of the opposing party. How weak and ineffective is THAT?
aero on June 7, 2007 at 3:45 PM
Don’t ya just love the “This is the President’s bill”, like no one else has worked hard on this.
They can’t help jumping ship just like the rats they’ve been on Iraq. Then again, Reid knows more about the Dems who participated in the cloistered confab than I do; maybe they did spend most of their time in the restrooms, ’cause, you know, they drink alot of water.’
As for Trent Lott, it sounds like he got a raft of “You’ll lose your private jet gift privileges if you don’t get this passed” phone calls last night.
Dusty on June 7, 2007 at 3:45 PM
I don’t know about everyone else, but I’d like to see someone introduce a bill with one goal: build a series of fences along the border. No triggers, no “resource benchmarks,” just instructions.
Slublog on June 7, 2007 at 3:46 PM
We’ll start with a candidate that runs on a platform of vigorous enforcement of existing immigration laws. That’s a winning plank if there ever was one.
thirteen28 on June 7, 2007 at 3:46 PM
When you wish upon a star…..
If only (wistful *sigh*)
KelliD on June 7, 2007 at 3:48 PM
Upside of this whole debacle: The pro-amnesty crowd has managed to unite conservatives in a way that hasn’t happened in a long time, and the whole situation has pointed out the folly of Republicans staying home on election day to prove a point.
aero on June 7, 2007 at 3:49 PM
If only…
Kensington on June 7, 2007 at 3:51 PM
Yes! Thank you! Why on Earth did this have to be comprehensive in the first place?
Kensington on June 7, 2007 at 3:53 PM
Richardson. He at least understands the Second Amendment.
amerpundit on June 7, 2007 at 3:54 PM
I think you must find a way to get rid of beuracracy or anything you do will be bogged down and ineffective.
I’m not sure about a fence…I think it will only be a stop gap measure…It will give us some time to deal with the problem from the inside…but not much. This is where the true change must be made. Respect for country and it’s laws.
What do we do about the people who make it through (they will find a way) How many times do we send them back before we keep them and they become a blight anyway in a jail cell.
I trust the intention of a fence, but I don’t know how effective it really will be in the long run.
You have to make people follow the law…we need to stop with the (well its just a little law) attitude…And do it in a way that doesn’t create an erosion of civil liberties of law abiding citizens.
AND YOU MUST SPEAK ENGLISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
tomas on June 7, 2007 at 3:54 PM
I’m not so sure that accounts for our losses in ‘06, at least not in full. I don’t have any exit polling data in front of me (and would it be worth anything if I did?), but I’d bet a big part of the problem was losing a lot of independents. Some of the seats we lost in the senate (e.g., Chaffee) were guys that basically acted like Democrats, so I figure a lot of independents just went for the real thing. And even a more solid conservative like Santorum was basically running in a blue state, so he would have had an uphill battle anyway.
thirteen28 on June 7, 2007 at 4:00 PM
Adios muchachos!
Brat on June 7, 2007 at 4:00 PM
I Just tried to contact Sen. Isakson (R-GA). I get immediately dumped to a voicemail box, and the automated attendant informs me that it is full, and then hangs up on me.
Fabulous. How convenient it must be not to have to take calls from angry constituents.
mojojojo on June 7, 2007 at 4:00 PM
You first, Trent.
thirteen28 on June 7, 2007 at 4:03 PM
This won’t die. PORK is the answer. Reid will simply promise all the PORK they want (added to the bill after it is passed, and before George signs it) and he will get their vote.
Helloyawl on June 7, 2007 at 4:03 PM
Yup. How bout enforce the existing laws to a ‘t’. Build the damn fence(s) as PROMISED, as that is in the LAW.
