MONDAY ALITO FILIBUSTER GAMEPLAN: URGE ABSTINENCE!

Last updated: 12:13 am Pacific. Big recent developments: Four up, one down, one big fracking sissy: Republican Senator John Ensign in car accident, unable to attend cloture vote -- that's effectively one more for our side! Independent Jim Jeffords commits to support the filibuster! Tom Harkin will abstain from the cloture vote! Dayton will vote no on cloture. On the downside, Kent Conrad is solidly against filibuster. Joe Lieberman is waffling big-time: several staffer have confirmed to me and others that he is voting AGAINST filibuster, but now they're back to saying he's undecided. I'm putting him back on the "call" list, but I gotta say: Damn. Damn. Damn. His. Vichy. Soul. (See the entire site's slogan, above.)


Also, there's a C-Span poll on whether the filibuster will help or hurt the Dems. Vote now!

“The Woodstock of Politics”
– a caller to The Young Turks radio filibuster for filibuster,
about the grassroots Alito activism.

First, THANK YOU for your hard work over the weekend! As far as I can tell, all key Senators' D.C. voicemails, and over 90% of the voicemails in their various District offices, were filled up by the end of the weekend. I started hitting random extensions and leaving messages for poor hapless staffers. Every Senator will get the message on Monday morning. Awesome!


For today, I want to back away from the shotgun petitions. It's frustrating that no one in the Dem leadership will tell us who the "Alito 8" are (the Democrats who aren't hewing the party line), and we don't know how well Kerry and Kennedy are doing at moving them around to our side. But we can make an educated guess, and focus on those key Senators. In addition to calling their offices, we're also going to target their re-election campaign HQs. (A great idea thought up by our friend and fellow-traveler, Bob Fertik!) Finally, we're going to hammer away at a simple, but politically powerful, message.


Our theme today is: Lead, Follow, Or Get Out of the Way. In political terms, that's:

EITHER SUPPORT THE FILIBUSTER
OR ABSTAIN FROM THE CLOTURE VOTE,
BUT DON'T GET IN OUR WAY.

The plan is simple:

FIRST, as each office opens (8:30 or 9 am Eastern, later for District offices as you move West), call every office (DC and District) of YOUR OWN Democratic Senators and urge them to support the filibuster by either voting NO on cloture or by ABSTAINING from the cloture vote. Be short and sweet but hit every office listed below. (If they're not listed here, they're probably not a problem -- but feel free to make sure!) If you can get their staff to commit to a position, please post a comment here.

SECOND, call the "URGE ABSTENTION" Senators identified immediately below and do the same -- say that you hope they vote NO on cloture this afternoon but if they can't, urge them to ABSTAIN from the cloture vote by doing something good that most Republicans would never do, like visiting wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Hospital instead. (God knows the Republican leadership would never want to draw any attention to the costs of their war!) Doing so will be just as good as a "no" vote but will give them political cover with their conservative voters back home. Again, call their DC AND District offices. And again, if their staff will commit to a position on cloture and/or abstention, please post a comment here.

THIRD, rinse and repeat. That is, go through the "Urge Abstention" list twice, at least for those offices that don't take detailed caller info like names and addresses.

That's it. Simply hammer your own Senators and the key Senators. Report back so I can keep things updated. Then watch C-Span at 4:30 Eastern to see what happens! (And please check back here on Tuesday for an after-action report and a strategy for dealing with the result. Win or lose, we are taking this momentum forward to win back our Party and our Nation.)

AGAIN: THANK YOU for doing Yeoman's work the past few days! You folks are restoring my faith in America. No kidding. Regardless of the outcome of this particular battle, we are waking up the Democratic leadership to the fact that they MUST EITHER PAY ATTENTION TO US or STAND ASIDE so real, responsive leaders can take their place. And that makes me excited. It makes me think that the American Experiment still might succeed.

