Thoughts on Consultation

Sean Rushton wrote on Bench Memos If President Bush went to Leahy with a list of five or seven conservatives and Leahy’s response was, “Don’t nominate X or Y but A, B, and C would be acceptable,” that would be one thing.

I doubt that Leahy would be smart enough to respond like that.

But as Senator Schumer (R., N.Y.) has said in the past, his advice would be to recommend Arlen Specter or someone similar.... If the Democrats want to pick a couple of nominees who they regard as particularly provocative, fine. But the Democratic minority is angling to deny a conservative president, with a conservative Senate — who campaigned on the need for conservative judges — the ability to replace a conservative justice with a conservative. Chutzpah!...

That is not exactly the word I would use, but it is certainly cleaner.

So, why not invite only red-state and moderate Democrats to consult? Bring over Ben Nelson (Neb.), Mark Pryor (Ark.), Evan Bayh (Ind.), Tom Carper (Del.), Joe Lieberman (Conn.), Bill Nelson (Fla.), Kent Conrad (N.D.), Blanche Lincoln (Ark.), Ken Salazar (Colo.), Debbie Stabenow (Mich.), Mary Landrieu (La.), Tim Johnson (S.D.), Max Baucus (Mont.), Robert Byrd (W.Va.), and Jeff Bingaman (N.M.) to the White House

That sounds like a very good idea to me

and tell them they have 60 minutes, three vetoes, and their home state press will briefed on their behavior after the meeting.