Wait 5 years and see what happens. No need for billions of dollars and hours on new secret closet bill. We might just still have a republican party if we do it this way.
enforce current laws, who’d a thunk it.
shooter on June 7, 2007 at 4:04 PM
Reid has done nothing but trash Bush. If Bush even attempts to help him then Bush has lost it completely.
rplat on June 7, 2007 at 4:06 PM
People keeping quiet and letting the dems define you/us is what hurt republicans. If you don’t remain aware about everything like on immigration…someone will define it for you. For this to work you can’t go home if this bill dies and say, well, my job is done. It doesn’t work that way.
tomas on June 7, 2007 at 4:07 PM
While we are throwing people off the bus or under it, your choice, let’s not let the MSM who seemed to be just as complicit in trying to get this pushed through with their rose colored glasses reporting of this legislation.
LakeRuins on June 7, 2007 at 4:09 PM
“The people targeted in today’s raid are hard working and productive. They have families and they don’t have criminal records,” said Governor Richardson.”
Uh, they do. They broke U.S. laws by coming into here illegally. You have to catch them in the act and then they’ll have a criminal record on paper.
Kokonut on June 7, 2007 at 4:10 PM
Is Richardson saying that the 19 guys who hijacked some airplanes were also “hard working and productive” even if they overstayed their visas?
LakeRuins on June 7, 2007 at 4:12 PM
I do find the hardworking people thing funny. I have a few hardworking legal friends who are in jail. Every person here illegally is a criminal.
tomas on June 7, 2007 at 4:14 PM
If it’s “this bill or nothing”, I prefer nothing.
mojo on June 7, 2007 at 4:14 PM
Good question. I think Bill, who is very experienced, is running to the left to catch up, while Edwards the moonbat is, well a certified moonbat.
Is Reid stupid? The dems have been trying to marginalize Bush for 6 years and have huge orgies when they get headlines like “Bush fails!”. This is self serving tripe and frankly, we conservatives will be ecstatic with glee!! We will be killing three birds with one stone when this bill is defeated. Those three birds being Bush, the traitorous dems, and amnesty for law breakers.
csdeven on June 7, 2007 at 4:19 PM
Secure the borders. Punish businesses. Enforce all existing laws. Fast track those in the legal pipeline to replace the illegals that will scatter back to their $hithole countries.
csdeven on June 7, 2007 at 4:26 PM
The circular firing squad is formed.
Ready.
Aim…..
I was wrong. I believed this a foregone conclusion. Looks like things may just work out fine.
natesnake on June 7, 2007 at 4:28 PM
I’m with Jailbones.
This is clearly a Rope-A-Dope from BushRove.
unamused on June 7, 2007 at 4:28 PM
I just hope our elected officials learned a valuable lesson for the future. Don’t assume what your constituents want. Ask them first.
natesnake on June 7, 2007 at 4:29 PM
With an approval rating that low, I guess it doesn’t hurt to fall on the sword for the GOP.
natesnake on June 7, 2007 at 4:32 PM
Reid is a weasel. He should use that bill to massage his weasel sphincter. I hear tell Democrats from Nevada like that.
Hening on June 7, 2007 at 4:33 PM
Why am I not surprised?
Zetterson on June 7, 2007 at 4:37 PM
“This is Bush’s I’m Nasty bill,
this is Bush’s War…..
this is Bush’s approval rating…ooopps, that’s ours.”
Reid and Co.
omnipotent on June 7, 2007 at 4:40 PM
Muhahahahahahahah!!!
He sounds like the little school yard weasel…”do it or no one will like you..neener, neener, neener..”
heatherrc77 on June 7, 2007 at 4:40 PM
Dang, you CAN argue rationally, as long as someone (who will remain nameless)is left unmentioned.
omnipotent on June 7, 2007 at 4:43 PM
Carper (D-Del) says that negotiations are going on now, and they seem to be agreeing that both sides can introduce 10 more amendments. That seems like a whole lot of amendments by tonight.
amerpundit on June 7, 2007 at 4:43 PM
I’d pull a ‘Bugs Bunny’ by ducking at the last second so the bullet hits elsewhere.
