That Was Fast

I have previously observed with amusement how Senators stake out completely contrary positions on the role of the Senate with respect to judicial appointments depending on whether the President happens to be from their own party. Well, right on cue (actually, well ahead of cue) Arizona Senator John Kyl, speaking to the Federalist Society in Pheonix, vowed to try to filibuster any Supreme Court nominees of President Obama that Kyl regards as too liberal.

Here's Senator Kyl back in 2005:

This is strictly about whether or not a minority of senators is going to prevent the president from being able to name and get confirmed judges that he chooses after he's been elected by the American people. And it's never been the case until the last two years that a minority could dictate to the majority what they could do.

I believe it was the senior Senator from Arizona who said in a recent debate on just this subject that "elections have consequences."

PS: Gold star will be awarded to any reader who can point to similarly transparent flip-flopping by a Democratic Senator.

Posted by Mike Dorf