YouTube is the World's Biggest Jukebox

Today, YouTube celebrates its fifth birthday.

I think the word "revolutionize" is overused but YouTube truly revolutionized the Internet.

We will never watch TV or listen to music in the same way.

The reason I say listen to music is because I generally listen to YouTube rather than watch it.

I think of YouTube as the world's biggest jukebox containing songs from the familiar to the obscure.

YouTube has given me to listen to music by artists whose recordings are nearly impossible to find.

Here are a few of my favorites. However, I must apologize for I cannot embed any of the videos.

Here's a song called "Histoire Sans Paroles" by Harmonium, a 1970s progressive rock group from Quebec. In English, histoire sans paroles means a story without words. It's a stunningly beautiful instrumental. The only drawback to YouTube is that you generally can't post videos longer than 10 minutes. So the song is in two parts which can be found here and here.

Most of you are probably familiar with The Byrds who had such hit songs as "Turn, Turn, Turn" and "Mr. Tambourine Man". However, you might not recognize the name Gene Clark. While he wrote or co-wrote many of their hits he was overshadowed by the likes of Roger McGuinn and David Crosby. Clark's solo career would also be eclipsed by both McGuinn and Crosby. But take a listen to "Echoes" (with the Gosdin Brothers) and "Silent Crusade." These songs were recorded a decade apart but the quality of his song craft is undeniable and deserves another hearing.

I also like YouTube because you can ask someone to post a video and more often than not someone will. Over the last few months I've become a big fan of Emitt Rhodes. While some of his songs were available on YouTube others were not. One such song was "Golden Child of God."
When I asked for this song to be posted beatlefan64 was more than happy to oblige.

Speaking of The Beatles, there are lots of Beatles fans on YouTube. Many of them cover their songs with varying degrees of success. So who does sing the best a capella version of "Because" from the Abbey Road album? Is it a trio of college boys at a bar? Or is it a quartet of high school girls sitting on a living room floor? You be the judge.

Carrie Prejean Part Deux?

To paraphrase Yogi Berra it could be déjà vu all over again.

It appears that politics has reared its ugly head in the Miss USA Pageant last night. Actor Oscar Nunez (best known for the NBC show The Office) asked Miss Oklahoma Morgan Elizabeth Woolard if she supported Arizona's immigration law. Woolward replied that she supported states rights and that Arizona was within its rights to pass the law.

Woolard would finish runner up to Miss Michigan Rima Fakih.

Of course, a year ago Perez Hilton asked Carrie Prejean if she favored the legalization of same sex marriage and all hell broke loose.

Now this story might not have the legs the Prejean matter did unless Nunez goes on YouTube and calls Woolward "a dumb b*tch" and states her answer cost her the Miss USA title.

Interestingly, the crowd booed Nunez for asking the question rather than Woolward for replying to it. The crowd knew it was a loaded question.

Now I don't have a problem with judges asking general questions such as "What do you think is the greatest problem facing the United States or the world?" But when it comes to a specific matter such as gay marriage or the Arizona immigration the judges aren't actually interested in their opinion. The judges want to know who they can weed out if a contestant gives a politically incorrect reply.

Of course, it also gives judges an opportunity to play favorites. Now I don't deny Fakih is a beautiful woman and may well be worthy of being Miss USA. But would the judges have asked the Lebanese born Fakih what she thought of Hezbollah?

Cincinnati Reds in First Place in NL Central

Well, so it doesn't look the Seattle Mariners World Series triumph I predicted will come to pass.

But I did pick the Cincinnati Reds to win the NL Central. Today, the Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 courtesy of a complete game by Bronson Arroyo and now find themselves atop the division.

I realize there are four and a half months left in the season and so much can happen between now and October. But I don't know of anybody who picked the Reds and if they manage to win the NL Central it will be a nice feather in my cap.

Girl Who Sailed Around The World Hasn't Learned to Drive

Today, Jessica Watson became the youngest person to sail around the world solo nonstop.

The 16-year-old Australian landed in Sydney and was greeted by well wishers including Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd who called her "Australia's newest hero." Her journey began last October.

Although Watson has just sailed solo she has not yet obtained her driver's license.