allie on June 7, 2007 at 4:43 PM
You’re looking for two shooters that nail each other? :-)
steveegg on June 7, 2007 at 4:48 PM
Reid would be money ahead if he would just spend a few minuets studying how our constitutional form of government is designed to function . . . and it doesn’t include backroom deals among a handful of arrogant elitists.
rplat on June 7, 2007 at 4:59 PM
simple. seal the borders. then, we’ll talk.
pullingmyhairout on June 7, 2007 at 5:06 PM
So where are we at guys? Is it over or is there another cloture vote coming? Or more amendments?
csdeven on June 7, 2007 at 5:11 PM
If any of our elected officials dies tonight from having their head explode, I’ll assume reading that remark was the cause.
I mean c’mon … asking what constituents want? Dude, you are a serious radical!!!
thirteen28 on June 7, 2007 at 5:11 PM
When you guys say cut off the borders…what amount of alien influx being cut off would be possible? What would you expect?
tomas on June 7, 2007 at 5:16 PM
True that, what’s going on? No ones updating…
Bad Candy on June 7, 2007 at 5:16 PM
tomas on June 7, 2007 at 4:07 PM
And allowing your emotive irrational rhetoric define us is even worse…..
doriangrey on June 7, 2007 at 5:26 PM
It’s working out fine in San Diego, and where it has been built at other places on the border. Border crossers tend to take the path of least resistance, with a few notable ambitious tunnel-builder exceptions. Which is not to say that we can build a fence and forget about it. But it’s a start.
Laura on June 7, 2007 at 5:26 PM
tomas on June 7, 2007 at 5:16 PM
A 70 to 80% reduction in illegal immigration and illegal contraband would be acceptable.
doriangrey on June 7, 2007 at 5:28 PM
A liberal majority leader is begging a (well sort of) Republican President for credit when the President has already bounced a rubber check on the American public by calling them no better than trash on a barrel of fish guts bill that if he supports it one more time could result in a mob at the gate.
12 million illegal aliens-2.3 trillion dollars
Senate support for culture killing bill-61 Senators out of a job.
A President willing to sacrifice America for nonexistent moment moment in history caught between a boulder on the edge of a cliff, a quick sand pit and 200 million torch carrying Americans-priceless, just priceless.
The Constitution, use it for all those other bothersome situations.
An amazingly easy call for the President to make, just say no.
Speakup on June 7, 2007 at 5:28 PM
One too many moments there.
Speakup on June 7, 2007 at 5:30 PM
can someone tell me when it became “the Presidents Bill”…when it was a “bipartisan success” it was the “Kennedy/McCain bill”…as usual they have yet another talking point we handed to them….
cmarceron on June 7, 2007 at 5:32 PM
tomas, (as for me) when I say “secure” the borders I don’t expect much more than 50% less illegals coming across but when I say enforce our laws, with employer penalties, loss of services and deportation of illegal criminals) I expect nearly 100% reduction in the numbers of illegal aliens (border crossers and visa overstays) within a year. When I say then we will talk I mean we will talk about allowing enough guest workers to legally for a limited time enter the nation to meet realistic needs of employers for jobs that honestly and truly Americans cannot be found to fill but at the same pay and benefits that an American citizen would be paid. It is simply that I will not trust an administration or Congress to follow any new law until they have shown me that they can enforce the old laws first.
Buzzy on June 7, 2007 at 5:39 PM
I’d write in Vicente Fox
Gregor on June 7, 2007 at 5:39 PM
Rove you magnificent bastard you have managed to find an issue that costs Bush who is leaving office soon but also one that torpedoes the democrats.
If this bill fails then while some republicans will get black eyes its the dems who will get fire on both sides.
William Amos on June 7, 2007 at 5:42 PM
That’s a good point.
If Vicente Fox were President of the United States, would he seal our southern border the way he sealed Mexico’s southern border?
Might be worth a shot…
JadeNYU on June 7, 2007 at 5:49 PM
I think you are at a point where you might be open to listen to what we have been trying to explain for several days now.
