CNN reporting:

Sen. John Kerry has decided to support a filibuster to block the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court, CNN’s Congressional Correspondent Ed Henry reported Thursday.

Kerry, in Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum, was marshaling support in phone calls during the day, Henry said.

He announced his decision Wednesday to a group of Democratic senators, urging they join him, Henry said. Kerry also has the support of his fellow Massachusetts senator, Democrat Edward Kennedy.

*Update: The Political Teen has video.*

Ed Whelan:

Kerry must be one of the few people in the country who pays attention to New York Times editorials. Is he really so delusional that he thinks that even Democrats would want him as their candidate in 2008?

There are enough votes to stop the filibuster. See Polipundit. Plus, Sen. Robert Byrd–yes, you read that right–has joined Dems Tim Johnson and Ben Nelson in throwing his support to Alito:

Byrd’s announcement came just days after West Virginia businessman John Raese announced plans to challenge the veteran senator in the November election. Byrd and Nelson both face re- election. So does another Democrat from a state Bush won, North Dakota Senator Kent Conrad, who has not yet announced how he will vote.

“I refuse simply to toe the party line when it comes to Supreme Court justices,” Byrd said in a floor speech. “I hail from a conservative state. And, like a majority of my constituents, I prefer conservative judges.”

Tom Elia e-mails: “Did Did John Kerry Just Fall Down and Hit His Head? The absolute tone-deafness of this decision by Kerry couldn’t be better for the GOP if it was drawn up in a Republican strategy meeting.”

Reader Paul D.: “Kerry yodeled in his filibuster call from Davos, Switzerland of all places. Karl Rove couldn’t make this stuff up.”

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