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CNN Live At Daybreak
Sleepless in the Senate
Aired November 14, 2003 - 06:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: They are still talking, although Senator Orrin Hatch is whispering now. He reportedly has come down with a case of laryngitis. But the Senate filibuster goes on. It is now, oh, 36 hours old.
If you'll recall, the senators are debating President Bush's stalled judicial nominees. It's a live picture you're seeing.
Live on the phone right now, our D.C. bureau chief, Steve Redisch.
Good morning -- Steve.
STEVE REDISCH, CNN WASHINGTON DEPUTY BUREAU CHIEF: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: Is this resonating at all with the American people?
REDISCH: I haven't seen any polls or anything, but it certainly isn't resonating with the Democrats, who are the ones who say that these judges that the Bush administration is putting out are not acceptable to them and not acceptable to the American people, according to the Democrats. And it certainly has not had any impact on their position.
COSTELLO: So, when the vote comes, nothing will change, even after some, what, 39-40 hours of debate?
REDISCH: Yes. It was originally supposed to be 30 hours, and from what I'm hearing it tacked on another 9 hours. And so, we'll finish up sometime this morning, maybe early afternoon. And, yes, nothing will change as far as the Democrats' opinion of the judges that President Bush has put up there -- Judge Priscilla Owen and California judges Carolyn Kuhl and Janice Rogers Brown.
COSTELLO: You know, might this create a backlash against the entire Senate for dragging this thing on about an issue that is not uppermost in most people's minds?
REDISCH: Inside the Beltway it's kind of looked at as business as usual up on the Senate. I don't think anything that comes out of Capitol Hill really surprises a whole lot of people. This is obviously a political gambit by the Republicans to hold this talkathon, and politics as usual if you're in Washington, D.C.
COSTELLO: OK, just quickly so people understand. This is Senator Brownback, a Republican from Kansas, and he's going to talk for a 30-minute period. And then, some other senator will go up and talk for 30 minutes. Is that sort of how it goes?
REDISCH: That's pretty much how it goes. Every senator has about 30 minutes to make their point, and they move on.
COSTELLO: And hopefully a vote will come later today. We don't know.
REDISCH: And the Republicans are hoping that they can catch the Democrats off guard without enough people on the floor so that they can call a quick vote and get their judges through.
COSTELLO: I don't think that's going to happen, through. Do you?
REDISCH: No.
COSTELLO: I don't think so. Steve Redisch, many thanks, live on the phone from D.C. this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired November 14, 2003 - 06:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: They are still talking, although Senator Orrin Hatch is whispering now. He reportedly has come down with a case of laryngitis. But the Senate filibuster goes on. It is now, oh, 36 hours old.
If you'll recall, the senators are debating President Bush's stalled judicial nominees. It's a live picture you're seeing.
Live on the phone right now, our D.C. bureau chief, Steve Redisch.
Good morning -- Steve.
STEVE REDISCH, CNN WASHINGTON DEPUTY BUREAU CHIEF: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: Is this resonating at all with the American people?
REDISCH: I haven't seen any polls or anything, but it certainly isn't resonating with the Democrats, who are the ones who say that these judges that the Bush administration is putting out are not acceptable to them and not acceptable to the American people, according to the Democrats. And it certainly has not had any impact on their position.
COSTELLO: So, when the vote comes, nothing will change, even after some, what, 39-40 hours of debate?
REDISCH: Yes. It was originally supposed to be 30 hours, and from what I'm hearing it tacked on another 9 hours. And so, we'll finish up sometime this morning, maybe early afternoon. And, yes, nothing will change as far as the Democrats' opinion of the judges that President Bush has put up there -- Judge Priscilla Owen and California judges Carolyn Kuhl and Janice Rogers Brown.
COSTELLO: You know, might this create a backlash against the entire Senate for dragging this thing on about an issue that is not uppermost in most people's minds?
REDISCH: Inside the Beltway it's kind of looked at as business as usual up on the Senate. I don't think anything that comes out of Capitol Hill really surprises a whole lot of people. This is obviously a political gambit by the Republicans to hold this talkathon, and politics as usual if you're in Washington, D.C.
COSTELLO: OK, just quickly so people understand. This is Senator Brownback, a Republican from Kansas, and he's going to talk for a 30-minute period. And then, some other senator will go up and talk for 30 minutes. Is that sort of how it goes?
REDISCH: That's pretty much how it goes. Every senator has about 30 minutes to make their point, and they move on.
COSTELLO: And hopefully a vote will come later today. We don't know.
REDISCH: And the Republicans are hoping that they can catch the Democrats off guard without enough people on the floor so that they can call a quick vote and get their judges through.
COSTELLO: I don't think that's going to happen, through. Do you?
REDISCH: No.
COSTELLO: I don't think so. Steve Redisch, many thanks, live on the phone from D.C. this morning.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