Okay, here goes!:

URGE THESE SENATORS TO EITHER SUPPORT THE FILIBUSTER
OR ABSTAIN FROM THE CLOTURE VOTE

Nelson, Ben (V-NB) Nelson says he is voting FOR Alito. But that doesn't mean he can't show party loyalty by abstaining from the cloture vote. Hammer his office HARD with requests that, notwithstanding his intended floor vote, he STAY AWAY during the cloture vote this afternoon.
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-6551
DC office fax: 202-228-0012
Omaha office phone: 402-391-3411
Omaha office fax: 402-391-4725
Lincoln office phone: 402-441-4600
Lincoln office fax: 402-476-8753
Chadron office phone: 308-430-0587
Scottsbluff office phone: 308-631-7614
Campaign office phone: 202-546-8100
Campaign office fax: 202-546-7493
email: http://bennelson.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Johnson, Tim (V-SD) Johnson says he is voting FOR Alito. But that doesn't mean he can't show party loyalty by abstaining from the cloture vote. Hammer his office HARD with requests that, notwithstanding his intended floor vote, he STAY AWAY during the cloture vote this afternoon.
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-5842
DC office fax: 202-228-5765
Aberdeen office phone: 605-226-3440
Aberdeen office fax: 605-226-2439
Rapid City office phone: 605-341-3990
Rapid City office fax: 605-341-2207
Sioux Falls office phone: 605-332-8896
Sioux Falls office fax: 605-332-2824
email: http://johnson.senate.gov/emailform.cfm

Byrd, Robert (V-WV) Byrd, formerly known as "The Conscience of the Senate", says he is voting FOR Alito. But that doesn't mean he can't show party loyalty by abstaining from the cloture vote. Hammer his office HARD with requests that, notwithstanding his intended floor vote, he STAY AWAY during the cloture vote this afternoon. Point out that by doing so, he will make a strong statement about Congress' power under the Constitution, and ensure his honorable legacy as the Constitution's defender.
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-3954
DC office fax: 202-228-0002
Charleston office phone: 304-342-5855
Charleston office fax: 304-343-7144
Campaign office phone: 202-546-9292
email: http://byrd.senate.gov/byrd_email.html

Chafee, Lincoln (R-RI) A Republican, usually moderate, so don't play the "Democratic activist" card. UPDATED MONDAY, 11:03 AM PACIFIC: Chafee is voting NO on Alito but YES on cloture. His office IS asking where you're calling from. If you're from Rhode Island, call to urge him to ABSTAIN from the cloture vote, since a "yes" on cloture is a "yes" on Alito.
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-2921
DC office fax: none listed
Providence office phone: 401-453-5294
Providence office fax: none listed
Newport office phone: 401-845-0700
Newport office fax: none listed
email: http://chafee.senate.gov/webform.htm

Conrad, Kent (D-ND) UPDATE MONDAY 11:18 AM PACIFIC: Staffer definitely confirms he is voting FOR Alito. (He previously was con.) And against filibuster. Solid Vichy. Taking him off the list; not worth our time.

Pryor, Mark (D-AR) UPDATE, MONDAY 11:08 PACIFIC: DC staff says he's voting against Alito but FOR cloture. Damn. I urged him to consider abstaining instead.
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-2353
DC office fax: 202-228-0908
Little Rock office phone: 501-324-6336
Little Rock office fax: 501-324-5320
email: http://pryor.senate.gov/contact/

Salazar, Ken (D-CO): Anti-Alito but won’t support a filibuster. D’oh! Urge him to show party loyalty by abstaining from the filibuster vote.
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-5852
DC office fax: 202-228-5036
Denver office phone: 303-455-7600
Denver office fax: 303-455-8851
Pike’s Peak office phone: 719-328-1100
Pike’s Peak office fax: 719-328-1129
Fort Collins office phone: 970-224-2200
Fort Collins office fax: 970-224-2205
Pueblo office phone:719-542-7550
Pueblo office fax:719-542-7555
email: http://salazar.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Landrieu, Mary (D-LA) UPDATE MONDAY 11:10 AM PACIFIC: Baton Rouge staffer confirms she's still anti-filibuster. She seemed to be baffled at the idea of abstaining. Keep pushing that option!
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-5824
DC office fax: 202-224-9735
New Orleans office phone: 504-589-2427
New Orleans office fax: 504-589-4023
Baton Rouge office phone: 225-389-0395
Baton Rouge office fax: 225-389-0660
Lake Charles office phone: 337-436-6650
Lake Charles office fax: 337-439-3762
Shreveport office phone: 318-676-3085
Shreveport office fax: 318-676-3100
email: http://landrieu.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

