Think Progress

Obama’s nominees stuck in the Senate.

The Washington Post’s Al Kamen notes that while President Obama has nominated his top appointees at a record pace, the Senate has been approving them at a slower rate than they did for his predecessors:

But less than two weeks into his presidency, just 17 of the 31 nominees officially announced by the White House have been confirmed by the Senate. [...] By comparison, 19 of Bill Clinton’s nominees were confirmed in his first 10 days in office. George W. Bush, who had a much abbreviated transition because of the Florida recount, had 13 nominees confirmed in the first 10 days, according to an analysis by the Presidential Transition Project at New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service in cooperation with The Washington Post.

Among the key nominees awaiting confirmation are Eric Holder for attorney general and Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA) for Labor Secretary. For example, Senate Republicans have obstructed Holder’s confirmation for 63 days since Obama nominated him on Dec. 1.

- Matt Finkelstein

Update A statement from the office of Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) says that the Judiciary Committee chairman opened the chamber's debate on Holder's nomination this afternoon and will vote tonight at 6:15 p.m.


32 Responses to “Obama’s nominees stuck in the Senate.”

  1. Daddy-O says:

    Republicans? Obstructing the most popular President in decades? From appointing his Cabinet?

    No! Really? Get OUT!

    The American people’s patience with the modern-day Republican is wearing thin–even among Republican voters…It’s hard to believe they could be this stupid, but there you go.


  2. spencers mom says:

    Ahem… what happened to the party who demanded a straight up or down vote, and threatened to go “nukular” if they didn’t get it?

    Oh wait, fairness changes based on the GOPer’s power position.

    PEACE


  3. ElBruce says:

    Ah, maybe someday we’ll have a Democratic majority in the Senate… Apparently Republicans only need 51 votes to get business done, whereas Reid can’t do sh!t without 60.


  4. katy says:

    TP – can you find out about a possible statute of limitations concerning gonzo’s dealings, the 5th anniversary coming in march? the hospital scene maybe?

    i keep hearing bits and pieces, but no real story…
    except that it may be the reasoning behind holder’s delay…


  5. LizCoro says:

    Well Holder has admitted that WATERBOARDING is TORTURE!!

    What would Jesus say, eh RWer’s??


  6. Hoodathunk says:

    The delay in confirmation has been caused by a lack of paper shredders. Plus, its hard to get rid of that many emails.


  7. P.D. says:

    The Repugs remind me of Nero, fiddling while Rome burned. By the way, where is Limpballs, the savior of the Repug Party? He has been quiet this weekend.


  8. MysteriousTraveller says:

    Nobody even knows who put the hold on Solis’ nomination.

    The Senate is a joke.

    And now the N.H. governor promises to appoint a Republican to replace Judd Gregg.

    I’m getting nauseous.


  9. Hoodathunk says:

    There is also a CDC alert for the possibility of an epidemic in the US, due to hit in the next month. Not bird flu, nope, not Nile virus…amnesia.

    The good news is it seems only Republicans are dangerously susceptible.


  10. Marie says:

    Repugniscum = obstructionists.

    They hate it when they’re not in charge; relegating Dems to the basement, not inviting them to meetings, turning out the lights on them — they miss that sort of camaraderie.


  11. Nevar says:

    We nominate you for Secretary of Obstruction and General Absurdity.


  12. Bozo The Neoclown says:

    poor lil windsore,
    he longs for the days where all white house appointtees came from four tier colleges like the trinity losers temporarily populating the department of justice.


  13. PatrioticLiberalChristian says:

    windsor Says:

    How about nominating people that don’t have tax and questionable issues?

    EXACTLY!! Obama needs to quit nominating people who are against torture and people who are Democrats and people with other questionable traits! If Obama would nominate a bunch of neocons with strong repressive beliefs they would sail right through the nomination process with the Republicans’ blessing.


  14. had enough says:

    I am with Thom Hartman with the attitude that Daschle is less likely to support single payer health care as compared with someone like Howard Dean. Dean is a physician and had a successful program while governor of Vermont.

    Economic stimulus wise,single payer health care would take the burden off business, decrease bankruptcies and create a safer America and ease prison load with mental health care included.


  15. Bozo The Neoclown says:

    I have a question for windsor:
    are you princess anne? that’s the only reason i can figure you’re so bitter and nasty. just curious


  16. Uncle Ho says:

    My, my. What a SHORT memory the Rethuglic party has. When chimpy could not get his nominees a rubber-stamp approval, the fascists would howl bloody murder for an up-or-down vote.

