Reader Allen O'Donnell from Wayne, Nebraska has compiled and analyzed the list of Senators voting against the confirmation of Dr. Condoleeza Rice as Secretary of State. It is well worth reading:

Senators who voted against confirmation of Dr. Rice for Secretary of State

Barbara Boxer, D—Calif.
Robert Byrd, D—W.Va.
Edward Kennedy, D—Mass.
John Kerry, D—Mass.
Carl Levin, D—Mich.
James Jeffords, I—Vt.
Jack Reed, D—R.I
Mark Dayton, D—Minn.
Daniel Akaka, D—Hawaii
Evan Bayh, D—Ind.
Frank Lautenberg, D—N.J.
Tom Harkin, D—Iowa
Richard Durbin, D—Ill
 
For me, the only surprise is Evan Bayh of Indiana. I figured he had his eye on the White House; I suppose not. This type vote is always remembered. I recall, many years ago, talking to an "ex—congressman" who admitted he was "exed" because the people in his district were reminded of the fact that he had been foolish enough to vote against the Kennedy half—dollar.  Yes. Folks (voters) do remember such things.
 
Almost all of the above are "far—left" pro—abortionists who are still  fighting the Vietnam War.  The oldest is the old man of the Senate, Bob Byrd,who had been a proud member of the Ku Klux Klan.  Akaka of Hawaiiprobably "owed" Byrd a favor, so he joined in, figuring "so what."
 
The whole idea of voting against the first black woman appointed to the top office in our president's cabinet is just 'damn silly.'  Especially, when she is like Condi Rice —  lovely, talented, gifted, with a great history of givinig herself to America in so many ways.  So, I give you 13 very silly democrats: 5 from the east coast; one from the near—South; one from nearly—overseas; one from California; three  from the near mid— west, or mid—west; and two from the Plains.

Doug Hanson adds:

Reader Allen O'Donnell's analysis on those Senators who voted against Condi's confirmation for Secretary of State is spot on.  But I would submit that Senator Daniel Akaka (D) Hawaii voted the way he did, not because he owed Senator "Kleagle" Byrd a favor, but because in my opinion, he owed retired Gen. Shinseki a measure of payback against the current administration. 

Hawaii's Senior Senator, Daniel Inouye, has just been reelected and will not face a challenger until 2010.  However, Akaka, who serves on the Armed Services Committee, and is a Ranking Member of the Readiness and Management Support Subcommittee, faces reelection in 2006, which is a more realistic target for the former Army Chief of Staff to make a bid to return to the halls of power in Washington, D.C.