The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Times News Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out
  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA/WNBA
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsports
    • Soccer
    • NCAA
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Other
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Themes
  • Communities
  • Marketplace
    • Autos
    • Jobs
    • Real Estate
    • Classifieds
    • Shopping
    • Dining Out
    • Education
    • TWT Store
  • Videos
    • Two Guys
    • Birnbaum on Washington
    • Liz Glover
    • Amanda Carpenter
    • Morning Briefing
    • Documentaries
    • Joe Giganti
    • Video Game Minute
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • World

    Democracy a struggle in former Soviet Union

  • Politics

    Roadblock to greet health bill in Senate

  • Politics

    Lieberman vows probe of Hood rampage

  • National

    Political foes unite against big banks

  • World

    For Germany, true unity proves elusive

  • National

    Texas pastor: Keep the faith

  • NFL

    Same old problems plague Redskins

Home » News » Latest Headlines

Monday, January 5, 2009

DAVIS: Advice to Obama: Revive 'Gang of 14'... or more

Rate this story

Average 0.00
after 0 votes
Login or register to rate this story

  • Font Size -+
  • Print
  • Email
  • Comment
  • Tweet this!
  • Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Click-2-Listen
  • Videos
Please stand by, images loading!
  • **FILE**Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-West Virginia, a member of the Gang of 14, gets onto an elevator in the US Capitol in Washington. Thursday, November 3, 2005 ( Daniel Rosenbaum / Washington Times )

More Latest Headlines Stories

  • For Germany, true unity proves elusive
  • Suicide bomber kills 12 in Pakistan market
  • Meet the man who prosecuted the D.C. sniper
  • PayPal's growth may surpass parent eBay

By Lanny Davis

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Barack Obama's key philosophy and message in the campaign and during the transition has demonstrated just the new kind of politics that rises above partisanship that he promised in his campaign. If he wants to be successful in implementing those themes as president, he might be wise to reflect on the lessons to be learned from the "Gang of 14" compromise over judicial nominations.

He was not part of that compromise at the time back then as a junior freshman senator, elected less than a year before. I suspect the Barack Obama of today would have been.

A brief reminder for those who forgot: On May 25, 2005, in the U.S. Senate, seven Democrats and seven Republicans came together to fashion a compromise concerning how and whether to allow President Bush's judicial nominees to receive an up-or-down vote by the U.S. Senate after they had been approved by the Republican-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee.

The senators, quickly deemed the "Gang of 14," were, for the Democrats: Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana, Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, Daniel K. Inouye of Hawaii, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Ken Salazar of Colorado; and for the Republicans, Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, Susan Collins of Maine, Mike DeWine of Ohio, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John McCain of Arizona, Olympia J. Snowe of Maine and John W. Warner of Virginia.

Their "deal" resulted in breaking the filibuster by Senate Democrats, who had 44 senators and one independent (Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont) to block any Senate vote on an unacceptably conservative Bush judicial nominee. With seven Democrats joining 55 Republicans, there would be more than 60 votes to force an up-and-down vote.

But the seven Republicans also agreed to oppose Sen. Bill Frist's threatened use of the so-called "nuclear option" - to change Senate rules by a majority vote to require up-and-down votes. But that option would have produced unprecedented partisan warfare in the tradition-bound Senate, leading to even more stalemated government.

In stepped the "Gang of 14."

Some were liberals, some were moderates, some were conservatives. All thought that the hyperpartisan and double standards that led to this stalemate needed to end. Each was willing to offend the ideological purists in his or her respective party.

And what was the "deal?" They agreed in writing that all judicial nominees approved by the Judiciary Committee would receive an up-or-down vote unless there were "extraordinary circumstances." Each senator trusted the others to define that expression in good faith and as a matter of conscience.

[Get Copyright Permissions] Click here for reprint permissions!
Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC

12Next »

Post a comment

There are comments on this article, submit your opinion!

Please login or register to post a comment

Ask a Question

You Report

Do you have another point of view, photos, audio, video or more information about a story?

Top Stories

Most Read

  1. EXCLUSIVE: Rare virus poses new threat to troops
  2. Parents buying homes for kids at college
  3. EDITORIAL: Too scared to recognize terrorism
  4. House OKs health reform bill
  5. Inside the Beltway
More Top Stories »
  1. Sniper's ex-wife speaks out on abuse
  2. Annandale man killed in hit-and-run
  3. Aborted fetus cells used in beauty creams
  4. Sunshine vitamin stirs new debate
  5. PRUDEN: Corpse sits up, gets nice salute

Most Shared

  1. Parents buying homes for kids at college
  2. EXCLUSIVE: Rare virus poses new threat to troops
  3. EDITORIAL: Too scared to recognize terrorism
  4. Sunshine vitamin stirs new debate
  5. Obama's unlearned lesson
More Top Stories »
  1. NSA surveillance -- of you?
  2. EDITORIAL: The negative Obama factor
  3. PRUDEN: Corpse sits up, gets nice salute
  4. Israelis unsure of U.S. support
  5. Looking to 2010, GOP focuses on fiscal restraint

Most Commented

  1. House OKs health reform bill
  2. EDITORIAL: Too scared to recognize terrorism
  3. Muslims stunned by Fort Hood shooting
  4. Furious scramble for health reform support
  5. 'Gentle' Army psychiatrist displayed worrisome signs
More Top Stories »
  1. Obama praises those who ended Fort Hood violence
  2. Army chief wary of backlash against Muslim soldiers
  3. Making fun of faith
  4. Israelis unsure of U.S. support
  5. Obama: It's Senate's turn on health care

Listen to Washington Times Radio

  • America's Morning News

    with John McCaslin and Melanie Morgan

Question of the day

Do you think the health reform bill will pass?

Blogs & Columns

  • POTUS Notes

    New Dem talking point on Obama approval doesn't wash

  • The Back Story

    12 arrested at Pelosi's office

  • Belief Blog

    Washington goes Greek this week

  • Out of Context

    Foods that might kill libido

  • Technology

    Facebook wins round against phishing spammer

  • On the Fly

    United lifts some 'award' blocking

  • Redskins 360

    Samuels feeling better, hopeful

  • Tara's Two Cents

    On their way to summer vacation..

  • SNOBlog

    Beyond 'Woody'

Videos

Advertising Links
TWT Store
  • e-edition
  • Print Edition
  • Weekly Washington Times
TWT Affiliates
  • Middle East Times
  • Golf
  • UPI
  • Arbor Ballroom
  • Washington Times Global
  • About TWT
  • Press Room
  • F.A.Q.
  • Work for TWT
  • Advertise
  • Sponsors
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.