Washington Post... Senator McConnell made some comments in reference to his frustration that past Bush judicial nominees have been unfairly blocked. As new Senate Minority Leader he's offering Republican cooperation if Democrats give judicial nominees an up or down vote.
McConnell told conferees that if Democrats want the cooperation of Republicans in the next Congress, "they'll give the president's judicial nominees an up-or-down vote" in this one. Bush renominated six previously blocked appeals-court candidates Wednesday, to the consternation of Democratic senators. "You can't expect easy cooperation on issues of importance to them unless they respect issues of importance to us, including the principle that judges deserve an up-or-down vote," McConnell spokesman Don Stewart told the Associated Press yesterday.