With Linda Chavez pulling her own nomination for Labor Secretary after less than a week of protests from Democrats and civil rights groups, Democrats now turn their attention to another of Bush's Cabinet picks -- Attorney General nominee John Ashcroft.
Ashcroft, the former senator from Missouri who lost his reelection bid to the late Gov. Mel Carnahan, is under attack from Democrats, pro-choice groups and civil rights groups -- groups that no doubt have taken note of how easily Chavez's nomination was stopped even before the Senate could consider it.
The Ashcroft fight will be more difficult for Democrats, however.
As of now, the Democrats have no blatant scandal regarding Ashcroft to bring up, such as immigrant harboring or alleged failure to pay social security taxes in the case of Chavez.
Secondly, Ashcroft only left the Senate less than a month ago, and still has many supporters within Congress. The opposition has little time to organize and garner support, as Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said Cabinet confirmation hearings will begin on Tuesday.
However, Chavez's quick exit adds fuel to the attacks on Ashcroft. Liberal groups are damning Ashcroft for his conservative record, labeling him extreme. Issues of specific concern include the nominee's opposition to abortion, gay rights and gun control, as well as past support of the death penalty and elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts.
Still, it does not appear likely that Ashcroft will be denied the post. With the Senate split 50-50 and powersharing surprisingly approved, most Republicans will be extremely hesitant to vote against Ashcroft.
According to CNN, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., was expected to announce her intention to oppose Ashcroft last night.
Though the liberal Boxer's support was never expected, Bush officials' first order of business is to ensure Republican solidarity.
One Republican in question is Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, one of the most vocal GOP supporters of abortion rights. Ashcroft is expected to meet with Specter tomorrow, according to a Bush official.
Other GOP pro-choicers, such as Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, two moderates, have voiced their support for Ashcroft.
The okay nod from Collins was seen as particularly important because she is running for re-election in 2002 in the temperamental and traditionally moderate state of Maine.
At the same time, around 20 Senate Democrats are also reportedly on Ashcroft's side, which doesn't bode well for the groups attacking the former senator.
Still, Bush officials are set to counter any Senate Democrat who vocally opposes Ashcroft before confirmation hearings convene next week.
CNN also reported that a Bush official said Ashcroft will emphatically declare his intention to enforce all laws dealing with abortion rights, civil rights and gay rights. They believe these assurances will deflect criticism Ashcroft has encountered for a voting record often at odds with some of these laws.
"It's going to be a very hard road," the official said. "Next week is going to be a very long week."
The official also expects a lengthy Senate floor debate on Ashcroft and does not anticipate a full confirmation vote until the first week of February.
He said transition officials have lined up numerous law enforcement groups and social conservative groups to work the trenches on Ashcroft's behalf.
Yet another issue that clouds Ashcroft's nomination is his opposition to the elevation of African-American Missouri Supreme Court Justice Ronnie White to the federal bench.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson and other civil rights leaders have already voiced their dismay with Ashcroft. Law enforcement groups and crime victims are however reportedly ready to testify against the judge because of his attempts to reverse death penalty convictions in several murder cases.
Senate Minority Leader Lott also said he believes the Senate will confirm Attorney General-designate Ashcroft, despite the current controversy over his nomination, the Associated Press reported.
The 50-50 Senate
Lott also said yesterday that Republicans have discussed the possibility of pushing a tax package through the Senate as early as next month.
Meanwhile, Lott told the National Journal that during negotiations with current Majority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota over how to share power in the evenly divided Senate, the two discussed whether any Democratic senator would join members of the Congressional Black Caucus in protesting the award of Florida's 25 electoral votes to Bush.
Lott told the National Journal: "I'm not saying that they were totally related, but there is no question that Daschle and I were talking about [it when I said], 'Tom, are y'all going to play games? Are we going to need to have all our people here? Can I trust you to be honest with me on this?'"
In the end, no Democratic senator signed the protest and all attempts to delay action were ruled out of order by, coincidentally Vice President Al Gore, who presided over the proceedings in his position as president of the Senate.
Last Laugh?
President Clinton took some last shots at incoming Bush this week. The first jab was at a fundraiser for Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., yesterday.
Clinton said sarcastically of the election of Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., which was also very close and required a recount: "An unusual system in Washington state, they actually count all the votes," CNN reported.
And in Chicago Tuesday, Clinton praised the efforts of Chicago native and Gore presidential campaign chairman William Daley.
"Listen, we were way behind when Daley took over," Clinton said. "They thought the election was over, the Republicans did. The time it was over, our candidate had won the popular vote, and the only way they could win the election was to stop the voting in Florida.
In response, Ari Fleischer, spokesman for Bush, said there is a tradition "of presidents leaving office with respect for their successors. I'm certain that President Clinton will want to follow that," but avoided directly criticizing Clinton's remarks.