Watson, however, has been subject to criticism for her journey. Of course, some objected to her embarking on this at such a young age while others have made claims she didn't completely circumnavigate the earth. But even if there had been no dispute as to whether Watson had circumnavigated the globe the World Sailing Speed Record Council wasn't going to recognize her achievement anyway because of her age. A no win situation.

Well, whatever the World Sailing Speed Record Council thinks about Watson, I think it's a magnificent accomplishment. How many adults could have endured more than 200 days in rough seas all alone?

But Watson isn't the only young female who is sailing around the world. Sixteen-year-old Abby Sunderland (who is five months younger than Watson) is currently sailing around the world. However, she did have to stop last month in Cape Town, South Africa for repairs. But she still plans on circumnavigating the globe.

Then there's Laura Dekker. She's 14 and wants to beat out Watson. Dekker wanted to begin her journey last September. However, the Dutch authorities have been holding Dekker back. Dutch social services and the courts made Dekker a ward of the court in October. In December, Dekker ran away and somehow made her way to the Dutch island of Saint Maartens before she was recognized and returned to The Netherlands. However, this is due to end in July and it appears Dekker will set sail sometime before her 15th birthday unless the Dutch courts intervene.

I don't deny Dekker is very, very young. I also don't deny that sailing around the world solo is a risky proposition for anyone never mind a 14-year-old girl. But this 14-year-old girl was born at sea, has spent a good part of her life there and has been sailing boats since she was six. This girl isn't exactly into Justin Bieber. I think the Dutch government should leave Dekker alone and let her pursue her dream.

Law & Order Cancelled

Today, NBC announced it has cancelled Law & Order after 20 seasons on the air.

The final episode will air on May 24th.

If it had remained on the air for another season it would have surpassed Gunsmoke as the longest running series in the history of television.

But its ratings have declined steeply in recent years. Besides, you can't keep something on TV for the sake of keeping something on TV if people are losing interest. Or as former Law & Order star Michael Moriarity put it last December in an article on breitbart.com, "Methuselah was the longest running star of the Bible...but I hardly think his memory brings a smile or tear to anyone's eye."

Law & Order became far more stridently left-wing and thus both less appealing and interesting.

Of course, Law & Order became far less interesting once Jerry Orbach left the series and then left this mortal coil.

However, L&O fans can still watch Law & Order:SVU as well as Law & Order: Criminal Intent on the USA Network. However, L&O:CI isn't the same without either Vincent D'Onofrio or Kate Erbe even if Saffron Burrows is deliciously gorgeous.

NBC and series producer however are due to launch Law & Order: Los Angeles in the fall. A lot of scenes in L&O revolve around walking outside and L.A. doesn't exactly lend itself to travelling by foot.

Selig: 2011 All-Star Game Stays in Phoenix

Yesterday, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig told reporters he had no plans to move the 2011 All-Star Game which will be played in Phoenix. The Commish made his comments following a meeting in New York with MLB owners.

Selig has been pressured by opponents of Arizona's immigration law to move the mid-season classic.

The MLBPA has condemned the law although they have not yet announced any specific measures they will take against it.

San Diego Padres superstar Adrian Gonzalez announced earlier this month he would stay away if the game were held in Phoenix. Despite Gonzalez's stature unless other big name players join him methinks the owners (whom Selig represents) will stand their ground on this one.

Boston Bruins Choke

What a difference twenty-four hours makes.

Last night, the Boston Garden witnessed triumph when the Celtics upended the Cleveland Cavaliers to advance to the NBA Eastern Conference Final.

Tonight, it bore witness to one of the most monumental collapses in sports history. The Boston Bruins fell 4-3 to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 7 of the NHL Eastern Conference Semi-Final.

A week ago, the Bruins had a three games to none lead and were set to clinch.

Tonight's game was emblematic of the series. The Bruins jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the 1st period. But the Flyers scored four unanswered goals.

The Bruins become the third team in NHL history to blow a three games to none lead. The Detroit Red Wings couldn't clinch it against the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942 and in 1975 the Pittsburgh Penguins couldn't put away the New York Islanders.

As for the Flyers, they will advance to the NHL Eastern Conference Final against the Montreal Canadiens.

But at least Boston fans still have the Celtics to rally around.