Nelson, Bill (D-FL) UPDATE MONDAY 11:13: Staffer confirms he remains against the filibuster. Damn: he was on the fence. Keep urging him to abstain.
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-5274
DC office fax: 202-228-2183
Miami office phone: 305-536-5999
Miami office fax: 305-536-5991
Orlando office phone: 407-872-7161
Orlando office fax: 407-872-7165
Tampa office phone: 813-225-7040
Tampa office fax: 813-225-7050
Tallahassee office phone: 850-942-8415
Tallahassee office fax: 850-942-8450
Campaign office phone: 202-547-0010
Campaign office fax: 202-547-3419
email: http://billnelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm#email

Akaka, Daniel (D-HI) Probably anti-Alito but leaning against the filibuster. Urge him to show party loyalty, withoug sacrificing his political cover, by abstaining from the filibuster vote and visiting Walter Reed Army Hospital instead.
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-6361
DC office fax: 202-224-2126
Honolulu office phone: 808-522-8970
Honolulu office fax: 808-545-4683
Hilo office phone: 808-935-1114
Hilo office fax: 808-935-9064
Campaign office phone: 808-522-8972
email: senator@akaka.senate.gov

Dorgan, Byron (D-ND) Probably anti-Alito but leaning against the filibuster. Urge him to show party loyalty, withoug sacrificing his political cover, by abstaining from the filibuster vote and visiting Walter Reed Army Hospital instead.
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-2551
DC office fax: 202-224-1193
Bismarck office phone: 701-250-4618
Bismarck office fax: 701-250-4484
Grand Forks office phone: 701-746-8972
Grand Forks office fax: 701-746-9122
Fargo office phone: 701-239-5389
Fargo office fax: 701-239-5112
Minot office phone: 701-852-0703
Minot office fax: 701-838-8196
email: senator@dorgan.senate.gov

Snowe, Olympia (R-ME) A moderate Republican, so don't mention being a Democratic activist. Is leaning against the filibuster. Urge her to allow the process to work itself out by abstaining from the filibuster vote. GOOD IDEA FROM BOB FERTIK: "Olympia Snowe is up this year too: 207-799-0221. She has always been supported by pro-choice groups like the Women's Campaign Fund (202-393-8164) and Republicans for Choice (703- 212-0890) - urge them to convince Snowe to oppose Alito."
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-5344
DC office fax: 202-224-1946
Auburn office phone: 207-786-2451
Auburn office fax: 207-782-1438
Bangor office phone: 207-945-0432
Bangor office fax: 207-941-9525
Portland office phone: 207-874-0883
Portland office fax: 207-874-7631
Presque Isle office phone: 207-764-5124
Presque Isle office fax: 207-764-6420
email: http://snowe.senate.gov/contact.htm

Menendez, Robert (D-NJ): Menendez is America’s newest Senator – appointed to fill a vacant seat just this month – and will be up for reelection in November. Let’s get him started on the right foot: as a warrior for justice, not as a triangulating polltaking Vichy. Hammer away!! Let him know what we need in order to support him in November, and that our support is indeed at stake! Tell him to either support the filibuster or to abstain, but NOT to vote for cloture.
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-4744
DC office fax: 202-228-2197
Newark office phone: 973-645-3030
Campaign office phone: 201-271-1661
Senate Email: none given
Campaign office email: bob@menendezforcongress.com

OTHER POSSIBLE SWING SENATORS. CALL THEM:
(A) IF THEY'RE YOUR SENATOR, OR
(B) AFTER YOU'VE CALLED ALL THE ABOVE NUMBERS TWICE.

