Jeff Flake: Nuclear Option Has ‘Poisoned’ the Senate

‘I hope that when we get into the new Congress that we get beyond this silliness’

EXCERPT:

FLAKE: "It's interesting, when I was in the House I -- I would look at the Senate and think, boy it would be nice if we in the House had advise and consent, we could weigh in on ambassadorial nominations and Supreme Court appointments and district judges and -- and when I got to the Senate I just didn't realize that would be all I would be doing, the regular legislation just doesn't moved. But -- but I -- I for one am -- my own philosophy has been the president ought to have his picks unless there was an extraordinary reason, otherwise -- and so, I voted for -- for many whom I haven't agreed with philosophically or otherwise, but I think the president ought to have his pick. I can tell you that with the employing of the nuclear option, it really poisoned the well here, and -- and it made it difficult for Republicans to just take that and -- and not slow up other things. And I hope that when we get into the new Congress that we get beyond this -- this silliness."

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