A Question for Eric Holder

Yesterday, Attorney General Eric Holder publicly admitted to not having read Arizona's recently passed immigration law during testimony before the House Judiciary Committee.

Writing in The Boston Herald today, Holly Robichaud asks, So can we conclude that the Obama administration has rushed to judgment? Were they ever going to give the law a fair chance? I think we all know the answers to these questions."

This leaves me with one question.

How can the Attorney General of the United States consider a court challenge to a law he has not taken the time to read?

Chris Christie for President

The Huffington Post is in, well, all in a huff about New Jersey Governor Chris Christie taking a liberal columnist Tom Moran to task for asking him about his "confrontational tone" during a press conference yesterday.

"You know Tom, you must be the thinnest-skinned guy in America," replied Christie. "Because if you think that's a confrontational tone then you should really see me when I'm pissed."

I know that Christie has a lot of work to do in New Jersey but this guy should consider a run for the White House because our allies should respect us and our enemies should fear us. Under the Obama Administration it's the other way around. The Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's, the Kim Jong-Ils and Faisal Shahzad's of the world might think twice before pissing off Chris Christie.

The Pipes of Peace?

Yesterday, Daniel Pipes wrote a most interesting article in National Review Online about Arab acceptance of Israel as a Jewish state. This article can also be found on Pipes' website.

Pipes, through the Middle East Forum, commissioned on poll on attitudes towards Israel as a Jewish state in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. According to the poll, approximately 20% of those surveyed accept Israel as a Jewish state. Pipes sees cause for optimism:

Although 20 percent constitutes a small minority, its consistency over time and place offers encouragement. That one-fifth of Muslims, Arabs, and even Palestinians accept Israel as a Jewish state suggests that, despite a near-century of indoctrination and intimidation, a base for resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict does exist.

Would-be peacemakers must direct their attention to increasing the size of this moderate cohort. Getting from 20 percent to, say, 60 percent would fundamentally shift the politics of the Middle East, displacing Israel from its exaggerated role and releasing the peoples of this blighted region to address their real challenges. Not Zionism but such, oh, minor problems as autocracy, brutality, cruelty, conspiracism, religious intolerance, apocalypticism, political extremism, misogyny, slavery, economic backwardness, brain drain, capital flight, corruption, and drought.

I wish I shared Pipes' optimism. I don't dispute that 20% of the Arab world has no problem living alongside or in proximity to a Jewish state. However, this 20% doesn't exactly go around the streets of Amman, Beirut, Cairo and Riyadh wearing Hug a Jew Today t-shirts. I don't see how you get from 20% to 60% support if those 20% aren't willing to speak out much less wear their support on their sleeves.

Let us also remember that Israel has had a formal peace agreement with Egypt for over three decades and a formal peace agreement with Jordan for over fifteen years. When only 26% of Egyptians and 9% of Jordanians support the idea of having a Jewish state as a neighbor it tells me an overwhelming majority of their populaces would just as soon see Israel driven into the sea.

I don't fault Pipes for trying to find a sliver an optimism in a cloud of despair. But unless individual Arabs (be they Muslim or Christian) take it upon themselves to speak out in favor of Israel I think that Arab acceptance of the Jewish State is little more than a pipe dream.

The Washington Times Notes My Tribute to Lena Horne

The Washington Times has noted my tribute to Lena Horne.

The article can be found both on the IC mainpage and at The American Spectator.

Kagan in Praise of Radicals and Socialism

"The story is a sad but also a chastening one for those who, more than half a century after socialism's decline, still wish to change America. Radicals have often succumbed to the devastating bane of sectarianism; it is easier, after all, to fight one's fellows than it is to battle an entrenched and powerful foe. Yet if the history of Local New York shows anything, it is that American radicals cannot afford to become their own worst enemies. In unity lies their only hope."

Read more....

Celtics Upset Cavaliers in Six

It appears LeBron James has played his last game in a Cleveland Cavaliers uniform.

The Boston Celtics defeated the Cavs 94-85 in Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference Semi-Final.

The Cavs were heavily favored to win an elusive NBA title.

The Celtics jumped out of the gate but as the season lingered they showed their age getting blown out by likes of the Milwaukee Bucks and the Charlotte Bobcats.