Lincoln, Blanche Lambert (D-AR)
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-4843
DC office fax: 202-228-1371
Little Rock office phone: 501-375-2993
Little Rock office fax: 501-375-7064
Texarkana office phone: 870-774-3106
Texarkana office fax: 870-774-7627
Dumas office phone: 870-382-1023
Dumas office fax: 870-382-1026
Jonesboro office phone: 870-910-6896
Jonesboro office fax: 870-910-6898
email: http://lincoln.senate.gov/webform.html

Carper, Thomas (D-DE)
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-2441
DC office fax: 202-228-2190
Wilmington office phone: 302-573-6291
Wilmington office fax: 302-573-6434
Dover office phone: 302-674-3308
Dover office fax: 302-674-5464
Georgetown office phone: 302-856-7690
Georgetown office fax: 302-856-3001
Campaign office phone: 202-546-0909
Campaign office fax: 202-546-6916
email: http://carper.senate.gov/aemail.htm

Inouye, Daniel (D-HI)
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-3934
DC office fax: None given on website
No local offices given on website (talk about a “Beltway” politician!)
email: http://inouye.senate.gov/webform.html

Harkin, Tom (D-IA) UPDATE 10:33 AM PACIFIC: HARKIN'S LOCAL OFFICE CONFIRMS HE WILL ABSTAIN FROM THE CLOTURE VOTE! THAT'S ONE MORE FOR US -- AND THE ABSTENTION MESSAGE IS GETTING THROUGH!

Bayh, Evan (D-IN)
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-5623
DC office fax: None given on website
Indianapolis office phone: 317-554-0750
Evansville office phone: 812-465-6500
Fort Wayne office phone: 260-426-3151
South Bend office phone: 574-236-8302
email: http://bayh.senate.gov/WebMail1.htm

Mikulski, Barbara (D-MD): Still sitting on the fence, but vulnerable to pressure:
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-4654
DC office fax: 202-224-8858
Salisbury office phone: 410-546-7711
Salisbury office fax: 410-546-9324
Greenbelt office phone: 301-345-5517
Greenbelt office fax: 301-345-7573
Annapolis office phone: 410-263-1805
Annapolis office fax: 410-263-5949
Hagerstown office phone: 301-797-2826
Hagerstown office fax: 301-797-2241
Baltimore office phone: 410-962-4510
Baltimore office fax: 410-962-4760
email: http://mikulski.senate.gov/mailform.html

Sarbanes, Paul (D-MD) CONFIRMED MONDAY 12:06 PACIFIC: NO ON CLOTURE! Taking him off the list. Good work, gang!!

Levin, Carl (D-MI)
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-6221
DC office fax: 202-224-1388
Detroit office phone: 313-226-6020
Detroit office fax: 313-226-6948
Lansing office phone: 517-377-1508
Lansing office fax: 517-377-1506
Saginaw office phone: 989-754-2494
Saginaw office fax: 989-754-2920
Grand Rapids office phone: 616-456-2531
Grand Rapids office fax: 616-456-5147
Traverse City office phone: 231-947-9569
Traverse City office fax: 231-947-9518
Escanaba office phone: 906-789-0052
Escanaba office fax: 906-789-0015
email: http://levin.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

Dayton, Mark (D-MN) CONFIRMED: DAYTON WILL SUPPORT THE FILIBUSTER!

Baucus, Max (D-MT)
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-2651
DC office fax: 202-224-0515
Billings office phone: 406-657-6790
Billings office fax: none given
Bozeman office phone: 406-586-6104
Helena office phone: 406-449-5480
Missoula office phone: 406-329-3123
email: http://baucus.senate.gov/contact/emailForm.cfm

Lautenberg, Frank (D-NJ)(SUNDAY UPDATE: Lautenberg's spokesman says he has no doubt filibuster will fail on Monday. Fatalistic loser! Make it clear that it'll only fail if we let it fail, and insist that he support the filibuster! If you're Italian -- no, I'm not kidding -- also make it clear that you won't hold it against him at the polls for not supporting Alito as another Italian. It's come up. Jeebus.)
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-3224
DC office fax: 202-228-4054
Newark office phone: 973-639-8700
Newark office fax: 973-639-8723
Camden office phone: 856-338-8922
Camden office fax: 856-338-8936
email: http://lautenberg.senate.gov/webform.html

Bingaman, Jeff (D-NM)
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-5521
DC office fax: 202. 224. 2852
Albuquerque office phone: 505-346-6601
Las Cruces office phone: 505-523-6561
Roswell office phone: 505-622-7113
Santa Fe office phone: 505-988-6647
Campaign office phone: 202-314-3222
email: senator_bingaman@bingaman.senate.gov

Reed, Jack (D-RI) UPDATE, 12:33 PACIFIC: REED SUPPORTS FILIBUSTER.