    Now they don’t want any up-or-down votes for a Democratic administration.

    Obstruct, obstruct, obstruct, delay, delay, delay.


  17. spencers mom says:

    Had Enough, a single-payer solution would also create jobs here in America. Insuring 45+ million more people would certainly lead to many new low- to mid-level positions.

    The jobs that would be lost, however, are the highest paid executive positions. Ya know, because we wouldn’t need thousands of CEOs, CFOs, COOs, etc. if it was all managed under one umbrella. And the insurance brokers can change their focus from selling insurance to being the local portal for people to get coverage.

    I’m all for dumping Daschle, but it appears that Obama owes him too much to replace him now. It’s embarassing to try to justify not one but two tax evaders.

    PEACE


  18. EugeneDebs says:

    windsor Says:

    Why are you such an ignorant punk? Why in the world would you come here just to show how stupid and pathetic you are? Did your mother bring you up to think being stupid was something to be proud of? Do you really think anyone here laughs at your pitiful attempts at humor? You do realize you are only laughed at because you are a pathetic moron doing an impresonation of a retarded monkey? You are bone ignorant. You are pathetic and stupid. Go soak your head. Sit in the corner with the other dunces and STFU


  19. ralph the wonder llama says:

    Bozo The Neoclown Says:
    I have a question for windsor:
    are you princess anne? that’s the only reason i can figure you’re so bitter and nasty. just curious

    It would explain a lot.

    Especially the questionable judgment shown in selecting a screen name of a royal family, adopted after they’d moved from one country to another so that they would sound more like they belonged there.


  20. ljm says:

    With every one of these obstructions the No Party shows that they are old non-thinkers who don’t know or care that we are in a crisis! Half of them think they are still in power, and the other half want to obstruct everything just because they can.


  21. Badger says:

    FDR nominated JFK’s Father, Joseph P Kennedy to head the newly formed Securities and Exchange Commission.

    Joseph Kennedy had a deserved reputation for playing “fast and Loose” with the Rules..and many were shocked that a man of this reputation would be appointed to oversee the Stock Mkt.

    He turned out to be good at it, because he Knew where the bodies were buried, which closets had skeletons, and how every devious scheme and trick to defraud investors worked.

    Daschle may serve a similar function for Obama’s plans to remedy the Health Care System.


  22. tombaker says:

    Obstruction and lying.

    Guess we’d better get used to it.

    ’cause they’re certainly not going to come up with any new tricks. (one wonders what the avg. goper iq really is; 70? 80?)


  23. roksob says:

    Getting rapid approval for nominees is not necessarily a good thing. Bush’s nominations were approved quickly? So what? Look at what it got us.


  24. Marie says:

    What ever happened with Howard Dean and the Democratic party? Why shouldn’t he have been considered for HHS?


  25. Marie says:

    Hey Windsor,
    Watch out for the Pot calling the kettle black.
    People in glass houses …
    Or do you think you are just ever so witty with your wry comments?
    Wake up, stupid.


  26. Marie says:

    Bush’s nominees sailed through because the rethugs clicked their heels and saluted der fuhrer — crooks and incompetents one and all.


  27. Buckie Boy says:

    Senate Republicans have obstructed Holder’s confirmation for 63 days…

    ….I wonder why?

    Mmmmm, could it be that they want to protect their WAR CRIMINALS?


  28. DutchHenry says:

    Does this not reflect how ineffectual Harry Reid is as senate majority leader ?Is it not up to him to move the nominations along ?Won’t surprise me if by spring some of the nominations have still not been brought to the floor.


  29. dbearton says:

    What do you expect from the traitors and war criminals in the RepubliCon party! They prever the treason and crimes of Bush and Cheney.


  30. marlow says:

    GO NUCLEAR, BARACK. We’re getting sick of this s–t. How many stabs in the back are you going to take?


  31. LiberalVoter says:

    drive by troll Says: i wonder why, maybe because they are all tax cheats and criminals. If us common folk did these crimes we would be in prison, but if your a REPUBLICAN you get a promotion. Its a resume builder.

    Fixed it for you.


  32. ucsbclassics53 says:

    and if it were a Republican, the media wouldn’t even report it…



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