The fact remains that McConnell boxed himself into this corner all by himself. He chose to block Rand Paul's defunding amendment to the highway bill that would only have needed 51 votes to pass, in exchange for this standalone bill that needed 60 votes to pass.
Ted Cruz says that McConnell did that to protect his back-room deal for the Ex-Im bank, because Obama would have vetoed the bill with defunding in it. It was all for nothing because the House refused to take up McConnell's highway bill and recessed for August.
So now McConnell is left with the stain of this Nay vote, and an explanation that is falling on deaf ears.
-PJ
Funny thing is, on this vote, he could have voted with the losing side, and filed another cloture motion - if he wanted to force the issue, which it appears he doesn’t. Or, vote with the losing side and explain that a failed cloture motion doesn’t kill the bill. Absent cloture, the bill remains alive under “unlimited debate” regular order.