But the Celtics cooled the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs and now having triumphed over the Cavs they will face the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Final.

As for LeBron you can expect him to sport a New York Knicks jersey this fall.

Royals Fire Hillman, Hire Yost

The Kansas City Royals have fired manager Trey Hillman and have replaced him with former Milwaukee Brewers skipper Ned Yost.

They did so after the Royals defeated the Cleveland Indians 6-4 this afternoon. It marked the first win of the season for Zack Greinke who won the AL Cy Young in 2009.

Hillman had been at the helm of the Royals since 2008. However, Hillman was no more successful than his predecessors. Hillman guided the team to fourth place finishes in the AL Central in both 2008 and 2009 going 75-87 and 65-97, respectively. The Royals were 12-23 at the time of Hillman's dismissal.

Yost managed the Brewers from 2003 to the last couple of weeks of the 2008 season. He was abruptly dismissed in September 2008 and it was left to Dale Sveum to lead them to the NL Wild Card.

Will Yost be to the Royals in 2010 what Jim Tracy was to the Colorado Rockies in 2009?

Does the Times Square Terror Plot Have a Boston Connection?

FBI agents are searching a residence in Watertown, Massachusetts in connection with the attempted terrorist attack in Times Square.

Once again so much for Faisal Shahzad being an "isolated extremist."

UPDATE: A Mobil gas station in Brookline was also searched and has resulted in the arrest of two men here in Massachusetts and one in Maine. The three men are of Pakistani origin and are believed to have helped fund Shahzad's attempted attack.

Girls High School Basketball Team Denied Trip to Arizona

The Highland Park High School Varsity Girls Basketball Team is being denied an opportunity to play in a tournament taking place in Arizona.

Players at the suburban Chicago high school had been raising money for months through bake sales to finance this trip. All their efforts are now in vain. And for what?

School officials cited safety concerns. But students and parents believe it is little more than a misguided protest against Arizona's new immigration law. A local school official states the trip to Arizona "would not be aligned" with the school's "beliefs and values. I liked the observation of one parent in particular:

The school has sent children to China, they’ve sent children to South America, they’ve sent children to the Czech Republic, but somehow Arizona is more unsafe for them than those places. The beliefs and values of China are apparently aligned since they approved that trip.

This decision will not hurt Arizona in any way, shape or form. Life will go on. The only people this decision hurts is the members of the Highland Park High School Varsity Girls Basketball Team. Why punish them for the hard work they've put in both on the court and off of it?

Obama Envoy Claims Creation of Israel is The Source of Middle East Conflict

Daniel Halper of The Weekly Standard draws our attention to an article in Commentary written by Jennifer Rubin.

Rubin writes about an interview given by Rashad Hussain to Asharq Alawsat, a Saudi owned, London based Arabic international newspaper.

Who is Rashad Hussain? Three months ago, Hussain was appointed by President Obama to be the U.S. Special Envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Prior to that he had been Obama's Deputy Associate Counsel. At the time, Obama appointed Hussain as Special Envoy comments he made during a 2004 panel discussion came to light. During the discussion he lambasted the prosecution of Sami al-Arian as a "politically motivated prosecution." Hussain and the White House initially said he had no recollection of making any such comment. However, irrefutable evidence of his statement came to light Hussain called his statement "ill conceived."

Well, now Hussain has made some more ill conceived statements in his Asharq Alawsat interview. Halper was struck by Hussain's claim that the Obama Administration would work "to erase the hostile feelings caused by the administration of former President George W. Bush."

I too am shocked by them. But I am not surprised. When you consider how overt President Obama has been in his criticism of former President Bush it should not come as a surprise when Obama's subordinates are publicly derisive of the 43rd President.

But here's something that really should raise red flags (not the ones you would see at a socialist or communist rally). When asked about settlement construction in Jerusalem, Hussain states in part:

President Obama is committed to calming the situation in the city of Jerusalem, and finding solutions that are both acceptable to the Palestinians and the Israelis. There is also a clear position by the president to reject any settlement building in east Jerusalem, and there is a statement to this effect from the US administration, which has many ways to settle the conflict in the region that has lasted for 60 years.

So what exactly took place in the Middle East a little over 60 years ago? That would be the creation of the State of Israel. Or what the Palestinians like to call "Nakba" which literally means cataclysm.

