Wed Apr 22, 2009 at 11:08:17 AM PDT
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According to the blog DoD Buzz, Ellen Tauscher is in for a bumpy ride on her Senate confirmation hearing.
At a breakfast speech today, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) made a point of quoting some of Tauscher's recent statements on missile defense and he made clear he did not like the idea of her taking the State Department position. Tauscher has made it very clear she is skeptical of the Groundbased Midcourse anti-missile system and wants to see much more system testing done. Kyl is one of the system's biggest boosters on the Hill.
During his speech this morning, Kyl noted wryly that Tauscher's ostensible new job requires Senate confirmation, a clear signal that he may place a hold on Tauscher's nomination. A congressional aide confirmed that Kyl is expected to place a hold on Tauscher's nomination once it is formally made by the White House. [...]
Tauscher must have a pretty good idea just how much opposition she is likely to attract from Kyl and other conservative Republicans. When she announced she would take the arms control job in mid-March she said she faced a confirmation process that "is fraught with uncertainty and can take weeks, if not months."
News of the Senate hold is sure to throw the race for Tauscher's Congressional seat into turmoil. The candidates will be gearing up for a race that may or may not be happening at some amorphous point in the future, and we're sure to pick up even more quixotic candidates ala Gino Van Gundy.
But there is one good thing about the hold (on the flip)... |
| babaloo :: Kyl To Place Hold On Tauscher Confirmation |
The story in DoD Buzz produced this gem:
Tauscher, chairman of the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee, is a tough, frankly spoken member some might cast as a Democratic version of John Bolton, the republican who was either notorious or beloved, depending on your politics. Bolton had very strong views about arms control, as Tauscher has strong views on missile defense. While Bolton was the right of the right wing, Tauscher is much closer to the right of the left. She is often identified as a Blue Dog Democrat, although she's not one today. Instead, she leads the New Democrat Caucus, which shares much of the Blue Dog approach to life but is less fiscally conservative.
Ellen Tasucher, the Democratic John Bolton. Chew on that for awhile. |
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