Lugar Supports Dawn Johnsen For OLC Head

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Obama Administration
Posted on Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 04:53:17 PM EST
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This is terrific news:

Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., said Tuesday he will support the nomination of an Indiana University law professor to head the Obama administration’s internal law office. Lugar, R-Ind., said Tuesday he will support the nomination of an Indiana University law professor to head the Obama administration’s internal law office. He is the first Republican to publicly declare his backing for Dawn Johnsen, whose selection to head the Office of Legal Counsel has grown into a fight about abortion rights and counterterrorism practices.

. . . Lugar has said that, barring something extraordinary, a president should be able to choose top aides even if they support policies the opposition party opposes. He has also said Congress should not require as many posts be reviewed and voted on; about 500 positions require Senate confirmation.

While Specter said he was not in favor of Johnsen, he has never said he would vote against cloture. With Lugar's open support of Johnsen, a GOP filibuster seems virtually impossible now.

h/t to Josh Glasstetter of PFAW. Speaking for me only

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Lugar Supports Dawn Johnsen For OLC Head | 11 comments (11 topical)

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Is today Opposite Day? (5.00 / 1) (#4)
by Anne on Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 05:29:31 PM EST

Or Upside-Down Day?

Maybe Specter can take a cue from Lugar.

Wow (5.00 / 0) (#5)
by indy in sc on Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 05:50:41 PM EST

a voice of reason:

a president should be able to choose top aides even if they support policies the opposition party opposes.

That makes too much sense to be right. As BTD likes to say--elections have consequences. It took swine flu to get Sebelius confirmed.

GOD FINALLY n/t (none / 0) (#1)
by lilburro on Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 04:59:06 PM EST

Maybe it's time for Lugar (5.00 / 0) (#7)
by gyrfalcon on Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 06:10:35 PM EST

to jump ship, too. He's conservative but principled.


: Lugar's always been too smart (none / 0) (#11)
by Socraticsilence on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 10:06:38 AM EST

for the modern GOP, what with not having an outright contempt for the world outside our borders and all- he's a relic of the bygone age when it was okay for a Republican to have a more nuanced foriegn policy perspective than your average Toby Keith song.

dont see how (none / 0) (#2)
by Capt Howdy on Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 05:01:28 PM EST

this can be anything but good.

Amen! (none / 0) (#3)
by txpublicdefender on Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 05:24:15 PM EST

About damn time.

Notice how he echos (none / 0) (#6)
by Ben Masel on Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 06:08:27 PM EST

Feingold's language on Ashcroft.

I never (none / 0) (#8)
by Ga6thDem on Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 06:27:05 PM EST

understood the GOP's opposition to her. Is there an abortion litmus test for every nominee? I can understand their screaming somewhat about Sebelius since she'd be heading HHS but this made no sense.

: It seems to be the drum beat (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by nycstray on Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 06:46:16 PM EST

Clinton got some grilling on the issue in her appearance before foreign relations committee. One even questioned her regarding "exporting abortion".
Are they doing this to the men? Or just the women?

Lugar is of the old school (none / 0) (#10)
by oldpro on Tue Apr 28, 2009 at 08:38:53 PM EST

and a stand-up guy. Sensible, for the most part, and not a vicious partisan but a Republican through and through.