Archive: November 18, 2009
With Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) reaching the milestone of becoming the longest serving member of Congress today, it's interesting to watch a
C-SPAN interview from a few years ago in which he talks about the role of the U.S. Senate.
Said Byrd: "As long as there is a place where one can speak as loudly as he wishes and as long as his lungs will last, then we can be sure the people's liberties will endure."
Archive: November 11, 2009
Republicans in Charleston County, SC censured their own Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), reports
The State.
Said the resolution: "Sen. Lindsey Graham in the name of bipartisanship continues to weaken the Republican brand and tarnish the ideals of freedom, rule of law, and fiscal conservatism."
The resolution notes Graham supported the bank bailout and "has shown a
condescending attitude toward his constituents" opposing his stance on
amnesty for illegal aliens.
Interestingly, the
National Journal ranked Graham as the 15th most conservative U.S. Senator earlier this year.
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) introduced an amendment to the Constitution that would limit Senators to three six-year terms and House members to three two-year terms, the
Washington Times reports.
However, Senate leaders said DeMint's bill "had a zero chance of becoming law, mostly because of a general lack of interest and the high hurdles to amending the Constitution."
"It takes a two-thirds vote of approval in both chambers to pass a
constitutional amendment and then it must be ratified by three-fourths
of the states. The last one to succeed -- the 27th Amendment that delays
pay raises for members of Congress until after the next election -- was
proposed in 1789 as part of the Bill of Rights but was not ratified by
the states until 1992."
Archive: October 22, 2009
Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI) "becomes the third-longest-serving senator in U.S. history on Thursday, a landmark for the powerful lawmaker who has held a seat in Congress for as long as Hawaii has been a state," the
AP reports.
Inouye has been in office in the U.S. Senate for nearly 47 years.
Roll Call notes Inouye today also set a second milestone: he became the fifth-longest-serving member of Congress in history.
Archive: October 21, 2009
First Read: "Take a look at some of John Kerry recent accomplishments: saves climate bill, becomes the administration's go-to guy on Karzai in Afghanistan. It took him nearly four years to find his rhythm following his 2004 loss, but Kerry is a player again. On two different fronts, he has stepped up and become a game-saver for his party. On climate/energy, he took a bill that was languishing in the Senate and recruited Lindsey Graham to breathe new life into it. The bill still has a long way to go, but there's a path to passage and that's in no small part thanks to Kerry. On Karzai, there are a few tick-tocks about the role he played (one here in the
Wall Street Journal), including how the Obama administration used him to, well, super-cede Holbrooke and others. As one Dem strategist commented to us today, 'Kerry finally got to show what kind of president he could have been.' But in classic Kerry fashion, no one in the media is in the dark about Kerry's Afghanistan role."
Archive: October 12, 2009
First Read: "Anyone else noticed that Lindsey Graham is more likely to sound like John McCain these days than John McCain? He, more than McCain, this year has shown a tendency to do two things McCain made famous over the last decade: buck his party (see Sonia Sotomayor vote) and talk bluntly about former President Bush."
For instance, on
Meet The Press yesterday, Graham faulted Bush for being too close to Afghan President Hamid Karzai: "As the Karzai government failed, President Bush, in my view, did not push him enough. You had ambassadors on the ground, and military commanders going to Karzai, pushing him very hard on governance, and President Bush would talk to Karzai and, quite frankly, undercut the effort." Graham added: "President Obama is smart to push Karzai."
"It's a pretty damning statement for a Republican to say the previous president undercut efforts by the rest of the American team in Afghanistan, at least on the civilian/diplomatic side of things. While McCain has become a more predictable foe of this administration (check out his voting record, btw), Graham, himself close to McCain, has, at a minimum, set himself apart a bit as an unpredictable critic."
Archive: October 07, 2009
Though Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) yesterday
dodged CNN's question on whether he would resign in the wake of a Senate Ethics Committee investigation, he told the
New York Times he would "definitely not."
Archive: September 29, 2009
A
Roll Call analysis of U.S. Senate financial disclosure forms shows 48 senators are not in the millionaire's club, but nonetheless nearly all reported minimum net worths above the typical American household. The remaining 50 Senators record minimum net worths of at least $1 million or more.
The survey included 98 Senators. Disclosure forms from newly appointed Sens. George LeMieux (R-FL) and Paul Kirk (D-MA) are not yet publicly available.
Wealth in the chamber ranges from Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) -- the richest Member of Congress overall -- who tops the list with a minimum net worth of at least $167.55 million, to Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), who registers a negative $40,000."
Archive: September 25, 2009
John Dickerson: "Though the politics of the complaint are irresistible, it doesn't make much sense. Just because lawmakers read legislation doesn't mean they understand it. The reverse is also true: Just because they understand it doesn't mean they've read it. Drafting and reading legislative language is an art form. Staffers who know how to read it and write it are hired to translate the language. They get down in the weeds so the legislators can stay focused on the big principles."
"What the... totally Democratic-controlled Massachusetts state government should have done is just be honest about it. They should have written a law this way: If there's a Republican governor, there's no appointment. And if there's a Democratic governor, there is an appointment."
-- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), quoted by the
Los Angeles Times, on how Massachusetts deals with replacing a U.S. Senator.
