Democrats employ strategy to get the most bang for Obama nominations
President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) and other Democrats have made a concerted effort over the past two years to seat as many federal judges as possible, and this week they could declare victory, having confirmed the most judges in a single Congress since 1980. But this strategy based on the political calculus that lifetime judicial appointments will have greater, longer impact than executive branch nominees means some federal agencies will still face serious gaps during Obamas remaining time in office.
In private conversation with a Republican senator earlier this year, Reid acknowledged that confirming federal judges was his top priority, according an aide to the GOP senator, because, Its what lasts.
While Senate Democrats were able to confirm dozens of the presidents stalled nominees in the final legislative frenzy before Congress adjourned for the year, the Obama administration will enter its last two years in with more than a quarter of all its senior cabinet agency posts 96 presidentially appointed positions unfilled, according to a White House analysis. The reason, in most cases, is that nominees for those jobs have not been confirmed by the Senate.
But which nominations advance to confirmation and which ones flounder has become a political choice that reflect the ideological divisions that now define Washington.
Reid spokesman Adam Jentleson said given the fact that federal judges serve well beyond the course of a single administration, One is truly a legacy situation, and one is less sweeping. But he added that Reid had tried, under difficult circumstances, to confirm key agency nominees where it made a difference.
It was a triage situation, and we tried to address the crisis where it was the most acute, he said, noting that while Reid has had more latitude in calling up nominees, he has been limited by time available to debate the nominations.
The feud between Democrats and Republicans on the issue reached a low point in November 2013, when Democrats were so frustrated with their efforts to seat three judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, they lowered the threshold for confirmations by eliminating filibusters for most of the presidents nominees.
Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), who has helped broker bipartisan deals on the confirmation process in the past, said in an interview that by upending the rules, Democrats have undermined their ability to seat future nominees in the GOP-controlled Senate next year.
There was a price to pay. Alexander noted there are more nominees that have cleared committee and are waiting for a vote than on Nov. 21, 2013, when Senate Democrats changed the confirmation rules.
Most lawmakers and academic experts said it will be increasingly difficult for Obama to win approval of his executive branch nominees during his last two years in office.
Original post:
Democrats employ strategy to get the most bang for Obama nominations
- Video of Kristi Noem blaming Democrats for shutdown rolling out at TSA security checkpoints across the country - CNN - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Why Democrats Think Theyre Winning the Shutdown Fight - The Atlantic - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- John Thunes shutdown strategy: Wait for the Democrats to fold - The Washington Post - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- One big swing-state race highlights how Democrats are figuring out their path forward - NBC News - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- I hope Democrats learn from this shutdown. But we know that they won't. | Opinion - USA Today - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Speaker Johnson: Democrats Have Voted Eight Times to Block Paychecks to Americans Troops and Federal Workers - Congressman Mike Johnson (.gov) - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- ICYMI: Rep. Ronny Jackson Says Democrats Are Actively Sabotaging Americas Farmers in Their Shutdown - Congressman Ronny Jackson (.gov) - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Democrats float immediately paying feds working through shutdown as Congress again rejects bill to reopen government - Government Executive - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Democrats have shutdown demands beyond health care, but it's hard to notice - Axios - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Amid Democrats Government Shutdown, ICE Law Enforcement Officers, Working Without Pay, Continue to Remove Pedophiles and Murderers - Homeland Security... - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Firings of federal workers begin as White House seeks to pressure Democrats in government shutdown - WABE - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Democrats Play the Hits on Health Care. But Fewer People Are Listening. - The New York Times - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Senate still deadlocked over shutdown as Trump reiterates threat to Democrats - The Guardian - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Democrats embrace the shutdown in ridiculously abnormal times - MSNBC News - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Democrats give Trump credit for Gaza deal but stop short of backing GOP calls to award him Nobel Peace Prize - CNN - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Are Democrats becoming the party of murder? - miningjournal.net - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Democrats government shutdown is the ultimate display of hypocrisy - The Hill - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Opinion | Democrats Are Increasing Inequality - The New York Times - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Could Democrats lose the New Jersey governors race? - The Week - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- The war in Gaza has divided Democrats. Will a ceasefire fix that? - CNN - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Democrats Fumbled This: 3 Writers Assess Where We Are With the Shutdown - The New York Times - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Video to play at airport TSA checkpoints blaming Democrats for government shutdown - KGW - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- Mike Johnson continues to blame Democrats for the government shutdown - CBS News - October 11th, 2025 [October 11th, 2025]
