Souter's retirement timed to Specter's conversion? Or vice versa?

[Richardo]

There are no coincidences, you know.

[Thrill]

1. Why? Specter leaving hurts the nominee. Because it makes it tougher to get the nominee

out of committee.

[Towlie]

3. What does that mean? Why would it be tougher?

[Thrill]

4. Because at least one Repuke has to ok the nominee to go to a full vote

Specter would of likely been that vote on the Judiciary committee. Now we're likely depending on Lindsey Graham

[DURHAM D]

5. But we can change the rules - Dems have the numbers.

With a 12-7 majority on the committee we should act like the crazy power hungry Republican always do. Just roll them with some new rules and get on with it.

[Thrill]

8. That could happen. But these are Senate Democrats

Don't count on it

[Hippo_Tron]

6. There's no rule that one Republican on the committee has to vote yes as far as I know

Where did you get that info?

[Thrill]

7. Judiciary Committee Rules

No. They have to give consent for the committee to vote on it. So it can be held up for a LONG time.

IV. BRINGING A MATTER TO A VOTE

The Chairman shall entertain a non-debatable motion to bring a matter before the Committee to a vote. If there is objection to bring the matter to a vote without further debate, a roll call vote of the Committee shall be taken, and debate shall be terminated if the motion to bring the matter to a vote without further debate passes with ten votes in the affirmative, one of which must be cast by the minority.

http://judiciary.senate.gov/about/committee-rules.cfm

[jefferson_dem]

2. No.

This announcement simply coincides with the end of the Supreme Court term and, after media outlets noticed Souter had not yet hired clerks for the Fall, he could no longer keep it under wraps.

I do believe it was strategically timed by Souter such that he could be replaced by a Dem POTUS. He's been burned out for several years now.