Biden Cabinet Confirmation Live Thread ***hearings, votes, etc.***

[BudgieForce]

I don't see Austin getting through on the waiver.

The fact that Rounds came out makes me more optimistic on his chances, but it's still an uphill climb. I thought Cotton would be a yes.

[BudgieForce]

Buttigieg has been voted out of committee 21-3.

Cruz, Lee, and...?

Cruz, Blackburn and Rick Scott voted NO.

*R*ck Sc*tt

You'd think a man who won his election by a quarter of a point would be less partisan.

[BudgieForce]

I can't imagine any democrat has the stomach to torpedo one of Biden's nominees. Unless something really damaging comes out about Tanden(other than she's a twitter bully), she'll be confirmed.

[BudgieForce]

Cardona's confirmation is now being intensified as Cardona has defended the CT policy for transgender girls to compete in girls sports.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2021/02/03/rand-paul-repeatedly-questions-education-nominee-on-boys-competing-with-girls-in-sports/?sh=13dd3d714031


Personally  I don't really have much here.

I can't imagine any other potential education secretary that Biden might have picked would have given a different answer.

[BudgieForce]

Watching Tanden's confirmation hearing and I'd be shocked if she isn't a 50/50 vote with Harris breaking the tie. Republicans are ironically pissed about her tweets.

[BudgieForce]

I'd be shocked if Bernie does vote against Tanden. Yeah, she personally sucks, but why sink her when her replacement won't be nearly as friendly to leftist policy?

[BudgieForce]

The Haaland confirmation is going to be fun. And by fun, I mean awful. Good thing Manchin has already said he'd vote for her.

[BudgieForce]

Every new administration has a nominee that goes down in flames. Trump had the Carls Jr. guy. Obama had Judd Gregg. Bush had Linda Chavez.

It happens.

[BudgieForce]

Every new administration has a nominee that goes down in flames. Trump had the Carls Jr. guy. Obama had Judd Gregg. Bush had Linda Chavez.

It happens.

Gregg withdrew over unsolvable differences with the administration: https://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/12/gregg.nomination/index.html

No senator aside from himself ultimately doomed his nomination.

Yes. I remember it being rather embarrassing for the new administration. Hence the "going down in flames" part.

[BudgieForce]

I'm honestly sick and tired of treating someone who voted with Trump more often than not, voted for 80% of his judges, and already has or plans to cast several deciding votes against the dems in this congress, as a Democrat. We need to kick him out of the caucus.

Sounds like a good way to ensure McConnell can block Covid relief and prevent Breyer from retiring.

Oh, haven't you heard!? Joe Manchin's just itching to kill the COVID relief stimulus package (that no legitimate Republican even supports) even though he's already come out in support of it, AND then he's gonna personally shoot Justice Breyer with his own NRA-provided shotgun just to open up his seat & save it for when McConnell returns to the majority leadership. Of course, even though Manchin is obviously a secret Republican at heart, he's doing all of this without switching parties & actually putting McConnell in charge so he can do all of these things - & more - that Manchin has made very clear in public that he doesn't actually wanna do. It almost makes TOO MUCH sense!!

Well if we can't kick him out, then we need to take away his committee chairmanship. This treachery should not go unpunished.

It's not that serious.

Honestly, Manchin is downright liberal compared to the 2009 democrat senate caucus. 

[BudgieForce]

I'm glad that Tanden's nomination is essentially DOA now with Collins' NO vote. Biden should choose some else.....and better to be OMB Director.

I assumed Collins was always a no vote. She spoke out against Tanden's nomination back in December.

I would say she still has a slim shot at being confirmed just because there are enough potential Republican swing votes left, but its not looking good.

[BudgieForce]

If Manchin sinks Haaland as well as Tanden, I don't think the Native American community is going to just sit back and say "oh well" and let Biden choose some white guy instead. There are plenty of other Native politicians, activists, and businesspeople with both the right views and the right experience for a public lands and Western development portfolio.

I think Biden just goes with Michael Connor in that situation.

[BudgieForce]

https://twitter.com/jbendery/status/1363176370789097472

Alaskan congressman Don Young testifying for Haaland.
Might help win over Murkowski.

[BudgieForce]

I now accept my accolades

https://mobile.twitter.com/GeoffRBennett/status/1363938574626926602?ref_src=twsr...

wtf i love manchin now

This also makes it a lot more likely that he votes against Haaland btw.

Way too early for accolades.

[BudgieForce]

Deb Haaland released her statement for tommorows hearing. It definitely reads like something meant to calm fears of Haaland being a "climate extremist". Hopefully that's enough for Manchin.

[BudgieForce]

I'd rather Murkowski stick her neck out for Haaland and not Tanden. Atleast with Tanden, Biden can find her another spot in the administration that doesn't need a senate confirmation.

[BudgieForce]

How's Haaland's hearing going?

I'm watching it currently and I have no idea.

As expected the Republicans are going hard on her and the democrats are throwing softballs. Manchin was at the very start and I couldn't get a good read on which way he was leaning.

[BudgieForce]

I can’t find any real news about Haaland’s panel - not on NYT, WaPo, or Twitter. What are people seeing?

I listened to a brief section of it where Murkowski, Heinrich, and Lankford questioned her. Heinrich was obviously in favor, Lankford obviously opposed (but much politer about it than I was expecting), and Murkowski seemed skeptical but not dead-set against her. I haven't seen much about Manchin's comments but BudgieForce thinks he's still playing his cards close to his chest. Possibly waiting to see what Murk will do?

I wouldn't even go that far on Manchin.

Multiple republicans took shots at Haaland for past positions or comments, but Manchin didn't. I'm leaning towards Manchin being a yes on her nomination because of that.

There is another hearing on Haaland tomorrow. We might get a clearer picture on the way Manchin is leaning then.

[BudgieForce]

Also, only tangentially related but what happened to her right hand? It looks like she's wearing a wrist brace & 4 finger braces. Hope everything's okay.

Looks like something for carpal tunnel. Although I've never seen one in white.

[BudgieForce]

I was under the impression Vilsack hated being Agriculture Secretary and Biden had to beg him to take the position a second time.

[BudgieForce]

Seems like Manchin's still happy with Haaland after her second hearing. He thanked her today for "being so diligent and doing such a good job".

I think that fact that Haaland has been adamant about fulfilling Biden's agenda and not her own has really helped calm fears. I'd be pretty shocked if Manchin comes out against her all things considered.

[BudgieForce]

https://twitter.com/Phil_Mattingly/status/1364671596833738752

Manchin is a YES on Haaland.

[BudgieForce]

Do I dare ask how Rachel Levine's nomination is going?

[BudgieForce]

So uh, if the House bill won't come up for a vote until Thursday, maybe confirming Fudge and Haaland tomorrow might not be such a great move?

Reports seem to indicate Wednesday is more likely for the stimulus vote. Probably earlier enough for Fudge to vote.

[BudgieForce]

It seems like Becerra is likely going to be the least bipartisan of the Biden nominees with only one Republican vote. Although, that could change if anyone decides to change their vote when we get to cloture and/or the final vote. Haaland, which I would have guessed would have been the most contentious at the beginning of this process, received four Republican votes today. As a result, cloture was invoked on the Haaland nomination 54-42 with a final confirmation vote coming either tomorrow or early next week.

Republican Ayes (4):
Murkowski (AK)
Sullivan (AK)
Collins (ME)
Graham (SC)

Democratic Noes (0):
None

Not Voting (4):
Moran (KS)
Cassidy (LA)
Kennedy (LA)
Burr (NC)

I wonder if Don Young's testimony won Sullivan over.