Desk Jockeying in the Senate Creates a Hotbed of Intrigue

Wall Street Journal ^ | jan 8, 2003 | JACKIE CALMES

[The Raven]

WASHINGTON -- For the 435 members of the House of Representatives, seating is unassigned. In the Senate, it's a different story -- lots of stories.

All 100 senators get their own desks in the Senate chamber, and who sits at which one and why is hardly random. As with most things in the Senate, the seating chart reflects seniority, politics, sometimes pettiness and even poignancy. With the opening of the 108th Congress Tuesday, a biennial scramble begins -- both for locations close to the front of the chamber and for particular desks.

[Consort]

[The Raven]

[martin_fierro]

Right.

Like Teddy Kennedy is gonna fit in that. <|:)~

[bimbo]

Seems like a lot of petty nonsense to me. Someone needs to tell these clowns that the country has more serious problems.

[RWG]

First thing came to my mind was my kindergartners.

[xsmommy]

they also have candy stocked in those desks, according to their individual tastes....

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

How does Hillary's cauldron fit on that bookshelf?

[xsmommy]

you just know she can't have any good candy in her desk, probably SOURBALLS or something.

[Wrigley]

Well, at least now we know why nothing gets done in the Senate.

[banjo joe]

Seems like a good example of the "classless society" to me. Dachas on the Potomac?

[Tijeras_Slim]

Why does the phrase "Deck chairs on the Titantic" come to mind?

[Carolinamom]

Are the Independents, Sanders and Jeffords, desks out in the hall?

[saminfl]

When was Nixon a Senator?

[CyberAnt]

These guys think way toooooooo highly of themselves.

[jjm2111]

How ridiculous. What children!