Archive: September 24, 2009
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) "huddled with a small group of trusted advisers last night" to finalize his choice for an interim U.S. senator, with
indications pointing to former DNC chairman Paul Kirk Jr. "who has the strong backing of the immediate family of the late Edward M. Kennedy, as the overwhelming favorite," reports the
Boston Globe.
The appointment is expected at 11 a.m. this morning.
Update: As expected, the
Boston Globe confirms the pick was Kirk, who will take the oath of office on Friday.
Archive: September 14, 2009
Roll Call releases its annual list of members of Congress with the highest net worth according to financial disclosure forms.
Archive: September 09, 2009
Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) "is to remain as chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, having decided not to take the gavel of the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee," reports the
Wall Street Journal.
"Dodd is the second most senior Democrat on the HELP committee, and could have decided to replace Sen. Edward Kennedy, after he succumbed to brain cancer after a 15-month fight to beat the disease two weeks ago. Instead, he has opted to remain at the helm of the banking panel, where he will lead a wholesale reform of financial industry regulation in the wake of last year's financial market meltdown."
The
Washington Post reports Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) will take over the HELP committee chairmanship.
Archive: September 08, 2009
Florida senator-to-be George LeMieux (R-FL) "plans to watch President Obama's address to a joint session of Congress next week, but he'll have to do it from the House gallery," reports the
Orlando Sentinel.
"LeMieux cannot join his new colleagues on the House floor because he won't be sworn in as a senator until Thursday afternoon."
In this
video clip from the Minnesota State Fair, Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) shows he's got many talents.
Archive: September 01, 2009
"I think it's going to help us."
-- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), quoted by the
Reno Gazette Journal, on how Sen. Ted Kennedy's death will "affect things."
Karen Tumulty notes that four states currently have appointed Senators -- New York, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois -- which represent about 13% of the U.S. population.
With three more Senate appointments possibly coming soon from relatively big states -- Florida, Texas, Massachusetts -- that will mean more than a quarter of the U.S. population could be represented by people who were not elected.
Archive: August 30, 2009
Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) -- two of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy's closest friends in the Senate -- said on
CNN they thought his widow, Vicki, would be a good temporary replacement for him if Massachusetts legislators change the law to allow an interim appointment.
Said Dodd: "We talk frequently. Whatever Vicki wants to do, I'm in her corner. She knows that. She has expressed to me her own reluctance to do that. But she could change her mind. And if she did I'm for it. I think she'd be great, I think Orrin's right, she brings talent and ability to it... we can certainly use her in the Senate. But leave it up to her. She has a lot on her mind right now. And, frankly, I leave it up to her decision-making process."
Said Hatch: "Sure, I think Vicki ought to be considered. She's a very brilliant lawyer. She's a very solid individual. She certainly made a difference in Ted's life, let me tell you. And I have nothing but great respect for her. "
Archive: August 29, 2009
Mrs. Kennedy, Kara, Edward, Patrick, Curran, Caroline, members of the Kennedy family, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:
Today
we say goodbye to the youngest child of Rose and Joseph Kennedy. The
world will long remember their son Edward as the heir to a weighty
legacy; a champion for those who had none; the soul of the Democratic
Party; and the lion of the U.S. Senate - a man whose name graces nearly
one thousand laws, and who penned more than three hundred himself.
But
those of us who loved him, and ache with his passing, know Ted Kennedy
by the other titles he held: Father. Brother. Husband. Uncle Teddy,
or as he was often known to his younger nieces and nephews, "The Grand
Fromage," or "The Big Cheese." I, like so many others in the city
where he worked for nearly half a century, knew him as a colleague, a
mentor, and above all, a friend.
If you missed the memorial service for Sen. Ted Kennedy last night, here are some
video clips of some of the speakers definitely worth watching.
Archive: August 28, 2009
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's
pick of George LeMieux to succeed retired Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) means the U.S. Senate will have five members who took their seats through appointment. A possible sixth appointment could happen if Massachusetts changes the law to allow an interim appointment to fill the vacancy left by Sen. Ted Kennedy's death.
Washington Post: "The largest such group took office as part of the Congress that wrapped
up World War II, covering 1945 and 1946, when 13 senators were
appointed to their seats. In Dwight D. Eisenhower's first two years as
president, 1953 and 1954, 10 senators were appointed to office."
The
Washington Post notes the late Sen. Ted Kennedy's legacy may live on through his former staffers.
"Kennedy's alumni now hold power at the highest levels of the Obama administration and across the political, legal, media and health communities. Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer was a chief counsel, as was Melody C. Barnes, President Obama's top domestic policy adviser. White House Counsel Gregory B. Craig and Deputy Secretary of State James B. Steinberg were his foreign policy advisers, and Kenneth Feinberg, the superlawyer tapped by Obama to become compensation czar, is a former chief of staff."
The
National Journal did a very similar story back in January.
Archive: August 26, 2009
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) said today that he supported a recent proposal by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy "under which an interim senator would be appointed to serve in Kennedy's place until a special election takes place," the
Boston Globe reports.
Kennedy
had asked that the person appointed also agree not to run in the special election.
Meanwhile, the
Boston Herald reports state House Speaker Robert DeLeo (D) "has given his behind-closed-doors blessing" to the effort to hand Patrick "the power to appoint a temporary successor."
David Bernstein: "I am getting informed speculation, however, that there may be a proposal to change the law -- aside from any change concerning a temporary appointment. The change would reduce the 145-160 days to something like 105-120 days."