- These Democrats Could Hold the Key to Ending the Shutdown - The New York Times - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Senate Democrats defy White House warnings, again block GOP bid to reopen government - Fox News - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Heated hallway confrontation between Senate Democrats and Speaker Johnson - CNN - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Democrats introduce bill to help federal workers cover childcare costs during shutdown - The Guardian - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Despite Democrats Government Shutdown, ICE Continues to Arrest the Worst of the Worst Criminal Illegal Aliens Including Pedophiles, Human Smugglers... - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Democrats to force vote to limit Trump war powers after strikes on Venezuelan boats - NPR - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Democrats ramp up probe into Tom Homan bribery allegations - Axios - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Chairman Cole on Day Eight: Negotiations on Appropriations are Stalled until Democrats Face Reality and Reopen the Government - House Committee on... - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Colorado Democrats in Congress dig in on health care demands as government shutdown drags on - Post Independent - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Shutdowns serve as excuse for GOP and Democrats to spend more, says Sen. Ron Johnson - NPR - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Speaker Johnson: Reasonable Senate Democrats Must End the Shutdown Pain and Vote to Reopen the Government - Congressman Mike Johnson (.gov) - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Judiciary Democrats Press Trump-Vance Transition Team On Homan $50,000 Bribery Scandal: Who Knew About It, When Did They Know It, And Why Was Homan... - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- JB Pritzker Has Had it With Democrats Who Wont Stand Up to Trump - The New York Times - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- WATCH: Senate meets as Democrats demand extension of health care subsidies to end shutdown - PBS - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- A handful of Democrats could end the shutdown. No one's budging (yet). - USA Today - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Why Democrats are slow-walking their 2024 autopsy until after the November elections - The Washington Post - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Democrats seize on conservative support as hope to end shutdown - Roll Call - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Democrats call on Johnson to bring back House to pay troops - The Hill - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- ICYMI: On the Democrats Daily Blueprint, Somos Votantes Highlights the Importance of Supporting the Latino Community - Democrats - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Johnson: Democrats "playing games" as cracks form in GOP - CNN - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- LEADER JEFFRIES: "DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE AND DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE CONTINUE TO HOLD THE LINE FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE" - Democratic Leader... - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Democrats could have slight shot at winning House seat in Utah with new congressional map - PBS - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Democrats are to blame for the shutdown. That's actually a good thing. | Opinion - USA Today - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Democrats want health care tax credits to end the shutdown. Why the GOP says not yet. - USA Today - October 9th, 2025 [October 9th, 2025]
- Democrats Still Have No Idea What Went Wrong - The Atlantic - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Democrats are defying the conventional wisdom on government shutdowns - MSNBC News - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- POLL: Americans Want Democrats to END Their Shutdown - The White House (.gov) - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Why Democrats Are Casting the Government Shutdown as a Health Care Showdown - KFF Health News - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Trump calls on Democrats to reopen government, will then work on health care - The Hill - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Why Democrats are casting the government shutdown as a health care showdown - NPR - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Democrats see a path to flipping the crime debate - Politico - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Jeffries: Trump is not talking to Democrats about health care, ending shutdown - The Hill - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Worth the fight: Delaware congressional Democrats vow to stand firm on health care funding to reopen government - WHYY - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Trump Eyes Health Care Talks With Democrats to End Shutdown - Bloomberg.com - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Georgia Democrats rally around condemnation of Trump at their annual fundraising dinner - Georgia Public Broadcasting - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Speaker Johnson says its up to Democrats to stop the madness on shutdowns sixth day - thealpenanews.com - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Trump says he's open to striking deal with Democrats on extending health care subsidies - USA Today - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- CNU poll: Democrats poised for sweep but AG's race was closest of three before Jones' text messages revealed - Cardinal News - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Can this faith-filled Texas progressive lead Democrats out of the wilderness? - National Catholic Reporter - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Trump Open to Healthcare Talks With Democrats to End Shutdown - The Wall Street Journal - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Trump says hes open to health care deal with Democrats as shutdown hits Day 6 - The Seattle Times - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Watch Shutdown: Trump Eyes Talks With Democrats on Health Care - Bloomberg.com - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Trump says hes open to health care deal with Democrats as shutdown hits Day 6 - KWTX - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- White House warns of 'pain' inflicted on Americans if Democrats don't reopen government - Fox News - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Democrats are embracing the risky politics of a government shutdown to rein in president, activists say - The Guardian - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- To Win the Shutdown, Democrats Need a Big Switch - The American Prospect - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Susan Collins opposes Trump's shutdown layoff threats, but blames Democrats for the funding impasse - Maine Public - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- One win isnt enough for Democrats in this years governors races - Roll Call - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Trump Team Auditions 2026 Hopefuls to Save Agenda From Democrats - Bloomberg Government News - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- US Senate rejects Democrats spending bill as government shutdown continues - Anadolu Ajans - October 7th, 2025 [October 7th, 2025]
- Democrats defiance on shutdown shows a new, tougher approach to Trump - The Washington Post - October 4th, 2025 [October 4th, 2025]
- Mamdani Is More Foe Than Friend in the Suburbs, Even Among Democrats - The New York Times - October 4th, 2025 [October 4th, 2025]
- Speaker Johnson to Democrats on Day Three of the Shutdown: Do Your Job, Reopen the Government, Then We Can Get Back to Work - Congressman Mike Johnson... - October 4th, 2025 [October 4th, 2025]
- Democrats Government Shutdown Will Not Slow ICE Down from Arresting the Worst of the Worst Including Pedophiles, Murderers and Human Traffickers -... - October 4th, 2025 [October 4th, 2025]
- House Oversight Democrats call for investigation into Trump administrations shutdown messages - PBS - October 4th, 2025 [October 4th, 2025]
- Chairman Cole on Fox Business: Democrats Inflicted a Shutdown on America - House Committee on Appropriations (.gov) - October 4th, 2025 [October 4th, 2025]
- Does agency messaging blaming Democrats for government shutdown violate the Hatch Act? - Government Executive - October 4th, 2025 [October 4th, 2025]