No excuses, Harry

From Brian Beutler, TPM 05/13/09: Reid Admits It: 'I Don't Have Votes For Johnsen...Yet'

Last night Reid made it explicit. "Right now we're finding out when to do that," Reid said, according to Roll Call. "We need a couple Republican votes until we can get to 60."

That 60-votes business is nothing but an excuse. The Republicans were ready to abolish the filibuster rule back in 2006 to get their nominees through. But Harry Reid is using the filibuster as an excuse for not being willing to get a key Obama nomination approved. This 60-votes line is a fake. Reid heads a 59-vote Dem majority, since he allowed rightwing Republican Arlen Specter to become a Democrat with apparently no conditions at all. Specter even said after his "conversion" that he would still vote against Dawn Johnsen. I'm sick of this excuse. Reid doesn't need 51 60 votes to get her approved. He needs 51. Time for him to deliver. Tags: democratic party, harry reid