Updated: Filibuster coming within reach!

Posted by Joshua Holland at 8:59 AM on January 28, 2006.

You're pushing the debate! Last week, Harry Reid was "almost apologetic," in the words of the New York Times, as he told his fellow Senators: "I hope that this matter will be resolved without too much more talking." Right up through Thursday, Dianne Feinstein was against a filibuster, saying: "This might be a man I disagree with, but it doesn't mean he shouldn't be on the court."

Well Feinstein's office's lines were tied up Thursday and Friday as you let her know what you thought about her easy acquiescence. Reid's were humming, too.

Both are now on board with the filibuster, as is Hillary Clinton, Russ Feingold, Chris Dodd, Ron Wyden, Paul Sarbanes and the list is growing. Only three Democratic senators have said that they will definitely vote for cloture (five more are quietly opposing the filibuster and hoping nobody notices).

And don't forget the two moderate New England Republicans who might still be in play, Olympia Snowe and Lincoln Chaffee (Susan Collins is definitely voting for cloture). They need to feel heat, too.

The cloture vote's scheduled for Monday at 4:30. Let's not believe the media when they say it's impossible; let's make it politically dangerous for Dems and the few Repubs who fancy themselves moderates to weasel out of their responsibility to their institution, if not their country. The Alito nomination, more than being about any single issue, is really about the separation of powers.

Call over the weekend, and then call again on Monday. Let's shut down the Capitol switchboard Monday morning.

UPDATE: Sean Paul Kelly of the Agonist writes:

Just got off the phone with someone highly placed in the filibuster fight: this is doable. It is an uphill battle, no doubt, but that person's words were: the momentum is shifting and has shifted perceptibly since Thursday.

Voice mailboxes are filling up, so you may not be able to get through by phone. FDL's Jane Hamsher posted two sites where you can send free faxes, here and here. Only the first one works right now, perhaps because of heavy traffic.

Here are the fax numbers for every Senate Dem.

Here's the list of filibuster opponents who are trying to keep a low profile - don't let 'em:

Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D- DE) , 202-224-5042
Bill Nelson (D- FL), 202-224-5274
Daniel K. Akaka (D- HI) (1,), 202-224-6361
Mary Landrieu (D- LA) (1,), 202-224-5824
Byron L. Dorgan (D- ND) (1,), 202-224-2551
Olympia Snowe (R- ME) (1,), 202-224-5344

Biden is especially vulnerable to pressure. Tell him you wouldn't dream of supporting a candidate for president that didn't stand up for core democratic values. Mention that you volunteer on campaigns, or give money or whatever you do and that you always vote in the primaries.

Here are the undecideds:

Blanche Lambert Lincoln (D- AR), 202-224-4843
Joseph I. Lieberman (D- CT), 202-224-4041
Thomas R. Carper (D- DE), 202-224-2441
Daniel K. Inouye (D- HI), 202-224-3934
Tom Harkin (D- IA), 202-224-3254
Barack Obama (D- IL), 202-224-2854
Evan Bayh (D- IN), 202-224-5623
Barbara A. Mikulski (D- MD), 202-224-4654
Carl Levin (D- MI), 202-224-6221
Mark Dayton (D- MN), 202-224-3244
Max Baucus (D- MT), 202-224-2651
Frank Lautenberg (D- NJ), 202-224-3224
Robert Menendez (D- NJ), 202-224-4744
Jeff Bingaman (D- NM), 202-224-5521
Jack Reed (D- RI), 202-224-4642
Lincoln D. Chafee (R- RI), 202-224-2921
Patrick J. Leahy (D- VT), 202-224-4242
Maria Cantwell (D- WA), 202-224-3441
Patty Murray (D- WA), 202-224-2621
Herb Kohl (D- WI), 202-224-5653
John D. Rockefeller, IV (D- WV), 202-224-6472
James M. Jeffords (I- VT), 202-224-5141

Get on these folks and stay on 'em all day Monday.

And if you live in Colorado, North Dakota or Arkansas, you might as well give the three loudest Democratic opponents -- Salazar, Pryor and Conrad -- a piece of your mind, too (polite pieces of your mind work best):

Mark Pryor (D- AR), 202-224-2353
Ken Salazar (D- CO) , 202-224-5852
Kent Conrad (D- ND) (1,) 202-224-2043

[HT to Democrats.com for the digits]

Joshua Holland is a staff writer at Alternet and a regular contributor to The Gadflyer.