Release date: Nov. 2, 2005
Contact: Beverly Cox Clark at 404-712-8780 or beverly.clark@emory.edu

Senate Democrats' Action Makes Nuclear Option More Likely

The Democrats' move Tuesday to force the Republican-controlled Senate into an unusual closed session over the Bush administration's use of intelligence to justify the Iraq war reflects a further deterioration of cooperation between the two parties in Congress, says Emory political scientist Randall Strahan, an expert on U.S. Congressional leadership and development.

"I think this will probably make it even more likely that Senate Republicans will be willing to use the "nuclear option" if the Democrats mount a filibuster on Alito. The gloves are coming off," Strahan says.

Strahan says there is an unwritten rule of the Senate that the leaders of the two parties consult with each other before taking major actions on the Senate floor. "Reid really blindsided Frist by doing this. This kind of contentious politics has been going on the House for a long time, but it is much less common in the Senate," he says.

Politically this represents an effort by the Democrats to get the Scooter Libby case and the broader question of the how the White House used intelligence information to justify the invasion of Iraq back on the front page. Strahan says. "There has also been a good bit of frustration on the part of Democrats that the Republican majority in the Senate has not carried through on investigating issues related to intelligence failures in Iraq."

Strahan may be reached at 404-727-7913 or polsrs@emory.edu.

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