Posted on 07/17/2007 9:27:06 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - In the dead of night, the Senate apparently turns into something other than the oft-cited greatest deliberative body in the world.
It becomes a "circus, a "mockery," "Kabuki theater," a "carnival" and a "charade," Democrats have said. Not only that, but "a colossal waste of time." And given the increasingly geriatric nature of the chamber as a whole, the Senate in all-night session amounts to "elder abuse."
Those were Democrats talking about the last all-night Senate session four years ago. Then, they were in the minority and forced by Republicans to make good on their threat to filibuster judicial nominations.
"We are having this all-night session in order to call to the attention of the public the fact that this unprecedented obstructionism is going on," declared then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, in a 2003 interview on Fox News Network. "Most people think that in the world's oldest democracy if you can get a majority you are entitled to move ahead."
Nowadays, Democrats agree. And they run the chamber — all night, as it turns out.
To be sure, the issue this time is literally about life and death for thousands of Americans and Iraqis. But such lofty debate isn't likely to give Democrats the 60 votes needed to advance troop withdrawal legislation blocked by Republicans.
"Tonight is not a stunt, it's a statement," said Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La.
And so, Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., directed Sergeant-at-Arms Terrance Gainer to retrieve the Senate's dozen or so cots and place most of them in the incongruously ornate room off the Senate floor named for President Lyndon Johnson, "for senators who wish to remain close to the floor and rest." Only senators were allowed to use those facilities, an official in Reid's office said.
As midnight approached, one senator dozed on an aforementioned cot in the dimly-lit LBJ room. Elsewhere on the Capitol's second floor, Reid kept a cot in his office, and McConnell, now minority leader, had one at his disposal, according to their spokesmen.
Often, the very sight of the cots has had a way of prompting all parties to resolve their differences without a senatorial slumber party.
Not this time. Forced to make good on their filibuster threat, it was the Republicans' turn to describe the state of an all-night Senate.
A "political stunt," said Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. "Petty kindergarten games."
"We were instructed to legislate, not to strut across a stage," lectured McConnell, now minority leader. "This isn't Hollywood; this is real life, the United States Senate."
Not everyone was complaining. To at least one senator, an all-nighter offered some excitement, and a challenge.
"I'm trying to find a bench around here that's long enough for me to stretch out," said Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., a 6-foot-4 freshman lawmaker. "It's my first all nighter — I'm excited."
___
Associated Press writers David Espo and Julie Hirschfeld Davis contributed to this report.
In this video framegrab image taken from AP Television News, Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., speaks on the floor of Senate, Tuesday evening July 17, 2007 in Washington. Democrats pushed the Senate toward an attention-grabbing, all-night session Tuesday to dramatize opposition to the Iraq war, but conceded they were unlikely to gain the votes needed to advance troop withdrawal legislation blocked by Republicans. (AP Photo/AP Television News)
A worker lays out a cot for U.S. Senators in the Lyndon B. Johnson room, just off the Senate floor, in the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington July 17, 2007. U.S. Senate Democrats, hoping to raise pressure on President George W. Bush and his fellow Republicans to pull troops from Iraq, have scheduled an around-the-clock war debate starting on Tuesday. (Jason Reed/Reuters)
A really big sleepover party then.
In my advanced stage of development, I have become expert in attaining a very satisfactory state of slumber in a nominal seating posture in a desk chair. Maybe I should start a consulting firm.
You know what Norms DC Freepers should send how many pizza as prank to Senator that be funny
That cot sure would look good to some of our military in Iraq tonight..
They don’t look comfortable. I want proof that they actually slept on them.
You stupid sumbitches. There are better men and women than you sleeping in the the dirt in Iraq while you miserable poseurs bask in the self-created limelight of a pillow-fight at Mommy’s house. If I could be more disgusted at Congress under the Democrats it’d probably require an emetic.
You should run for Senate.
Does anyone know if there is a hospital bed available for Sheets Byrd. I haven’t seen or heard anything about him in over three months. Of course at this time of night he may be out burning something.
It might be more of a statement, Ms. Landrieu, if your fellow defeatists hadn’t already song this same tune several times over.
I wonder how much this little slumber party is costing us, the tax payer. I bet the rental of the cots alone is a push against taxes paid by several hindered of we of the great unwashed.
All I want to know is:
Are they charging us overtime?
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Thats not a cot! Thats a freekin bed!
Meanwhile the troops go unfunded
The Army will give you competition. Thirty-something years ago in Basic I learned to sleep in ANY position.
Definitely. Send ‘em all the pizzas they want, topped as they like...but don’t forget a generous topping of Ex-Lax.
Agreed
I’d eat about 8 bowls of red beans and settle in for the show.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.