Sen. Ted Kennedy's death sparks a shuffle of key Senate committee assignments.
It's still unclear who will succeed Kennedy as chairman at the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee, though Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) is next in line in terms of seniority. Dodd led the committee's health care reform mark up earlier this summer in Kennedy's absence.
However, Dodd currently chairs the Senate Banking Committee, which has put him in the middle of some of the biggest legislative initiatives of the last year -- such as the $700 billion bank bailout and a current effort to rewrite the financial services regulatory laws. It's not clear he would want to give that up.
If Dodd were to stay on the banking committee, Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) is next in line for the HELP committee. If Dodd does take over Kennedy's chairmanship, Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) ranks next in seniority at the banking commitee. However, given Johnson's health, Democrats might instead turn to Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI).
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) released a
tribute song to Sen. Ted Kennedy today.
"Here is a stirring tribute song to my good friend, Senator Ted Kennedy called
Headed Home. I wrote this song with the great Phil Springer. Take a moment to listen to the words. You don't have to agree with everyone's politics...none of us agree 100% of the time. But you have to admire a lifetime dedicated to public service and improving the lives of others -- and that is just one of the many things that made Ted great. I think this song captures a small part of Ted's legacy of service."
Vice President Joe Biden's
remarks today on Sen. Ted Kennedy's passing might be among the most genuine you'll ever hear a politician make.
In 2006,
Vanity Fair asked Sen. Ted Kennedy, "What is your idea of perfect happiness?"
His response: "Sailing on
Mya with Vicki at my side and my dogs, Splash and Sunny, at my feet. And, of course, a Democrat in the White House and regaining our majority in the Senate."
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) said he expects to name an interim replacement for retiring Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) by week's end, the
Sun-Sentinel reports.
"Who will get the nod is anybody's guess, although it will come from a shortlist of eight applicants. Crist said Tuesday he hasn't narrowed that list, which doesn't feature a clear front-runner or household name in Florida politics. Each choice carries risks and rewards."
"Kennedy just knew how to make the Senate work."
-- Former Kennedy staffer Mark Schneider, writing for the
National Journal.
Even as America mourns Sen. Ted Kennedy's
passing, would-be successors will have to line up quickly because of the calendar set under Massachusetts state law,
CQ Politics reports.
Gov. Deval Patrick (D) must set the date of the general election for not more than 160 days, but not less than 145 days after a vacancy occurs. The primary election will be held six weeks before the general election, meaning the identity of Kennedy's likely successor will be known in less than four months.
Last week, Kennedy himself suggested in a letter to Patrick and legislative leaders that they
change state law so that his successor could be appointed rather than wait five months for a special election.
However, as the
New York Times notes, reaction in Boston to Kennedy's request "ranged
from muted to hostile. The state's Democrats found themselves in the
awkward position of being asked to reverse their own 2004 initiative
calling for special elections in such instances."
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, "who carried aloft the torch of a Massachusetts dynasty and a liberal ideology to the citadel of Senate power, but whose personal and political failings may have prevented him from realizing the ultimate prize of the presidency, died at his home in Hyannis Port last night after a battle with brain cancer," the
Boston Globe reports. He was 77.
A statement from the family: "We've lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever. We thank everyone who gave him care and support over this last year, and everyone who stood with him for so many years in his tireless march for progress toward justice, fairness, and opportunity for all. He loved this country and devoted his life to serving it. He always believed that our best days were still ahead, but it's hard to imagine any of them without him."
A statement from President Obama: "Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy. For five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts. I valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency. And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I've profited as President from his encouragement and wisdom."
Archive: August 20, 2009
Sen. Ted Kennedy, "in a poignant acknowledgment of his mortality at a critical time in the national health care debate, has privately asked the governor and legislative leaders to change the succession law to guarantee that Massachusetts will not lack a Senate vote when his seat becomes vacant," the
New York Times reports.
"Under current law, the seat would be vacant until a special election could be held 145 to 160 days later. But Senator Kennedy, a 77-year-old Democrat, wrote in a letter to the governor that he wanted Massachusetts to have full representation in the Senate during that period."
Archive: August 18, 2009
Coming this fall:
True Compass: A Memoir by Sen. Edward Kennedy.
"In this historic memoir, Ted Kennedy takes us inside his family, re-creating life with his parents and brothers and explaining their profound impact on him. or the first time, he describes his heartbreak and years of struggle in the wake of their deaths. Through it all, he describes his work in the Senate on the major issues of our time -- civil rights, Vietnam, Watergate, the quest for peace in Northern Ireland -- and the cause of his life: improved health care for all Americans, a fight influenced by his own experiences in hospitals."
Archive: August 15, 2009
Sen. Edward Kennedy's (D-MA) "absence from two high-profile public events is raising worries that the country's longest congressional champion for health reform may not be available to shepherd it through the Senate this fall,"
The Hill reports.
Kennedy "who has been battling a particularly deadly form of brain cancer since a diagnosis last May, did not attend a White House ceremony on Wednesday at which he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- the country's highest civilian honor. He also did not attend a Friday funeral for his sister Eunice Shriver, who died on Tuesday."
In fact, Kennedy has not been seen in public in months.
Archive: August 13, 2009
"Irish guys are not known for their sentimentality and my dad's been a pretty hard driver his whole life. He's been able to soak it up a little bit and enjoy the victory lap he's had this past year, the great honors he's received."
-- Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), quoted by the
Associated Press, on how his father, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), is faring during his battle with brain cancer.
Archive: August 11, 2009
Just in case there any lingering speculation, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) says he is not interested in a caretaker Senate seat, the
St. Petersburg Times reports.
Said his spokeswoman: "As Gov. Bush indicated earlier this year when he decided against a run for the U.S. Senate, now is not the right time for him to return to public office. In response to your question, Gov. Bush is not interested in serving out the remainder of Sen. Martinez's term."
Foreign Policy has obtained a
list of planned Congressional delegations -- or CODELs for short -- over the August recess.
While some lawmakers are heading out on "a gritty, six-country, seven-day tour of post-war zones," there will be "no flak jackets required for Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) when he leads a large congressional delegation on an around-the-world trip to Ireland, Switzerland, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, and Canada."
The cushiest trip? Rep. Jerry Costello (D-IL) is scheduled to lead a CODEL to Germany, Italy, and Spain later this month.
Archive: August 07, 2009
The Senate Ethics Committee dismissed ethics complaints against Sen. Chris Dodd and Sen. Kent Conrad saying it found no credible evidence that they used their position to receive favorable mortgages from Countrywide Financial, the
Hartford Courant reports.
Archive: August 05, 2009
"I think that he is a good person, and good-intentioned. But I believe he didn't serve in government long enough to understand really how things work... He really does not
have an understanding of how Congress operates."
-- Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), in a
radio interview, about President Obama.
"Listen, it's much more contentious and partisan today than it's ever been. It doesn't matter whether you're Republican or Democrat, it's tough to deal with day in and out... When people ask me if I enjoy what I'm doing, now is the time that I try not to answer the question."
-- Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), quoted by the
Johnston County Herald.
Archive: August 04, 2009
"We're ready to take on the world."
-- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), quoted by
Time, after President Obama gave Democratic senators a "pep talk" on passing health care reform.
Archive: July 31, 2009
Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) told the
Hartford Courant he has been diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer.
He is scheduled to undergo surgery during the Senate's August recess and said he expects to be back at work after a "brief recuperation" at home.
Archive: July 30, 2009
"In an apparent warning to Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), some liberal Democrats have suggested a secret-ballot vote every two years on whether or not to strip committee chairmen of their gavels,"
The Hill reports.
Baucus "has frustrated many of his liberal colleagues by negotiating for weeks with Republicans over health care reform without producing a bill or even much detail about the policies he is considering."
Said Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA): "Every two years the caucus could have a secret ballot on whether a chairman should continue, yes or no. If the 'no's win, he's out."
Archive: July 29, 2009
The Senate Ethics Committee "is aggressively investigating whether Sens. Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Chris Dodd (D-CT) received preferential mortgage treatment through Countrywide Financial, with sources saying the inquiry could come to a conclusion in the near future,"
Roll Call reports.
"The source familiar with the investigation confirmed that the committee staff has deposed numerous witnesses with knowledge of the mortgage deals and has called some to testify before Senators who sit on the committee. They have also asked Conrad and Dodd to submit to written questions, which both men said they have done."
The official who handled the mortgages for the senators said
they knew they were receiving preferential treatment.
Archive: July 21, 2009
Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) returned to the Capitol this week, after being sidelined by illness for nearly two months,
Roll Call reports.
During his absence -- and with Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) still not at work -- the Democrats' 60 vote majority was effectively
reduced to 58.
As the Senate Finance Committee takes center stage in the battle over health-care reform, Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) "has emerged as a leading recipient of Senate campaign contributions from the hospitals, insurers and other medical interest groups hoping to shape the legislation to their advantage," the
Washington Post reports.
"To avoid any appearance of favoritism, his aides say, Baucus quietly began refusing contributions from health-care political action committees after June 1. But the policy does not apply to lobbyists or corporate executives, who continued to make donations, disclosure records show."
Archive: July 17, 2009
"I am not going to be able to persuade my colleagues to do the right things, so I am just going to have to create pain."
-- Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), in an interview with
World Magazine.
Washington Post: "Perhaps it is because Sen. Lindsey Graham is the only Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee who said openly that he was considering supporting Judge Sonia Sotomayor. Perhaps it is because he said that only a 'meltdown' would stand between her and a seat on the Supreme Court. Perhaps it is because he said that some of the speeches she has given 'bugged the hell out of me.' But whenever the South Carolinian spoke during Sotomayor's four days of confirmation hearings, senators stopped fiddling with notes or talking to staff members and instead closely watched and listened. The exchanges between the two -- Graham's sorghum drawl and Sotomayor's South Bronx responses -- were the most anticipated of the committee's work."
Archive: July 16, 2009
"We're going to do that crack cocaine thing."
-- Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL),
to a witness at Judge Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation hearings.
Archive: July 15, 2009
When the Judiciary Committee returned from a break in the confirmation hearings of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) didn't have a working microphone.
Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), who has been in the Senate just over a week, said that his microphone was working and suggested they trade places.
To the surprise of many, Leahy actually traveled down the dais to use Franken's microphone. Franken, meanwhile, stood behind the the chairman's chair -- and said, "I shouldn't do this" and sat down.
To which Sessions said, "That's the quickest rise of any senator in history."
Archive: July 13, 2009
A handful of conservative Republican senators "have made it their duty to review practically every amendment -- major or minor -- that passes through the Senate chamber, much to the chagrin of many Senators and staff who feel the self-appointed legislative gatekeepers are overstepping their bounds,"
Roll Call reports.
