Senate approves Koh nomination
The Senate voted 62 to 35 on Thursday to confirm former Yale Law School Dean Harold Hongju Koh for the position of legal adviser to the Department of State.
The vote ends an unexpectedly heated three-month confirmation battle in which some Republicans alleged Koh would subvert American sovereignty in favor of international law in his new position. Thursday’s vote was split mostly along party lines, with five Republicans joining the Democratic majority in favor of Koh’s nomination.
"I feel like I am setting sail on a thrilling new adventure," Koh wrote in an e-mail message...
Yay for Dean Koh!
And thanks to Harry Reid for (finally!) cutting off the ridiculous time-wasting obstruction by Republicans who knew they had nowhere near the votes to block Koh, but wanted to deprive the State Department of a legal advisor for a few months just out of spite or partisanship.
As a side note for "recent alum," I love it when right-wingers express happiness that they've managed to drive Arlen Specter out of the Republican Party. Fantastic. As a Democrat, I say, sure, he's a slimy opportunist, but we'll take him.
We'll also take any Senators from Maine who would like to switch parties. Or any other moderate Republicans for that matter (not that there are many left). The Democratic Big Tent is big enough to hold a comfortable majority of the American political spectrum.
(You can have Joe Lieberman, though.)
You'll also apparently take Robert Byrd.
So glad that Specter has finally joined a party where he belongs.