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President Clashes With Senate Democrats on Judicial Nominees
Aired May 09, 2003 - 14:34 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is making a federal case, as it were, out of the filibusters in the Senate -- Democrats who are keeping some of his favorite judicial nominees off the bench.
And the top Senate Republican is doing more than complain. We get the charges and the countercharges from CNN's Chris Burns, who is with the president today in Columbia, South Carolina.
Hello, Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well hello, Miles.
The president having arrived here in Columbia to make a commencement address here at the South Carolina University. He is going to be talking about a free trade zone that he'd like to propose for the Middle East. But earlier this morning, he did concentrate on one of his domestic issues, being the appointment of judges he'd like to get through -- most notably that of Miguel Estrada. That is being stuck dead in the water because of a filibuster in the Senate being led by the Democrats.
Now Bill Frist, the Senate majority leader, is trying to push through an amendment or a change, that is, to the filibuster rules, in which it would take less than 60 votes in the Senate to override a filibuster. That could bring a number of judges to a vote, including that of Miguel Estrada for the federal appeals court. The president attacking the Democrats on that issue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The obstructionist tactics of a small group of senators are sending a pattern that threatens judicial independence. Meanwhile, vacancies on the bench and overcrowded court dockets are causing delays for citizens seeking justice.
The judicial confirmation process is broken. And it must be fixed for the good of the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD), MINORITY LEADER: I don't know of another administration that has enjoyed the success in confirmations of its judges as this administration has. 124 to 2. That's the score. (END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: Talking about a question of even separation of powers -- the Democrats saying, "Well, we gave you most of those judges that you asked for."
So that debate will continue. The president, of course, also trying to push through his tax cut on Capitol Hill. The president today, however, here at the university, was going to be talking about this free trade zone, and, according to a senior administration official, this could have linkage to the question of lifting the boycotts against Israel by a number of Arab states. That could become an issue as they do try to negotiate that zone and other free trade agreements in the region. Obviously, a carrot to push through that road map for the Middle East to get Palestinian statehood by 2005 -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Chris Burns with the president. Thank you very much.
We'll check in with him in just a little bit. We, of course, will bring you live coverage of the president's speech. It's scheduled to begin at 3:15 p.m. eastern time. Stay tuned for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Nominees>
Aired May 9, 2003 - 14:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush is making a federal case, as it were, out of the filibusters in the Senate -- Democrats who are keeping some of his favorite judicial nominees off the bench.
And the top Senate Republican is doing more than complain. We get the charges and the countercharges from CNN's Chris Burns, who is with the president today in Columbia, South Carolina.
Hello, Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well hello, Miles.
The president having arrived here in Columbia to make a commencement address here at the South Carolina University. He is going to be talking about a free trade zone that he'd like to propose for the Middle East. But earlier this morning, he did concentrate on one of his domestic issues, being the appointment of judges he'd like to get through -- most notably that of Miguel Estrada. That is being stuck dead in the water because of a filibuster in the Senate being led by the Democrats.
Now Bill Frist, the Senate majority leader, is trying to push through an amendment or a change, that is, to the filibuster rules, in which it would take less than 60 votes in the Senate to override a filibuster. That could bring a number of judges to a vote, including that of Miguel Estrada for the federal appeals court. The president attacking the Democrats on that issue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The obstructionist tactics of a small group of senators are sending a pattern that threatens judicial independence. Meanwhile, vacancies on the bench and overcrowded court dockets are causing delays for citizens seeking justice.
The judicial confirmation process is broken. And it must be fixed for the good of the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D-SD), MINORITY LEADER: I don't know of another administration that has enjoyed the success in confirmations of its judges as this administration has. 124 to 2. That's the score. (END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: Talking about a question of even separation of powers -- the Democrats saying, "Well, we gave you most of those judges that you asked for."
So that debate will continue. The president, of course, also trying to push through his tax cut on Capitol Hill. The president today, however, here at the university, was going to be talking about this free trade zone, and, according to a senior administration official, this could have linkage to the question of lifting the boycotts against Israel by a number of Arab states. That could become an issue as they do try to negotiate that zone and other free trade agreements in the region. Obviously, a carrot to push through that road map for the Middle East to get Palestinian statehood by 2005 -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: CNN's Chris Burns with the president. Thank you very much.
We'll check in with him in just a little bit. We, of course, will bring you live coverage of the president's speech. It's scheduled to begin at 3:15 p.m. eastern time. Stay tuned for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Nominees>