The concerns of Sens. Tom Coburn (R-OK), Jim DeMint (R-SC) and, to a somewhat lesser extent, John McCain (R-AZ) "have become so ubiquitous that one Appropriations subcommittee included all three of their offices on the form that committee Republicans use to clear amendments to the bills" even though none of them even serves on the Appropriations committee.
Archive: July 12, 2009
In a
MSNBC appearance,
New York Times columnist David Brooks discusses the loss of dignity in America and recounts a dinner party where he had the misfortune to sit next to a GOP senator who "had his hand on my inner thigh the whole time. I was like, ehh, get me out of here."
When asked who it was, Brooks said, "I'm not telling you, I'm not telling you."
Archive: July 10, 2009
"We wanted to see what it looked like with so many desks on our side."
-- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), after going up to the Senate gallery for the first time with Sens. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Tom Harkin (D-IA).
Archive: July 08, 2009
Just a week after calling him "the clown from Minnesota," Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) shared a hug with Sen. Al Franken (D-MN),
Tulsa World reports.
Inhofe said he and Franken "physically embraced'' in front of a number of people not long before the Minnesota Democrat took the oath of office yesterday on the Senate floor.
Said Inhofe: "
It was a chance meeting but
we immediately recognized each other because I have said a few things
about him. But it was really funny when we met. For some reason, we both were laughing as if this scene is going to have a happy ending."
Archive: July 07, 2009
Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) is showing himself to be a loyal Democrat,
CQ Politics reports.
CQ data show that Specter, since bolting the Republican Party at the end of April, has sided with Democrats on 17 of 20 votes that have pitted most Democrats against most Republicans. CQ refers to these party-line or near-party-line votes as 'party unity' votes.
At 12:15 p.m. when Al Franken is sworn in by Vice President Biden, Democrats will have -- at least in theory -- a filibuster-proof 60 Senate seats.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee marks the occasion with a must-see
new ad: "The Democrats have total control. No checks. No balances... In 2010, you can hold them accountable."
Archive: July 06, 2009
"I have staff in place. I can hit the ground, if not running, trotting."
-- Senator-elect Al Franken (D-MN), quoted by
Roll Call, on being sworn in on Tuesday.
Mike Allen: "He'll meet with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid today, and the two will go before cameras. He'll be sworn in by Vice President Biden tomorrow, walked down by Walter Mondale. Franken plans to pursue the Bill Bradley/Hillary Clinton strategy of being a workhorse, not a show horse."
Archive: July 02, 2009
"There's something in Hillary as a model for me, because Hillary, well she came in with a different kind of celebrity obviously. But there was a kind of skepticism where she had to prove herself a certain way and also prove not to be a kind of a show horse, but to be a work horse. And so I want to... put my head down and get to work when I get there."
-- Senator-elect Al Franken (D-MN), quoted by
Minnesota Public Radio, on lessons he can learn from Hillary Clinton.
Archive: July 01, 2009
First Read: "In his two cycles as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Democrats were able to pick up a whopping 14 Senate seats (six in '06 and eight in '08). And when you add Arlen Specter's switch earlier this year, that means that Democrats went from having just 45 senators in 2006 to 60 today. That's a remarkable two cycles."
This is now the first time since the 95th Congress (1977-1979) that one party will have had 60 or more votes in the Senate.
Archive: June 30, 2009
In anticipation of today's
court ruling in Al Franken's favor, Senate Democrats reserved spots for him on four committees, including those taking up the health care overhaul and the Supreme Court nomination,
CQ Politics reports.
Franken could be sworn in as early as Monday, the next day the Senate is in session, but no decision has been made.
"We have 60 votes on paper only. This will help us procedurally but we're still going to have
obstacles to overcome, including two sick Senators and the fact that
not every Democrat is going to stick with the caucus on every single
vote."
-- A senior Senate Democratic
aide, quoted by
Roll Call, on news that Al Franken (D) will soon be sworn in.
Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) has been released from the hospital after a six-and-a-half-week stay,
Roll Call reports.
Archive: June 21, 2009
Since admitting an extramarital affair with a former staffer, Sen. John Ensign's (R-NV) approval rating in his home state has plunged. A new
Las Vegas Review-Journal poll of Nevada voters finds 39% had a favorable view of Ensign, a drop of 14 points from a month ago.
Meanwhile, the percentage who regarded Ensign unfavorably, 37%, was up 19 points from a month ago.
Nonetheless, 62% of Nevada voters do not think Ensign should resign from the Senate.
Archive: June 18, 2009
"The one-time mistress and campaign treasurer of Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) saw her salary double during the
time of the affair," the
Las Vegas Sun reports.
In addition, the woman's 19-year-old son was paid $5,400 by a political operation controlled by Ensign.
"Seven months after nearly becoming politically irrelevant, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) is working closely with a president he actively campaigned against and is playing a leading role in moving major pieces of legislation through the upper chamber,"
The Hill reports.
In the wake of Sen. John McCain's loss in the presidential election, "many political analysts said Lieberman was done. Defying the pundits yet again, Lieberman survived a major effort to take away his Homeland Security Committee chairmanship. And his political stock has spiked."
Archive: June 17, 2009
Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) resigned his Senate Republican leadership post after
admitting having an affair with a staffer, the
AP reports.
Archive: June 16, 2009
"He has no credibility left."
-- Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), quoted by the
Las Vegas Sun in 1998, urging Bill Clinton to resign after he admitted an extramarital affair.
Archive: June 15, 2009
Sen. Robert Byrd's (D-WV) state of health "has prompted some quiet, behind-the-scenes discussions in the event the senator is unable to return to office," the
West Virginia Gazette reports.
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (D) met with state Democratic Party chairman Nick Casey last week, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) on a conference call to discuss contingencies."
Casey "is generally regarded as the consensus choice to serve as a placeholder for Byrd's Senate seat in the event Byrd would have to step down prior to the 2010 elections."
Roll Call reports Byrd is still hospitalized and has no plans to return this week.
Update:
The Hill reports Byrd will undergo physical therapy this week after being in the hospital for a month.
Archive: June 09, 2009
The
Washington Post notes that it's been 15 months since all 100 senators have come to the floor of the chamber for a vote.
The lack of full attendance is due to last year's presidential race, illnesses of several senators and, of course, the still unresolved Senate race in Minnesota.
Archive: May 28, 2009
Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) "is still in the hospital two weeks after he was
admitted for a minor infection, and it remains unclear whether the 91-year-old lawmaker will return to work next week,"
Roll Call reports.
Archive: May 27, 2009
Former Reagan Chief of Staff
Ken Duberstein -- who also guided Justices William Kennedy, David Souter, and Clarence Thomas through their Senate confirmation process -- shares 10 secrets for a smooth trip to the High Court.
- Personal stories are compelling every time.
- Begin your senatorial courtesy calls almost immediately.
- Practice, practice, practice.
- Be prepared for the kitchen sink at the hearings.
- The Constitution stops at the foot of Capitol Hill.
- Tell the truth, always.
- Senators welcome mea culpas in your oral testimony.
- Pause for seven seconds before you answer any question.
- Have an answer for the one question you didn't want to be asked -- because you will undoubtedly be asked that question.
- Senators usually depart when the cameras are turned off, but remember: The microphone will still be on.
He adds a bonus: "You have the best lobbyist in the world at your disposal... the president of the United States, and a popular one at that. Use the president's influence judiciously -- but use it."
Archive: May 19, 2009
Sen. Edward Kennedy's (D-MA) brain cancer is in remission and he is expected back in the Senate after the Memorial Day recess, reports
The Hill.
Kennedy "is expected to lead a markup of highly anticipated health reform legislation in his first month back -- one of the biggest bills of the year and a signature domestic initiative for President Obama."
Archive: May 13, 2009
A "very ticked-off" Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) predicted that the nominee for the Interior Department's number two post "will be approved despite the
lockstep opposition" of Senate Republicans, reports
Politico.
Said Reid: "We will confirm David Hayes. If I have to wait until Al Franken comes, we will confirm David Hayes."
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar was equally ticked off after a vote on the Hayes nomination failed, according to
NBC News.
Said Salazar: "This was a tired vote of bitter obstructionism. It may be uncomfortable
for some to watch us have to clean up mess after mess -- from
corruption to lawbreaking -- that is the previous administration's
legacy at Interior, but to cast a vote against such a qualified and
fine person is the height of cynicism."
Archive: May 12, 2009
In an interview wtih
Details, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) offers a couple lessons taught to him long ago by a Philadelphia lawyer:
"Never let your face show how hard your ass is being kicked."
"The higher the monkey climbs the flagpole, the more his ass is visible."
Archive: May 08, 2009
Though Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) claimed yesterday that Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) would be "with us all the time" on procedural votes, he apparently didn't check this with his newest Democratic senator.
Instead, Specter told
Fox News, "I'm going to have to talk to Sen. Reid about that."
Perhaps that why the latest
Congressional Insiders Poll shows that more than half of Republicans and Democats think Specter's party switch will influence legislation "only a little" or "not at all."
Archive: May 07, 2009
"In an apparent effort to to ease the tension over Arlen Specter's
bumpy transition into the Senate Democratic caucus, Sen. Dick Durbin is willing to voluntarily relinquish his chairmanship on a Judiciary subcommittee to Specter," sources tell
NBC News.
Specter will become the Chairman of the Crime and Drug Subcommittee.
Roll Call: "The Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs is considered the most prestigious
of the subpanels on Judiciary, because it has jurisdiction over as much
as 70 percent of the Justice Department's budget and is responsible for
writing crime and drug sentencing laws."
Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA), "has rapidly discovered that switching parties is not as simple as checking a new box on a voter-registration card," the
New York Times reports.
"After a week and a day as a Democrat, Mr. Specter is viewed with suspicion by his new Democratic colleagues, with general disdain by his old Republican friends, and with an odd mix of amusement and pity all around."
"Under intense analysis of his every move and utterance, Mr. Specter canceled a scheduled appearance on Wednesday night on
Larry King Live on CNN."
The Fix: "A series of odd incidents that have proceeded from Specter's party switch last week have raised questions about whether the newest Democrat has permanently damaged himself in the eyes of the state's voters. The White House is concerned enough about the developments that deputy chief of staff Jim Messina and Ron Klain, a senior adviser to Vice President Biden, traveled to Capitol Hill on Wednesday and huddled with Specter to try to iron out the problems."
CQ Politics: More losers than winners from Specter switch.
Archive: May 06, 2009
"I think everyone should just kind of relax and understand that he's a Democrat, we're doing our best to make him happy as a Democrat. I think he is."
-- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, in a CNN interview, about Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) and the
controversy over his seniority.
Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) "infuriated Senate Republicans when he bolted from their party last week. Now he's alienated just about everybody in the Senate Democratic caucus, too,"
Politico notes.
"The blowback came Tuesday night: On a voice vote, the Senate voted to strip Specter of his 29 years of seniority, effectively transforming him in a blink-and-you-missed-it-moment from one of the most senior senators in the body to a lowly freshman on most committees."
Update: Specter issues a
statement: "Senator Reid assured me that I would keep my committee assignments and
that I would have the same seniority as if I had been elected as a
Democrat in 1980. It was understood that the issue of subcommittee
chairmanships would not be decided until after the 2010 election. Some
members of the caucus have raised concerns about my seniority, so the
caucus will vote on my seniority at the same time subcommittee
chairmanships are confirmed after the 2010 election. I am confident my
seniority will be maintained under the arrangement I worked out with
Senator Reid."
Archive: May 05, 2009
Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) reversed himself from
comments he made in an interview in which he said he wanted Norm Coleman (R) to prevail in the disputed Minnesota Senate race against Al Franken (D),
CQ Politics reports.
Said Specter: "In the swirl of moving from one caucus to another, I have to get used to my new teammates. I'm ordinarily pretty correct in what I say. I've made a career of being precise. I conclusively misspoke."
Asked who he's backing now in elections, Specter said, "I'm looking for more Democratic members. Nothing personal."
Vanity Fair runs an excerpt from the new book,
Ted Kennedy: The Dream That Never Died by Edward Klein.
Most interesting: Klein reports that Sen. Ted Kennedy felt it was very important to have a Kennedy in the Senate after he was gone, so when Sen. Hillary Clinton's seat became available, "he put it to Caroline almost like a last wish, and Caroline felt that she couldn't let her uncle Teddy down."
Klein says "it honestly never occurred" to Caroline "that the seat wouldn't be given to her immediately." So when Governor Paterson "failed to react, and made her wait, she seethed."
The book also claims it was Caroline's children who ultimately convinced her to take her name out of the running for the Senate because they "felt that she was becoming a different person -- one that they didn't much like."
Archive: May 04, 2009
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) will take over as ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee "after striking a deal with his more senior colleagues over the weekend," sources confirm to
The Hill.
Under terms of the deal, Sessions will serve as ranking member until the 112th Congress, when he will take over the ranking member post on the Senate Budget Committee. Current Budget Committee ranking member Judd Gregg (R-NH) is retiring at the end of the 111th Congress.
Archive: May 02, 2009
After Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid initially said he would let Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA)
keep his seniority after switching parties, he now seems to favoring a compromise,
The Hill reports.
"Under pressure, Reid now says it will be up to the Democratic caucus to determine whether to recognize Specter's 28 1/2 years of seniority. Furthermore, Reid now does not think Specter will displace any senior Democrat atop a coveted committee or subcommittee."
Archive: April 30, 2009
"Senior Senate Democrats are objecting to the deal Majority Leader Harry Reid made with Sen. Arlen Specter, saying they will vote against letting the former Republican shoot to the top of powerful committees after he switches parties," according to
The Hill.
"Several Democrats are furious with Reid for agreeing to let Specter keep his seniority, accrued over more than 28 years as a GOP senator. That agreement would allow Specter to leap past senior Democrats on powerful panels -- including the Appropriations and Judiciary committees."
Archive: April 29, 2009
Politico: "Specter informed McConnell on Tuesday morning of his final decision to leave the GOP but not before some last-minute gamesmanship by Reid. Reid called McConnell on Tuesday morning to tell his GOP counterpart that Specter had asked for a meeting, and he asked McConnell what it was about. At that time, Reid already knew that Specter was ready to change parties."
"It's looking likely that there won't be any Jewish Republicans left in the Senate -- unless Norm Coleman can rise from the political dead in Minnesota," reports
Politico.
"Between Arlen Specter's
party switch and Coleman's likely loss in Minnesota, the only Jewish Republican member of Congress left is House Minority Whip Eric Cantor."
Archive: April 28, 2009
From the White House:
"In the morning, the President, the Vice President, and Senator Arlen Specter will address the media in the Diplomatic Room... Immediately following the meeting, the President will depart the White House to travel to St. Louis, Missouri."
Update:
The Hill has a good report on the morning meeting.
Vice President Biden has been lobbying Sen. Arlen Specter to switch parties since 2004, according to
ABC News.
"That conversation has continued since, the source says -- in the Senate, on the Judiciary Committee (which both men have chaired), and on Amtrak. Biden's Wilmington stop is 30 minutes before Specter's in Philly."
Greg Sargent notes the topic came up in 14 conversations this year : six in-person meetings and at least eight phone calls with Specter.
With Sen. Arlen Specter's
party switch -- and Al Franken's expected seating -- President Obama has an opportunity to remove a major procedural roadblock in the Senate that his predecessors would have envied.
Karen Tumulty: "How long has it been? You have to go all the way back to 1937 to find the last American President who enjoyed what was, in practice, a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, according to Senate Associate Historian Donald Ritchie."
Politico quotes Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME): "We're heading to having the smallest political tent in history, the way things are unfolding."
According to the
U.S. Senate historian, Sen. Arlen Specter is the 21st senator to switch parties during their Senate service.
