Startling Slap In The Face For Nevada's Republican Senator

[HDPM]

Whoa, the Bush Administration is publically slapping Nevada's Republican senator around. web page (http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2003/May-19-Mon-2003/news/21332785.html) Granted Ensign deservs something for nominating a Democrat to a lifetime appointment. That's not how the political game is played. But Bush could have just picked someone else on the list who''s a republican. Not a good sign for Nevada's influence. How can a senator be so incompetent as to have a President disregard his picks? Or is Bush that much of a maverick? Minor soap opera perhaps, but this should start a nice intra-republican fight.

[Ray Zee]

screw the system. finally a politician makes a move that he thinks is in the best interest of all and he gets slapped. besides there should be no lifetime appointments, especially ones made by a politician or someone polically motivated. reid comes from an honest political family if there is such a thing. he would probably be good even if less experienced.

[HDPM]

I agree with no lifetime appointments, I think it leads to a lot of problems. But that's the constitution and there are some good arguments for lifetime appts. contrary to my view. So until the constitution is amended, the system is totally political. Which is not all bad. All appointment systems are political, they are just in the hands of different people. As to Reid, he can't be qualified w/ 7 years experience. Well, maybe he can be. There are a lot of very bad judges out there and I'm sure he would be better than a lot. Just sight unseen. But it's still a sought after spot and 7 years isn't a lot of experience for that job. He may be a good guy, I don't know. I also don't know Ensign's motivation for nominating him. I can't say it is bad, but I would not assume wholesomeness as you did. Perhaps it was, but I don't know. I just think it's amazing Bush went outside of the list without talking to Ensign. Extraordinary and I don't know who's at fault.

[A9suited]

No secret that the Bush Admin. is hoping to get a more conservative senator from Nevada. I understand that an announced candidate for the 04 NV senatorial nomination (Tillie) has done so at the urging of VP Cheney...

A9s

[scalf]

/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif your honor...jmho...gl /forums/images/icons/crazy.gif /forums/images/icons/diamond.gif

[HDPM]

giving too much credit. /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

[Clarkmeister]

There has been big-time fallout between the two because of the Yucca Mountain issue. It is strongly believed that Bush was disiingenuous at best, and outright lied at worst during his campaign when asked about the issue. Given how close the General Election was, those feelings are particularly raw since IIRC Ensign campaigned hard for Bush. This is probabaly the public fallout from what I would assume was some private yet vocal discord between Ensign and the Administration.

I don't follow it all that close, but thats my limited take.