I just got off the phone again with a staffer in Ken Salazar's office. You're not going to believe this. That fucker has cut a deal with James Dobson to not filibuster.
Here's how the conversation went. I told him my name, location (Denver), and that I would like a response from Ken Salazar to this question:
What does Ken Salazar plan to accomplish by letting Alito through with a no vote?
I told the staffer that he might as well vote yes. If he were truly in opposed to Alito, he would do everything in his power to stop him. On January 19th, here's what Salazar said about Alito:
I will vote against the confirmation of Judge Samuel Alito to the United States Supreme Court. I am convinced, based upon a very careful review of his record, that Judge Alito will move the Supreme Court outside the mainstream of American law. Judge Alito's judicial philosophy will expand Executive power too far, hurt the checks and balances built into our Constitution to protect us all, and roll back important civil rights protections that were achieved in our country through the sacrifices of many.
If he's so worried about this extreme judge, what's his problem with supporting a filibuster? I asked the staffer that, and then something happened that blew my fucking mind.
He hesitated for a moment, and then said the following:
I understand your concerns and I feel the same way. The truth is that Senator Salazar has come to a compromise with Dr. James Dobson about an ongoing feud between them. Dr. Dobson has agreed to stop mentioning Senator Salazar in a negative context if he refuses to filibuster Samuel Alito.
I was stunned and speechless, so all I could say was, "What?"
The staffer went on:
I'm sorry, but that's the truth, and that's why this is my last day working for Senator Salazar.
I got off the phone feeling so angry, yet sad. A single wingnut has successfully moved the court to the right. Not exactly my typical idea of "one person can make a difference."
I got on the internet, and things started to make sense. Dobson has been targeting Salazar on the radio program and at his Justice Sunday seminars, so apparently the pressure has gotten to Salazar. His fighting spirit has changed dramatically since this article in April:
For some time now, pro-family groups like Focus on the Family have been asking Senate Democrats to stop using filibusters to block President Bush's judicial nominees from getting up-or-down votes in the Senate. [...]
But on Thursday, Colorado Democratic U.S. Senator Ken Salazar came out with guns blazing -- apparently upset about being targeted in one of the ads, he went so far as to accuse Focus on the Family of wanting to "set up a theocracy."
In a letter to Focus Chairman Dr. James Dobson, Salazar, a lifelong Catholic, accused Focus of "hijacking" Christianity. The senator also condemned Dobson for agreeing to appear this Sunday in a national simulcast called "Justice Sunday," with Focus on the Family board member Albert Mohler, Jr., whom Salazar labeled as anti-Catholic.
"I would further encourage you to cease your unfounded attacks on the faith of my Democratic colleagues," Salazar wrote. "The Senate controversy over judges is simply about whether the rules should be broken in the pursuit of power. The controversy has nothing to do with the faith of any Democratic U.S. Senator."