Shall we Proceed? - Official Senate Watch Thread

[Clio the Leo]

(We dont already have a thread on this, right? If we do, please point me to it.)

Sen Dodd just joked that, "To the American people, I want to say, why is this matter so important? Why are we here working on a Saturday night? And for that matter, why are YOU at home WATCHING CSPAN on a Saturday night?"

The line, of course, got a bit of laughter.

[lamp_shade]

1. Present !!

[Clio the Leo]

2. McConnel suddenly wants change......

... "we dont want to stop debate, we want to CHANGE the debate." Wants to change the direction the bill is going.

Go ahead and sit down Mitch, you're wasting your breath.

[lamp_shade]

3. I'm in another room listening. It sounds like he's crying.

[Clio the Leo]

4. lol I think he is. :-) NT

[annabanana]

6. It's very hard to listen to this lying idiot...

How long is he likely to go on? He's claiming that a large viewership is rooting for the vote to fail.

I'm guessing that the large numbers are making sure the vote succeeds.

[babylonsister]

7. He's a lying pos. What have the rethugs offered? NADA. nt

[rusty charly]

22. From the

"Medicare Part D" Party.

Uh: Mitch? You had eight years.

[Clio the Leo]

5. Anyone else suddenly missing Teddy right now? NT

[lamp_shade]

21. Yea... me. Alot.

[high density]

8. Why does McConnell keep saying the same thing three times in a row?

I wish people would stop voting for these crazy fucks.

[Clio the Leo]

12. Because he's got nothin' else. NT

[annabanana]

9. Here's Harry. . calling out the lies.

[Clio the Leo]

10. Reid: "Obviously Sen. McConnel has not read this bill." NT

[annabanana]

11. that was a nice dig

[Clio the Leo]

13. "hyperbole" ..... did you hear that Boehner? Hy-per-bo-lee NT

[Clio the Leo]

14. Reid: "Now that we have a bill on paper and not just WILD RUMORS....."

"they refuse to debate us."

[PBS Poll-435]

Wow. Reid is kicking ass

:wow:

[annabanana]

15. He's doing well. I hope there ARE a lot of people watching...

It's SO easy to see who the bad guys are.

[Clio the Leo]

19. Yeah, I was just thinking, if the President were saying these words.....

..... we'd all be fanning ourselves. :)

[gateley]

16. So glad this is here -- thanks! nt

[annabanana]

17. Who just came & whispered to Dodd?

[lamp_shade]

18. Excellent words Harry. I'm proud of you.

[gateley]

20. I gotta admit - Reid has pleasantly surprised me recently. Go Harry! nt

[gateley]

24. In answer to your question, Clio, yeah, we're ALL missing Teddy right now! nt

[annabanana]

23. Damn! He's DARING them!

[annabanana]

25. notes the absence of a quorum, calls the role

[jenmito]

26. Is Byrd there? n/t

[femmocrat]

36. Don't know--- but she called his name 3 times!

:scared:

[jenmito]

42. There he is-being rolled in in his wheelchair! n/t

[femmocrat]

TG!

:patriot: Mr. Byrd

[annabanana]

27. And Awa-a-a-ay we go!

[Clio the Leo]

28. Vote now!!!!!

[PBS Poll-435]

29. Quorum Calls

Recess for grown-ups.

[onehandle]

30. Joe Lieberman is ever so dreamy! nt

[bleever]

31. "The clerk will call the roll."

:patriot:

[DU GrovelBot]

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[Clio the Leo]

33. lol, the "ayes" are hard to hear! NT

[Clio the Leo]

38. lol, except Franken's

We heard ya Al!!!! Lound and clear!

[HopeOverFear]

39. i heard al though

[high density]

34. Party of "NOOOOOOOO" is living up to its name!

[Razoor]

35. wish they would have the yays and nays on screen

like when the House passed the bill

[Clio the Leo]

41. lol, I know, I ran out of fingers! NT

[gateley]

37. Senator Franken came through LOUD and CLEAR! nt

[annabanana]

40. I think they just rolled Byrd onto the floor

[gateley]

43. Do you know how he's going to vote? nt

[jenmito]

50. Aye, of course. n/t

[gateley]

79. Jeez! I was so stressed - I don't know what I was thinking!! I was holding my breath! nt

[annabanana]

51. He's an aye

[HopeOverFear]

44. We need 60 "aye" votes, right?

[jenmito]

45. Aye. n/t

[annabanana]

46. yup

[SeattleGirl]

47. Why isn't CSPAN showing vote totals?

:banghead:

[annabanana]

48. They only show a screen in the House votes

[SeattleGirl]

53. Ah, I see. Thanks, though it is still frustrating because you can't

hear a lot of the responses.

[Clio the Leo]

Reid asked it to be done that way, "I move they vote at their desks." NT

[HopeOverFear]

49. did Droopy say aye?

[annabanana]

54. yup . . audibly too.