Sen. Arlen Specter told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) about his
decision to switch parties in person yesterday.
The Hill reports Senate Republican leaders "received no heads up" from Specter about his decision.
Meanwhile,
Ben Smith reports Vice President Joe Biden "deeply involved" in the talks with Specter to make the switch.
NBC News says Democrats promised Specter would face no Democratic challenger but that he was promised no committee chairmanship in return for switching parties.
Archive: April 27, 2009
CQ Politics: "Tensions are rising in the Senate over President Obama's nominees, as Republicans delay selections and Democrats complain that the disputes are slowing important legislation."
"The weakened Republican minority finds it difficult to amend legislation, but nominations provide opportunities to highlight policy disputes on high-profile issues, including foreign policy and abortion rights. Democrats contend that plodding through confirmation debates followed by protracted votes hinders legislative progress on their priorities, such as health care, energy and economic affairs."
Archive: April 24, 2009
The
New Republic reports a deal on how to handle health care reform was hatched last night in a five-hour negotiating session at the office of Senate Majoriy Leader Harry Reid.
"It's been in the works for a while and now, according to senior Capitol Hill staffers, it's a done deal: The final budget resolution will include a 'reconciliation instruction' for health care. That means the Democrats can pass health care reform with just 50 votes, instead of the 60 it takes to break a filibuster."
The reconciliation instruction specifies October 15 as the drop dead date.
"In other words, the House and Senate each have until that day to pass health care legislation. If they haven't, then both houses will consider health care under the reconciliation process, which is relevant primarily for the way it affects the Senate. There will be a limit on the time of debate. Republicans won't be able to filibuster it."
Archive: April 22, 2009
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), the man in charge of electing more Republicans to the Senate, "said it will be difficult to stop the Democrats from winning a 60-seat majority in 2010," according to
The Hill.
Said Cornyn: "That's going to be real hard, to be honest with you. Everybody who runs could be the potential tipping point to get Democrats to 60. We've not only got to play defense; we've got to claw our way back in 2010. It'll be a huge challenge."
"So far this cycle, Republicans have been
faced with retirements in four
swing states, emerging primaries against at least three of their
members and a map that, after two cycles of big GOP losses, continues
to favor Democrats."
Archive: April 20, 2009
As Congress returns from a two-week hiatus,
CQ Politics says the main focus isn't on what will happen on the House or Senate floor.
Rather, the real action will be in committees, where sweeping legislation dealing with contentious issues including global warming and health care will be debated over the next several weeks.
Archive: April 03, 2009
Heard in the
CQ newsroom:
Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) cast his 10,000th vote of his Senate career. While that may not seem like a lot when compared to some other
longer-serving senators, just 28 have ever achieved that
may votes.
In addition, Grassley holds the record among current
senators for the longest, uninterrupted streak of consecutive votes --
5,473 over the past 16 years. He last missed a vote when touring flooded areas of his state with President Clinton in 1993.
Archive: April 02, 2009
The Senate embarked on its annual budget "vote-a-rama," an event many feel is deeply flawed but that neither party has found a way to avoid,
CQ Politics reports.
"
The vote-a-rama is unique to the budget
resolution, which is subject to special rules of debate. The resolution
is debated for 50 hours, although some of that time can be yielded
back. Amendments can be offered after that time expires, as part of an
effort to ensure the minority party has a fighting chance to influence
the final resolution, which cannot be filibustered. This sets up a
scenario where dozens of amendments are voted on in back-to-back votes
that can continue for hours."
Archive: March 27, 2009
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) acknowledged that he had reached out to Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) in recent weeks to try to convince him to abandon the Republican party, reports
CQ Politics.
But Reid said Specter effectively answered the question by announcing he would
vote against limiting debate on a major Democratic priority -- so-called "card check" legislation that would ease union organizing rules.
Said Reid: "Yes, I've talked to him. But I think he -- in coming out against card check -- kind of stopped everyone from being able to help him."
Nonetheless, Reid was hopeful Democrats would get their 60-seat filibuster-proof majority in the 2010 elections.
Archive: March 26, 2009
CQ Politics: "Talk about collegiality. Charles E. Grassley is thinking about passing up the top spot on a committee he really likes in order to help colleague Arlen Specter."
Archive: March 24, 2009
Heard in the
CQ newsroom:
Despite pressure to resign, Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) isn't acting like a senator who is about to leave. In fact, he just added two more people to his staff today.
Meanwhile, Illinois authorities are still looking into whether Burris may
have committed perjury about his contacts with Gov. Rod Blagojevich or his
emissaries over his Senate appointment. The Senate Ethics panel also is conducting a preliminary
inquiry to decide whether a full investigation of Burris is warranted.
With several Republicans leery of the legislation and Obama expressing strong reservations, it is becoming increasingly likely consideration will be put off until the next Senate work period,
CQ Politics reports.
A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid notes the Senate would note move the bill without unanimous consent before the April 6 congressional recess.
Helping justify the delay: New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced late Monday that many of the top bonus recipients at AIG had returned the money, and that he hopes to recover about half of the $165 million paid out.
Archive: March 23, 2009
It's
budget week, so President Obama will attend a lunch with Senate Democrats tomorrow to continue selling his budget plan, reports
Manu Raju.
Archive: March 20, 2009
China-based hackers successfully breached the office computers of Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL),
CQ Politics reports.