Some reporter in the White House press corps should ask Robert Gibbs if the Obama Administration agrees with Hussain's declaration that conflict in the Middle East has lasted for 60 years. Then reporters should follow up by asking Gibbs if the Obama Administration believes the creation of the State of Israel is the source of that conflict. It could go a long way in explaining the Obama Administration's implacable hostility towards Israel.

Brown Out, Cameron In

Well, the idea of Gordon Brown remaining at 10 Downing Street until September didn't sit well with his fellow Labourites.

There was also little progress in talks between Labour and the Liberal Democrats on the possibility of forming a governing alliance.

So earlier today, Brown went to the Queen and formally resigned his office and recommended that Conservative Party leader David Cameron be given the opportunity to form a new government.

For the first time in 13 years Britain has a Tory government. Or should I say a Tory led government.

We know that David Cameron is Prime Minister. But what role will the Liberal Democrats play? Will Liberal Democrat MPs get ministerial portfolios? Will Vince Cable become Chancellor of the Exchequer? How will the Tories proceed with electoral reform? Will they establish a commission? Will they hold a referendum? Or will they throw out first past the post and put Nick Clegg in charge of coming up with a proportional representation form of government?

One must also wonder what it all means for the Anglo-American alliance? Things were remarkably frosty between Obama and Brown. What makes it remarkable is that both men are socialists. Is there any reason to believe Obama will be any more respectful towards Cameron than he was to Brown? Obama is said to have called Cameron "a lightweight" after his notorious European visit during the 2008 election campaign. Well, I suppose it takes one to know one.

President Obama has apparently called Cameron to presumably offer his congratulations although no details of their conversation have been released by the White House at this time. Their first opportunity to meet face to face would be during the G-20 Summit next month in Toronto. Cameron did have a chance to meet with Obama during last year's G-20 Summit in London. One can only hope that Cameron won't have to chase Obama through the mens' bathrooms of Metro Convention Centre in the same manner Brown had to chase Obama through the kitchens of UN Headquarters in New York last September.

Not that releasing the Lockerbie Bomber didn't warrant some displeasure on the part of Obama but it should have been directed towards Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond and Scottish Minister of Justice Kenny MacAskill who were actually responsible for releasing Abdel Baset al Megrahi. It should be noted that the supposedly terminally ill Megrahi is alive and well and living in a luxury villa. The waters of Tripoli must have remarkable healing properties.

While Brown might have lasted longer as Prime Minister than Manny Acta lasted as manager of the Washington Nationals it appears that Acta will have the last laugh. Brown not only is no longer Prime Minister he will apparently also resign as a Member of Parliament for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath (a constituency in Fife, Scotland). Acta is now managing the Cleveland Indians. O.K., so the Tribe is 8½ games behind the Minnesota Twins in the AL Central.
At least Acta has a job.

OECD Welcomes Israel

Bravo to the Organization for Economic Co-Operation & Development (OECD)!!!

It has just invited Israel to join its ranks. The OECD also extended invitations to Estonia and Slovenia.

At a time when Israel is being increasingly isolated in the international community with the help of the President Obama it takes tremendous political will for an international economic institution to stand firm and buck this trend. This development is most refreshing.

What's even better is that OECD member countries unanimously approved Israel's membership despite efforts by Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to block Israel's entry into the OECD.

Established in Paris in 1961, the OECD consists of countries committed to democracy and market economies to promote economic growth, employment, a high standard of living, financial stability, increased international trade and economic development in other countries.

Zimbabwean Court Acquits Roy Bennett

I was pleasantly surprised to hear that Roy Bennett has been acquitted of treason by a court in Zimbabwe.

Bennett was arrested in February 2009 only days after he had been appointed as Deputy Minister of Agriculture by Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai. The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has been struggling to maintain a power sharing agreement with Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwean African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF).

Although the MDC is trying to keep Mugabe honest his thugs continue to confiscate white owned commercial farms. Here's an interview Bennett did following his release from jail. While Bennett might be in the clear at the moment he and other white farmers who have joined the MDC represent a threat to Mugabe. As long as anyone represents a threat to Mugabe they can never be entirely safe.

