Naw Kimstu, we’re I think very much on the same page. What I was saying was that I hope discussions will be part of an effort to insure his viability as a candidate for the position and not as tit for tat partisan bickering.
Dunt dunt DUUUUUN
Dunt dunt DUNNN DUUNNNNNN
Dunt Dunt DUNNNNN
DUNNNNN dundun.
(I have no idea what you were humming – was I any clearer? 
No.
If Rummy’s looking for a place to retire to, I’d like to recommend a cool little “resort” in Cuba (it’s under American management, so he won’t have to worry about getting a visa.)
Excuse me. I want to get back to my Snoopy Dance.
Rumsfeld: ‘My Half-Assed Job Here Is Done’
<< Donald Rumsfeld announced his resignation Wednesday afternoon, saying that he had “proudly accomplished everything [he’d] set out to bungle.” … President Bush expressed confidence that Robert Gates, his new nominee for Secretary of Defense, will be able to “fuck everything up the rest of the way.” >>
Does Gates have to be confirmed by the new Congress? Or can he be confirmed by the old Congress, which will have one more lame-duck session this month?
Ditto re Bolton.
Bush just made one final push to get Bolton through in the upcoming session. Apparently lame duck (R) Chafee will vote against him. So Bolton is done.
With budget bills to pass and new leadership to sort out, I doubt there’ll be time for the rump session to investigate, hold hearings, debate, and vote on Gates.
Of course, if the pubbies want to express their future bipartisan intentions, they might make a special effort to pass the ‘nuclear option’ in the coming week. 
From other posters, I get the impression that Gates can (and thus will) be confirmed by the current Congress. Bolton, however, is a recess appointment, which means his appointment ends when the next Congress comes into session. So you’d have to think Walrus Man is out of a job.
and another ones gone and another ones gone and another one bites the dust
Of course, the President will ask the lamers to confirm Gates: Bush to Ask Lame Duck Congress to Confirm Gates.
After waiting months to can Rumsfeld, apparently replacing him right now is a class one crash emergency that just can’t wait for proper diligence from congress.
I think we know the final score on Bush’s claim to be ready to reach out to Democrats.
What does Chaffee’s vote mean? That his nomination can’t get out of committee?
I thought everyone was doing “Jaws”.
-Joe
Not with a positive recommendation. I think the chair can still send it out with no recommendation, or a negative one, but that’d make it filibuster bait in an environment where the dems have no fear of the ‘nuclear option’.
I was certain it was The Imperial March from Star Wars. Which confused me.
ya think **you ** were confused - I thought it was On the good ship lollipop!
% Smooooooke on the water,
Fire in the sky %
(I always wanted an excuse to hum that in a thread and see if anyone got it 
)
That’s the right-wing echo chamber working – they’re so corrupt they assume everyone else is as bad as they are.
And yes, Jefferson is a scumbag, which is why the Dems tossed him out of his seat on the Ways and Means Committee when he refused to step down after his corruption charges first surfaced. That is how you deal with unethical members, kids.
(heavy sigh)
daaaauuuuuuuuuuudunt
daaaauuuuuuuuuuudunt
daaaaaaaadunt
daaaaaaaadunt
Is Jaws
dun dun dun don da-dun, don da-dun
is the Imperial Death March
and The Good Ship Lollipop is just silly.
dau dunt dau dunt
My boss and I were talking about that today. Permanent majority, my ass.
Y’know, you move that last “don” over, and I think you get The Maple Leaf Rag.
Hmmmmmm… Let’s see if we can update Tom Lehrer’s Vatican Rag:
First you get screwed on Iraq
Catch some slimeball page-mad hack
Stay a course that’s doomed, doomed, doomed –
Get your ass out of office broomed!