Leahy, Patrick (D-VT) UPDATE 6:15 AM PACIFIC: PER READER CAROLYN URBAN, LEAHY'S DC OFFICE SAYS HE WILL VOTE "NO" ON CLOTURE!! YEE-HAW!! HE'S COMIN' OFF THE LIST; I'LL POST A NEW LIST TO SEND "THANK YOU NOTES" TO TOMORROW OR WEDS. KEEP FIGHTING -- IT WORKS!!

Cantwell, Maria (D-WA)
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-3441
DC office fax: 202-228-0514
Seattle office phone: 206-220-6400
Seattle office fax: 206-220-6404
Spokane office phone: 509-353-2507
Spokane office fax: 509-353-2547
Vancouver office phone: 360-696-7838
Vancouver office fax: 360-696-7844
Tacoma office phone: 253-572-2281
Tacoma office fax: 253-572-5879
Everett office phone:425-303-0114
Everett office fax: 425-303-8351
Campaign office phone: 202-314-3225
email: http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.html

Murray, Patty (D-WA)
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-2621
DC office fax: 202-224-0238
Seattle office phone: 206-553-5545
Seattle office fax: 206-553-0891
Spokane office phone: 509-624-9515
Spokane office fax: 509-624-9561
Everett office phone: 425-259-6515
Everett office fax: 425-259-7152
Vancouver office phone: 360-696-7797
Vancouver office fax: 360-696-7798
Yakima office phone: 509-453-7462
Yakima office fax: 509-453-7731
email: http://murray.senate.gov/email/index.cfm

Kohl, Herb (D-WI)
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-5653
DC office fax: 202-224-9787
Milwaukee office phone: 414-297-4451
Milwaukee office fax: 414-297-4455
Madison office phone: 608-264-5338
Madison office fax: 608-264-5473
Eau Claire office phone: 715-832-8424
Eau Claire office fax: 715-832-8492
Appleton office phone: 920-738-1640
Appleton office fax: 920-738-1643
Campaign office phone: 414-276-5645
email: http://kohl.senate.gov/gen_contact.html

Rockefeller, John D. IV (D-WV)
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-6472
DC office fax: 202-224-7665
Beckley office phone: 304-253-9704
Beckley office fax: 304-253-2578
Charleston office phone: 304-347-5372
Charleston office fax: 304-347-5371
Fairmont office phone: 304-367-0122
Fairmont office fax: 304-367-0822
Martinsburg office phone: 304-262-9285
Martinsburg office fax: 304-262-6288
email: http://rockefeller.senate.gov/services/email.cfm

Jeffords, James (I-VT) . UPDATE MONDAY 10:33 AM PACIFIC: JEFFORDS COMMITS TO SUPPORT THE FILIBUSTER! Off the list he comes. Keep those calls, emails and faxes coming -- they're working!!

Stevens, Ted (R-AK) A conservative Republican, and frankly a nutcase, but Ted Kennedy says we should lobby him, so maybe there’s something in the wind that we don’t know about. A phone call can’t hurt!
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-3004
DC office fax: 202-224-2354
Alaska district offices: none given. (Sad, huh?)
Email: http://stevens.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Collins, Susan (R-ME) A mainline Republican, but Ted Kennedy says we should lobby her, so maybe there’s something in the wind that we don’t know about. A phone call can’t hurt!
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-2523
DC office fax: 202-224-2693
Caribou office phone: 207-493-7873
Bangor office phone: 207-945-0417
Augusta office phone: 207- 622-8414
Lewiston office phone: 207-784-6969
Biddeford office phone: 207-283-1101
Portland office phone: 207-780-3575
Email: http://collins.senate.gov/public/continue.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCollins.Email

Lieberman, Joe (V-CT): Joe Lieberman is waffling big-time: several staffer have confirmed to me and others that he is voting AGAINST filibuster, but now they're back to saying he's undecided. I hate him, and hate wasting time on him, but let's keep hammering away demanding a "no or abstain" filibuster vote.
Main Senate switchboard no.: 888-355-3588
DC office direct line: 202-224-4041
DC office fax: 202-224-9750
Hartford office phone: 860-549-8463
Hartford office fax: 860-549-8478