Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson Friday became the first Democrat to oppose Elena Kagan, President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee. But she picked up the support of New Hampshire Republican Sen. Judd Gregg.

Kagan, the solicitor general who's expected to easily win confirmation to the Supreme Court next week, now has the backing of five Republicans. Democrats control 59 Senate seats.

Nelson, in a statement Friday, said he would not agree to filibuster the nomination, but would vote against it.

"As a member of the bipartisan ‘Gang of 14,’ (a group of senators who formed a coalition several years ago) I will follow our agreement that judicial nominees should be filibustered only under extraordinary circumstances," Nelson said.

"If a cloture vote is held on the nomination of Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court, I am prepared to vote for cloture and oppose a filibuster because, in my view, this nominee deserves an up or down vote in the Senate," he added. Sixty votes are needed to stop a filibuster.

But, Nelson said, "I have heard concerns from Nebraskans regarding Ms. Kagan, and her lack of a judicial record makes it difficult for me to discount the concerns raised by Nebraskans, or to reach a level of comfort that these concerns are unfounded. Therefore, I will not vote to confirm Ms. Kagan’s nomination.”

Gregg's statement:

 “The Senate’s duty to provide advice and consent on Presidential nominations to the Supreme Court is one of its most significant constitutional responsibilities.  Separate and distinct from its legislative function, the confirmation process requires the Senate to put aside politics and conduct a frank and evenhanded review of the nominee’s record, qualifications and demonstrated ability to apply the law in a fair and impartial manner.

“I have met personally with Solicitor General Elena Kagan, reviewed her record, and followed her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee.  During this process, Ms. Kagan has pledged that she will exercise judicial restraint and decide each case that comes before her based on the law, with objectivity and without regard to her personal views.  She also has served the American people under two different administrations and has a strong legal academic background.   She is qualified to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Ms. Kagan and I may have different political philosophies, but I believe that the confirmation process should be based on qualifications, not ideological litmus tests or political affiliation.  I will vote for her confirmation.”

President Obama thinks he ought to be getting more credit for rescuing the auto industry, and he's making his case on daytime TV, with government reports, and in visits to auto plants. He'll visit Chrysler and GM plans on Friday in the Detroit area, and is set to visit a Ford plant in Chicago next week.

The White House today released a report saying the industry could have lost more than 1 million jobs without federal intervention, and that the industry has added 55,000 jobs in the year since Chrysler and GM emerged from bankruptcy.

Appearing on ABC's "The View" in a show that taped yesterday and aired today, the president said his administration will recoup the $60 billion in taxpayer funds spent on his watch to save the industry. The projections suggest taxpayers may not recoup the full roughly $85 billion extended in the Bush and Obama administrations.

Obama's daytime TV appearance also included revelations about Chelsea Clinton (he's not invited to the wedding); Justin Bieber (not on his iPod); Snooki of "Jersey Shore" (he doesn't know who that is despite a Snooki reference he made in joke during a speech earlier this year); and his BlackBerry (the emails he gets from the 10 people who have access to his Berry are no fun and never juicy since they all assume the emails will become part of his presidential archives).

From playing at President Barack Obama's inauguration to championing the rights of the downtrodden, rocker Bruce Springsteen has associated himself with Democratic causes. So with Obama heading to the state synonymous with its favorite son, Springsteen, House Minority Leader John Boehner opted for a little Jersey swagger himself on Wednesday.

In his near daily email attack on the president and his policies, Boehner entitled Wednesday's Blunder Road, decrying a failed government stimulus program.

The constant stream of attack has the effect of a boy crying wolf, but Boehner on Wednesday earned high marks for the pun, a play on Springsteen's classic song titled Thunder Road.

Here's hoping that future presidential trips will also get song and pun attention from the minority leader. Definitely livens up the inbox. Maybe next is another Springsteen reference on behalf of the birthers who claim the president lacks a legitimate U.S. birth certificate.... Born in the USA?

Obama could fire back with his own Springsteen reference. He could appear at an American Recovery Act infrastructure project in Jersey with the Boss's song Working on the Highway blaring in the background.

The filing deadline for Haiti's presidential election isn't until Aug. 7, but speculation about who will run is rampant.

The political jockeying for one of the toughest jobs in the hemisphere began well before the catastrophic Jan. 12 earthquake. But it has intensified as rumors fly over a possible bid by Haiti-born multi-platinum musician Wyclef Jean.

The potential candidates are stirring up so much interest that the subject even came up Tuesday at a U.S. congressional hearing on Haiti's rebuilding efforts. During the hearing, U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel, D-NY, asked U.S. AID Administrator Rajiv Shah what he was hearing.

New York Democrat Charles Rangel is battling ethics allegations, but took time Tuesday to attend a Congressional Black Caucus briefing on rebuilding efforts in Haiti, six months after the earthquake.

"If I'm not here for the whole hearing, well, the newspapers may have explained that," Rangel told fellow lawmakers, likely referring to reports that he's been trying to settle the case before the House Ethics Committee makes it all public on Thursday.

A glimmer of good news for Republicans?

The latest Pew Research Center/National Journal poll, taken July 22 to 25, found that 35 percent approved of Democratic congressional leadership, while 33 percent approved of the GOP leadership.

"While these evaluations have changed little in recent months," a poll analysis said, "approval ratings for Democratic leaders are now far lower than they were in early 2009."

And, the survey found, "Ratings for Republican leaders have shown less change over this period."

Democrats control both Houses of Congress with big majorities. If the key to this November's congressional elections are the independents, the survey suggested, then a lot of races could be tossups.

The poll found 26 percent of independents appprove of Republican congressional leaders, compared to 25 percent for Democrats.

The Republican image with the public, the poll found, has slowly improved over the last four years. "The public is now more likely to say the Republican party is offering solutions, putting the country's interests ahead of its political interests and working with Democrats to get things done," the survey found.

Democratic ratings have remained "relatively unchanged."

To read the report :http://people-press.org/report/639/#congress

Rep. Jim Langevin Monday celebrated the 20th anniversity of the Americans with Disabilities Act by becoming the first person in a wheelchair to preside over the House of Representatives.

The Rhode Island Democrat, now in his fifth term, was paralyzed at age 16, when a police officer's gun accidentially discharged and left him a quadriplegic.

A special lift allowed Langevin to move his wheelchair into place Monday. "We are able, in a way that is almost magical, extend to you the privilege that you deserved all along," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Langevin noted, "I have long said I may be the first quadriplegic to serve in Congress, but I won’t be the last. On Monday, we will celebrate another major step in continuing efforts to make the Capitol Complex accessible when I preside over the US House of Representatives.

"This is an extremely proud moment for me and helps renew my spirit as we continue to remove barriers and strengthen the ADA for millions of Americans with disabilities in the decades to come.”

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So President Barack Obama couldn't be in Las Vegas for the Netroots Nation convention--a gathering of Democrats who were important in getting him elected.

But he sent along a video message sympathizing with their frustration that change is not coming fast enough--and telling them that, in a way, he was with them.

"I wish i cold be with all of you in Vegas," the president said, "But then I realize that this weekend what happens in Vegas will be webcast, diaried and tweeted by 2,000 of you."

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