The situation is bleak but Zimbabweans are nothing if not a resourceful people. Recently, I finished reading a book called The Last Resort by Douglas Rogers documenting his parents travails in Zimbabwe over the past decade. I highly recommend it. Another good book on contemporary Zimbabwe is Peter Godwin's When A Crocodile Eats The Sun which I reviewed on the IC main page more than 2½ years ago.

Who Will Succeed Brown as Labour Party Leader?

Gordon Brown today announced his resignation as leader of the Labour Party effective this September.

The Labour Party will have its annual conference in Manchester from September 26- 30. If Labour can make a deal with the Liberal Democrats as well as several of the smaller parties then Brown's successor would become Prime Minister.

But if the Tories can reach a deal with the Liberal Democrats then Labour and its new leader will become Her Majesty's Official Opposition.

Now as to who will succeed Brown is the £64,000 question. Here's a list of possible contenders. The Daily Mail believes the Miliband brothers - David and Ed - will have a go at it. A battle between Brown and Tony Blair by proxy if you will.

One possible longshot is Secretary of State for Health Andy Burnham who was my old boss when I interned for Tessa Jowell back in 1995.

But right now the Liberal Democrats still have the keys to 10 Downing Street regardless of who is at the helm of Labour.

So Now Obama Doesn't Like iPods Anymore

While speaking before students at Hampton University yesterday, President Obama lamented about iPods and other technology:

And meanwhile, you’re coming of age in a 24/7 media environment that bombards us with all kinds of content and exposes us to all kinds of arguments, some of which don’t always rank that high on the truth meter. And with iPods and iPads; and Xboxes and PlayStations -- none of which I know how to work -- (laughter) -- information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation. So all of this is not only putting pressure on you; it’s putting new pressure on our country and on our democracy.

So how can our country and our democracy overcome this pressure? How does one turn the iPod into a tool of empowerment and a means of emancipation? Why by preloading President Obama's speeches into every iPod of course. You might recall that in April 2009, President Obama gave Queen Elizabeth II an iPod which contained audio of his speech before the 2004 Democratic National Convention and his 2009 Inauguration Address.

President Obama can be accused of many things. Modesty isn't one of them.

Kagan, The Supreme Court & Gay Marriage

Maggie Gallagher at NRO's The Corner argues that a vote for Elena Kagan is a vote for "marriage equality" or gay marriage.

That might very well be true. But couldn't Gallagher have said the same regardless of who President Obama appointed to the bench today?

Trouble at Brandeis

While speaking with my mother over the phone yesterday she told me about a row at Brandeis University in nearby Waltham, Massachusetts. (Isn't it amazing that I'm all of ten miles away from Brandeis and my mother in Northwestern Ontario knows more about than I do?)

Now to the row. Brandeis has invited Michael Oren, Israel's Ambassador to the United States to be its commencement speaker later this month. This has prompted an effort on campus to get Oren disinvited on the grounds he is "a rogue state apologist." What does that mean? Does it apply only to members of the Israeli government? Or does it apply to all Israeli citizens? Or does it apply simply to Israeli Jews?

At this point, I don't think Brandeis is going to disinvite him. Still, I think it's very troubling when Jews hate Israel. If what happened to Oren when he spoke at UC Irvine earlier this year happens at Brandeis then heaven help us all. If an Israeli diplomat isn't welcome at a Jewish university then where is he welcome?

Obama to Pick Kagan for Supreme Court

President Obama is set to announce Elena Kagan as his appointee to the U.S. Supreme Court.

If confirmed by the Senate she would replace John Paul Stevens who is set to retire next month. Currently, Kagan serves as the U.S. Solicitor General.

Under the circumstances I think Obama made the right pick. Yes, she's a liberal. But does anyone see Obama appointing Miguel Estrada to the bench? Besides how many other liberal justices are going to declare that they love the Federalist Society in public?

When Kagan was confirmed as Solicitor General in March 2009 by a 61-31 vote, six Republican Senators voted in her favor including Tom Coburn of Oklahoma. Barring any earth shattering development, I believe Kagan will be confirmed. Republicans have to pick and choose their fights and I don't think this is one of them. After all, if one is qualified to argue a case before the Supreme Court presumably one would also be qualified to sit on the Supreme Court.