[newfreep]

Does the Senate still do a cloture vote that requires 60 to move to final vote? If so, that’s our only chnace.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

Yeah, but there are some obscure Senate rules that give individual Senators the ability to delay, if not entirely scuttle a vote.

Regardless, Specter just found out yesterday exactly how much trouble he is in with the Pennsylvania State GOP, and Corker may be buying enough time for him to stew about his future prospects in the 2010 primary.

Arlen Specter losing support of Republican peers

[Inkie]

The opportunity for the filibuster evaporated with the Snow-Collins-Specter defection. There is no such opportunity for the vote on the final bill.

[UCFRoadWarrior]

The cloiture vote was already taken...

[Cboldt]

-- Does the Senate still do a cloture vote that requires 60 to move to final vote? --

For this conference report, any senator can object to an agreement to vote at a time certain. That objection can be overcome with the passage of a "limit debate to 30 hours" cloture motion, which takes 60 senators in agreement in order to pass.

This "hold" of Corker's is, at most, a promise to object to a proffered unanimous consent agreement calling for a vote today or tomorrow. If Corker didn't object, some other GOP senator would have.

[quintr]

That’s what I heard. Need 60 votes for cloture.

And Reid just announced that Kennedy has taken ill and will not available to vote.

And we know how Gregg is going to vote.

That just leaves the turncoats — Specter, and the two Maine-iacs as defectors.

Don’t think they can get the 60 votes needed. Maybe, please God, this pork package will die.