First Votes For Roberts

From AP, today will be the day that Judiciary Votes for John Roberts for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Chief justice nominee John Roberts is picking up support among divided Democrats with a vote planned for today in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Approval by the committee seemed assured, with the panel's majority Republicans united and top Judiciary Democrat Patrick Leahy on board.

Another committee Democrat, liberal stalwart Edward Kennedy, said he would vote against Roberts. A number of Democrats not on the committee said they would oppose Roberts when the Senate votes, indicating a split among the Senate's 44 Democrats over whether they can or should mount even symbolic opposition to the successor to late Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist.

Democrats including Sens. Tim Johnson of South Dakota and Max Baucus of Montana have announced their support for Roberts. Sens. Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana have indicated they are leaning toward voting for the nominee. Sen. Kent Conrad (news, bio, voting record) of North Dakota is viewed as a possible vote for him, as well.

The Republican's hold the majority on the panel, so Roberts will be passed off to the Senate for a vote. With everything going on today, tomorrow, and this weekend here in Texas, details very easily fall through the cracks.

Today Roberts gets through the first round to become our Chief Justice, and ironically this barely is a blip on our radar.