The only senators voting against Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s nomination to serve as secretary of state were David Vitter of Louisiana and Jim DeMint of South Carolina, both Republicans.
The vote came a day after an effort to confirm Clinton by unanimous consent failed.
But Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller said in a hallway interview that having a roll call vote was worth the wait because it provides hard evidence of Clinton’s widespread bipartisan support.
During the debate leading up the vote, several Republicans senators spoke in favor of Clinton’s nomination.
The most notable: former Republican presidential candidate John McCain of Arizona.
Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter told a story about how Clinton invited him for a visit to the second floor West Wing of the White House while she was first lady in order to discuss with him his brain surgery.
“In the Senate she has had an extraordinary record,’’ said the Pennsylvania Republican, noting he worked with her as cosponsors on legislation to establish a public service academy like West Point or Annapolis.
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She STILL hasn’t resigned? What the heck is she waiting for? Hillary Clinton must resign.
“How did your brain surgery go?”
“Good.”
“That’s good.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry Bill can’t be here.”
“Bill?
“The President.”
“Oh, yes, Bill.”
“He feels your pain, but he can’t be here to feel it with you, as it were.”
“I understand completely.”
“Was everything paid for?”
“Oh, yes, very satisfactory.”
“That’s good.”
“Yes.”
“Well, thanks for coming up to the second floor. I would have visited YOU, but, you know how things are, protocol and etcetera.”
“It was my pleasure, Madam.”
the two republicans holding out are making a spectacle
of themselves…Obama is entitled to pick his secretary
of state.period…Vitter is from Louisiana and other
than new orleans it was a red state big time..so chalk
his vote up to politics..but although he may want to appeal
to the red neck bigots outside the city of new orleans
he might want to consider that if Obama is in any
way successful in his first 100 days he puts himself
at risk
Specter, like Yogi Berra, had a brain scan and, luckily, they found nothing.
Spectacle, eh? Weren’t you the same person that claimed Geithner shouldn’t be confirmed over taxes?
Condi Rice had 13 votes against her.
Ashcroft had 34 votes against him including one by Senator Hillary Clinton.
John Bolton did not even get a confirmation vote.
You are normally right that President’s should get their pick. However, when the person has no foreign policy experience (i.e. Clinton) and is done just to keep a clost eye on a rival as opposed to carry out the President’s foreign policy Republicans have the right to oppose the nominee (rightly or wrongly) and the Democrats have no leg to stand on given their recent behavior.
Update 42 Senators voted against Ashcroft but your objection is two GOP Senators voting against Clinton.
clearly the republicans not including the two voting against
her disagree with you…and as for foreign policy experience
retired generals who are conservative by nature agree that
among all US senators Hillary has the best grasp of
military and security issues…I am comfortable with her
in that office…more comfortable than with Tim Geithner
at Treasury..when you don’t pay your payroll taxes and
you are on a 1099..you can’t really be the head of the IRS
can you …but again the nomination was reported out
to the floor…