Posted on 02/13/2009 4:40:39 PM PST by bimboeruption
The White House is providing a government plane for Sen. Sherrod Brown to return to the Capitol for the vote tonight and then get back to Mansfield for his mother's funeral in the morning.
Today's visitation ends at 8 p.m. There were no commercial flights available that could accommodate the Senate's schedule and Brown's obligations to be with his family and honor his mother, officials said. The trip is considered official business.
Assuming that Republicans will vote no differently from last time, it will take every available Democratic senator tonight to win final passage of the $789 billion economic stimulus package. But two things complicate the calculus -- leaving Ohio's Sherrod Brown in a spot that is getting attention.
His mother, Emily Campbell Brown, died recently. The funeral is tomorrow, and calling hours are today, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. In Mansfield.
The Senate vote on the stimulus bill is scheduled around 7 p.m.
So Brown has to leave Mansfield as soon as he can, catch a plane to Washington and be at the Capitol to vote. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will hold it open as long as necessary for Brown to return.
Brown's vote appears to be essential, because it will take 60 votes to cut off debate and conclude the matter. Remember the earlier Senate bill, before reconciliation with the House version, and how it passed with 61 votes?
That's because Ted Kennedy, a Democrat who has a malignant brain tumor, returned, and three Republicans joined the Democrats' support. But Kennedy is not expected to return tonight because of his health. So unless at least one other Republican joins in, the only way for the historic bill to pass is with Brown's vote.
Brown, who left for Ohio this morning, will make yet another round trip tonight. As soon as he can, he needs to get out of Washington again. His mother's funeral is tomorrow morning.
All on Taxpayer dime.
Talk about using our money to screw us.
They tried.
Shouldn’t Gregg be voting this time around, against the bill? He recused himself before, but he is no longer a member of the Obama administration.
Yea, but the sure do bitch when people who HONESTLY EARNED THE MONEY TO AFFORD IT use their own resources!. Just DAMN.
Maybe the pilot can accidentially land someplace in Austraila
60 votes are required since it involves deficit spending after the budget has been approved.
Would the White House have sent a private plane to fetch a Republican who was against the bill, so that he or she could make that vote?
“I’m surprised they didn’t drag Teddy Kennedy out of bed and fly him to DC.”
Maybe Teddy can drive Brown to D.C.?
That way we can be sure that neither will make it.
Somebody fill me in. I thought they only needed a simple majority on this and 60 votes were only required for cloture.
Doesn’t matter if Gregg votes No. Only the count of Ayes is important.
Thanks. You answered my later question.
Wow, he’s the Senate’s version of the ever so handsome Representative Waxman (Nostrazilla)
Duh, of course. How stupid of me.
It’s not OK for car/bank/insurance company/business executives to fly on private planes but it is OK for a Jackboot of Harry the Grey to get q free ride to destroy Liberty. I am sick to my stomach.
Oh boy, what drama, he could be a star if he voted no.
Oh yeah, he can’t ride on a regular plane like the rest of us, he has to ride on an uppity plane cause he deserves it.
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