Democrats, Republicans seek political gain in scheduling healthcare vote
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For those who thought that true bipartisanship would break out in the Senate as the Christmas holiday approaches, consider this exchange after Democrats won a cloture vote to shut off debate on the healthcare overhaul, 60-39.
Sen Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) rose to ask his colleagues to consider voting tonight on the main bill whose passage has been assured for days. After all, Democrats had demonstrated they could control 60 votes, the holidays were coming and a major snowstorm was hampering transportation in the Midwest.
“There have been a lot of conversations on this floor in the last couple of hours,” Harkin said. “There’s a lot of people who are really facing tough timetables tomorrow.’
“We’re all here, so there is really no reason to hold over the votes,” Harkin said asking for unanimous consent that the vote be held at 6 p.m.
“That request has not been cleared on this side of the aisle,’ Sen David Vitter (R-La.) said and objected.
“Then I further ask unanimous consent that the vote be held at 12:15 a.m. this morning,” Harkin tried.
“My response would be the same,” Vitter replied.
“Well I just want people to know who is keeping us here,” Harkin said, clearly relishing the dig.
Republicans then tried to get the vote put off to Jan. 20, an effort that Democrats easily shot down.
--Michael Muskal
