Kennedy Vote Stumble Leaves Senators Gasping

NewsMax ^ | 10/26/03 | Limbacher

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

Hard-drinking Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy appeared to be so confused on the Senate floor last week that he prompted "audible gasps" from his colleagues by mistakenly voting for two pieces of legislation he was known to oppose - only to have his votes corrected later.

"The Senate chamber was filled with audible gasps last Tuesday when Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the pro-choice champion, clearly voted 'yes' on final passage of the bill to ban partial-birth abortion," columnist Robert Novak reported Sunday.

Kennedy also botched his vote on Democratic-backed amendment to require partial Iraqi repayment of U.S. reconstruction aid by inadvertently siding with the White House.

The fumble required the intervention of Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, who had to explain what happened to Kennedy and get him to change his vote.

Asked if the top Massachusetts liberal was "slipping a little bit," Sen. Jon Corzine blamed Kennedy's stumbling on the sometimes confusing language used in the legislative process.

"I suspect that he just walked onto the floor and thought that he was voting on the final question as opposed to whether [the bill] was going to be tabled or not," Sen. Corzine told WABC Radio's Steve Malzberg.

Corzine's explanation notwithstanding, no other Senator seems to have had a problem figuring out how to vote.

[Paleo Conservative]

Kennedy Vote Stumble Leaves Senators Gasping

Well it's not the first time Senator Kennedy has left someone gasping.

[CapnMcK]

Sounds like alcoholic organic brain damage to me.

[Canadian Outrage]

How come he got to CHANGE his vote. Once he voted hadn't he voted?

[mewzilla]

Hic!

[jocko12]

Senator flip flop has voted,maybe!!!!

[martin_fierro]

This is your liver.

This is your liver in Ted Kennedy's body.

[freeangel]

Perhaps the streisands would like to do a movie about how choosing to marinate ones brain in alcohol can impair ones career in public life and impede the lives of the people one presumes to govern.

[At _War_With_Liberals]

[Paleo Conservative]

How come he got to CHANGE his vote. Once he voted hadn't he voted?

Although they vote using an electronic system, both the Senate and House have a timed voting period for recording votes. They are free to change their votes until the time has expired. Even after the time period, the president of the Senate or his surrogate will ask if there are any additional votes or changed votes before recording the official vote tally. Often senators or congressmen will swap votes or make agreements with opposing members to not vote, so often there are lots of votes that don't get placed into the electronic voting system till the last couple of minutes.

[King Prout]

OOO!!!

[Paul Atreides]

Sen. Jon Corzine blamed Kennedy's stumbling on the sometimes confusing language used in the legislative process.

What, from a member of America's Royalty, the smartest family in the world? Next thing, he'll be telling us that Hillary isn't the smartest woman in the world.

Here's a hint Jon: Don't light a match around Tubby Kennedy.

[PoorMuttly]

Old habits die hard...unless of course he drives you home.

[Burlem]

Change votes, exchange votes, aand other congressional games, sure am happy they vote for their constituients and vote their conscience.........what a joke!

[Atchafalaya]

This is priceless!

[mewzilla]

Corzine's a butt-kissing, enabling sycophant.

[arete]

So I take it old Teddy has fallen off the wagon again.

Richard W.

[Paleo Conservative]

So I take it old Teddy has fallen off the wagon again.

Or his drinking days have caught up to him. Even alcoholics who become and stay sober are at higher risk of developing dementia.

[Paul Atreides]

Isn't there a reserved spot for Corzine's lips, on Hillary's backside?