[jenmito]

57. Thanks. I thought he wasn't there yet. n/t

[jenmito]

55. I didn't hear his voice. n/t

[crazylikafox]

52. What did Snow vote?

[Clio the Leo]

56. Snowe voted no.

Not a HUGE surprise considering the political ramifications .... but for someone so passionate about health care reform, I just find her voting no on whether to debate the bill odd.

[HipChick]

58. Anyone know why they don't do this electronically instead of verbal voting?

[PBS Poll-435]

60. Reid asked for a vote from their desks

[PBS Poll-435]

59. Lincoln - Aye

Phew.

[Clio the Leo]

61. lol, pity she cant just say....

"All the Dems voted 'yes' all the GOP voted 'no.'"

[Kajsa]

75. That's exactly what happened.

:)

[Graybeard]

62. Senators are voting from their desks like in the old movies.

Usually they just run in, yell yea or nay and then run out again to meetings with lobbyists.

[Clio the Leo]

65. lol, yeah. NT

[rusty charly]

63. Eww!

Wolfospitz on CSPAN3

[high density]

64. Snowe and Collins are so moderate, they don't even want to talk about the bill

I love my media.

[Motown_Johnny]

66. I counted 58 plus the 2 late votes for a total of 60... anyone else count along ?

[Clio the Leo]

67. Yeah, but it's a foregone conclusion.

If Harry didn't have the 60, they wouldn't be voting.

[Motown_Johnny]

72. I was still worried

[femmocrat]

69. Halleluia!

60-39!!

[annabanana]

68. I do believe we've got it.

[Kajsa]

70. And it moves forward!

Yes!! 60 on the dot!!

[Clio the Leo]

71. 39 no's?

Who didn't vote? ...... Is one of the GOP not there?

[jenmito]

73. It says all Repubs. voted no, so I guess one didn't show up. n/t

[Connie_Corleone]

74. Voinovich didn't vote. Is he there?

[Graybeard]

80. He's probably crying somewhere again.

Can't stand that guy since he cried on the floor of the Senate about voting with his Party rather than with his conscience.

[dave29]

76. way to go dems :)

.

[annabanana]

77. ok any DUers who can. . get to the phones

[yourguide]

78. So excited about the calls ROFL. n/t

[high density]

81. hello? hello? hello? hello? hello? hello? hello?

[Clio the Leo]

82. For your "no" vote Mrs. Snowe, I'm posting this....

.... I have no idea what that shirt means, but I know who's on it and who you appear to be BFF's with.

So SUCK IT!!!!

[high density]

86. The media up here in Maine is obnoxious about telling us how moderate she is

Nothing moderate at all about what she did tonight.

[jenmito]

88. Not even allowing DEBATE should tell the Dems. all they need to know. Too bad we

have OTHER "moderates" who are really CONSERVATIVES like Lieberman, Lincoln, Landreau, Nelson, etc.

[Clio the Leo]

83. lol Reid at presser: "The American people wont see the Republican alternative...."

"being debated on the Senate floor ........ BECAUSE IT DOESN'T EXIST!"

[annabanana]

84. "Vickie was in tears"

Reid leaned over & told us while Dodd was speaking

[Clio the Leo]

85. Reid: "I just spoke to Vickie Kennedy....."

"she is in tears ..... believes Teddy is here with us in spirit."

[hlthe2b]

89. Well, that got some from me--that's for sure...

Bless you, Teddy... Be at peace.

[Clio the Leo]

87. Reid: "Schumer is working with Landrieu ......"

"to find a public option that is acceptable to all Democrats."

[vaberella]

90. I'm always late to the party..but I'm here. nt

[vaberella]

91. Where in cookies can I rewatch this?! n/t

[Clio the Leo]

93. Cookies? Cookies?

I had a cupcake earlier but I have no cookies.

[Clio the Leo]

92. So I am sitting here wondering who's got the gavel......

..... after tonight's cloture vote. You know, they were just doing some last minute things and Sherrod Brown was practically alone in the room save some Senate aids and whomever was presiding with the gavel.

I realized that the mystery voice in question was positively yummy ...... deep and raspy .... not one I was familiar with ...... but it was warming the cockles of my heart here on this cold winter night.

"Who IS that?" I kept thinking.

But the camera was pulled out so I couldn't see who it was.

Finally when the president of the moment adjourned the body for the night, the camera went to a close up.

It was AL FRANKEN!!!!

HELLO Big Al! WHere you been all my life!!! Prrrrrr!

[Gregorian]

94. That is so awsome!

Al Franken in the Senate. It's kind of hard to believe. But great.

And he's married, so you're out of luck. :)

[Clio the Leo]

95. Well, fortunately for Franni....

..... I dont often chase after men I dont actually know.

Besides, her name is Franni Franken! They were MEANT to be together! That is an AWESOME name! lol

[PatSeg]

96. That is so cool!

I love Al!!!

[lamp_shade]

97. Sherrod Brown. Every single night, after most have left and before they shut out

the lights, he reads letters from his constituents about health care issues. I'm guessing that Franken is probably the only other senator in the room. I love both of these guys... a lot.