Judges

Elizabeth Dole on the filibuster battle:

Q. But are you worried that, if you ever become part of the minority again, you'll regret this change?

Dole: "I think any president, as we've had in the past -- Democrat or Republican -- if their nominee reaches the Senate floor, as reported out of the Judiciary Committee and has a majority of support on the Senate floor, they deserve to have an up or down vote. Period. Like I say, that goes back to Whigs. (Laughs)."

Q. Of course, some of President Clinton's nominees had maybe a majority on the floor, but couldn't get out of committee (because Republicans never called a vote).

Dole: "Well, the same thing happened with the first (President) Bush. Bush 41. There were a number of people who didn't made it out of committee. Exactly the same thing. Tit for tat. That's a different situation, really. What we're talking about is what's going on on the Senate floor."

See, every judge deserves an up or down vote, unless a Republican majority can bottle up a Democratic president's nominees in committee. Then they deserve nothing.