Quote of the Day

Here is an excerpt from yesterday’s Daschle/Thune Meet the Press debate:

SEN. DASCHLE: Maybe we should talk about judicial nominations for a second, Tim, because John keeps coming back to this one. You know that we have now confirmed 201 judges. That is more than Ronald Reagan got confirmed in his first term. It's more than President Bush's father got confirmed in his first term. We have the lowest vacancy rate virtually of any time in history. We've confirmed 201 judges. We've not confirmed 10. That's a 95 percent ratio of success. There are not many things...

MR. THUNE: And why wouldn't...

SEN. DASCHLE: ...95 percent. Now, John would suggest that maybe we just rubber stamp them all, but the Constitution requires us to advise and consent and you know that, John, so...

MR. THUNE: Exactly. And you're not...

SEN. DASCHLE: But what's wrong with 95 percent?

MR. THUNE: ...following the Constitution.

SEN. DASCHLE: Would you say--does it have to be 100 percent?

MR. THUNE: Let's talk about the people that you're not giving a vote, Tom.

SEN. DASCHLE: Well, every one of these people gets a vote, John.

MR. THUNE: It's one thing if you want to talk about the Constitution, let's talk about the Constitution.

SEN. DASCHLE: Well, I'm prepared to do that.

Daschle already did talk about filibusters of judical nominations. From Accuracy in Media:

Senator Daschle himself, in 1995, complaining about Republicans, stated that: . . . The Constitution is straightforward about the few instances in which more than a majority of the Congress must vote: A veto override, a treaty, and a finding of guilt in an impeachment proceeding . . . And in 1999 the Senator still was on message: . . . I find it simply baffling that a Senator would vote against even voting on a judicial nomination . . .

Is it OK for me to call the above two quotes a tie for Sibby’s Quote of the Day? How about a three way tie, from DVT, a quote from the 11/2/86 Argus Leader endorsement of Tom Daschle:

He's developed into a skilled practitioner of the 30-second, made-for-television quote, but he can whimper like a puppy when attacked.