A wall wont get them all.
Employer sanctions wont get them all.
Tamper proof ID cards wont get them all.
Landlord sanctions wont get them all.
BUT, you put all that together, and even if a million illegals are left, we could live with it. The most important thing for you to realize is that as the wall and employer sanctions discourages new illegal immigration, employer and landlord sanctions, and ID cards encourage the illegals to go back to their jobs in their country of origin. This is a net reduction of illegals in this country. Couple that with deporting them as we catch them, and the 12 million illegals that you have complained are impossible to deport, all of a sudden, like going to the moon, becomes very doable.
It’s pretty simple to figure out when you have the desire to do so, and it’s even easier to implement when you have the will to get it done.
csdeven on June 7, 2007 at 6:00 PM
And hardcore enforcement inland to make them want to leave.
Tim Burton on June 7, 2007 at 6:01 PM
Wasn’t there supposed to be another cloture vote at 5:00 pm EDT today?
thirteen28 on June 7, 2007 at 6:11 PM
thirteen28, it may be as late as 8pm tonight.
Retread on June 7, 2007 at 6:16 PM
csdeven on June 7, 2007 at 6:00 PM
G__ D___ you, you are not suppose to be making any sense, you’re just suppose to be dry humping Fred’s leg…..
doriangrey on June 7, 2007 at 6:16 PM
Actually, it would be a no-brainer. Richardson, despite his immigration stance. Silky Pony and his Two Americas™, sucking up to the likes of that Chavez fluffer Danny Glover? Birds of a feather, y’know.
Sorry, I know that’s not gonna go over well considering Richardson’s immigration stance, but he’s the lesser of two (very) evils. Not that it’s gonna happen anyway, THANK GOD.
bamapachyderm on June 7, 2007 at 6:33 PM
The Republicans should add the embryonic bill to this amnesty bill and see if Bush vetos it.
Conundrum!
SouthernGent on June 7, 2007 at 6:40 PM
Once this bill is killed, then phone calls thanking the Senators for killing it is advised. Sometimes you need to pat the dog after beating them about the head and neck.
Stormy70 on June 7, 2007 at 6:43 PM
Got home from work and flip it on C SPAN2 and what do I see? Drogan telling some sob story aobut a mommie and 4 kids and no running water.
What I called childhood.
LakeRuins on June 7, 2007 at 6:58 PM
He’s on our side on this one.
And at the moment, he’s eviscerating this bill.
Slublog on June 7, 2007 at 7:05 PM
That was an impressive takedown of this bill. Any chance we could get video put up of Dorgan’s anti-”legislation by gang” statement. That was great.
Slublog on June 7, 2007 at 7:15 PM
Slublog is right…he was saying that some AMERICANS have it bad, too and a sympathy vote for “poor” illegals will hurt AMERICANS.
SouthernGent on June 7, 2007 at 7:33 PM
There is always the possibility and the likelihood that people will misrepresent what is in the bill and then differ with it,” said Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts and one of the legislative veterans shepherding the measure. “It’s an old technique. I have used it even myself.”
Ha! What a jerk. The dude gets quoted incriminating himself.
sonnyspats1 on June 7, 2007 at 7:37 PM
Okay…Byron Dorgan made more sense than Saxby Chambliss.
I’m expecting Spock to show up with a beard anytime.
Slublog on June 7, 2007 at 7:44 PM
Secure the borders. Punish businesses. Enforce all existing laws. Fast track those in the legal pipeline to replace the illegals that will scatter back to their
$hithole&hithole countries. Fixed it. Leave the money here!csdeven on June 7, 2007 at 4:26 PM
sonnyspats1 on June 7, 2007 at 7:49 PM
Cloture vote going on right now. CSpan 2.
IrishEi on June 7, 2007 at 8:28 PM
Reid isn’t asking Bush for help. He’s setting Bush up for the blame.
- The Cat
MirCat on June 7, 2007 at 10:00 PM
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