Breaking: Reid to Force All Night Debate on Iraq

by: Matt Stoller

Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 14:57

So a bunch of blog posts went up asking Reid to force the Republicans to filibuster instead of just caving on not getting a 60 votes margin. I had been led to believe that movement on this was unlikely, but it's really intriguing what Bob Geiger just reported. Within the Senate caucus, there's genuine frustration with the Republicans on Iraq to the point where they are beginning to engage in aggressive theatrics to get their point across and hold the Republicans accountable.

Forcing his Republican colleagues to put up or shut up on the notion of an up-or-down vote, Senate Majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) just moments ago announced that he will immediately file a cloture motion on the Reed-Levin troop redeployment bill and, if Republicans follow through with a filibuster, will place the Senate in a prolonged all-night session Tuesday to force a true continuation of debate.
"Now, Republicans are using a filibuster to block us from even voting on an amendment that could bring the war to a responsible end," said Reid. "They are protecting the President rather than protecting our troops. They are denying us an up or down - yes or no - vote on the most important issue our country faces."

Apparently we're not the only ones frustrated that Republicans are blocking an end to the occupation. This doesn't quite go far enough, but it's fascinating. I wonder how much this is an independent move by a frustrated Reid, and how much it reflects what Senator Kent Conrad said earlier, which is that this is a developing consensus within the caucus.

Matt Stoller :: Breaking: Reid to Force All Night Debate on Iraq

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Breaking: Reid to Force All Night Debate on Iraq | 8 comments

Hoo-ahh! (0.00 / 0)

"Give 'em Hell, Harry."

"I just tell the truth . . . and they think it's Hell."

Rather late in the year, but the Democratic Party spine transplant may turn out successful.

by: whl @ Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 14:12:08 PM CDT

by: you @ soon

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Somehow deleted Reid's money quote: (0.00 / 0)

Said Reid today: "We don't have to mark time, waiting for the President to wake up one morning with a revelation. And we can choose that new path right now."

So, for all of the rethuglican fundagelicals, waiting for Bu$h xliii to hear the voice of god again--time's up!

by: whl @ Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 14:18:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

One Night is Not Enough (0.00 / 0)

if Republicans follow through with a filibuster, will place the Senate in a prolonged all-night session Tuesday to force a true continuation of debate

My question is, what happens after Tuesday night? The Republicans won't give up in one night. Unless Harry and Co. are ready to dig in their heels for the long haul this strategy will not work. One night of filibuster will be easily and accurately dismissed as political theater.

"Don't hate the media, become the media" -Jello Biafra

by: LandStander @ Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 14:30:24 PM CDT

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Do it again on another issue (0.00 / 0)

I think that for some of these bills, there will be diminishing returns on that particular issue. In particular, I don't see the return on media attention staying up for that one bill or issue, whatever it is.

I think it should be done once for the war, once for minimum wage, and once over one of the sets of investigations where BushCo is asserting executive privilege over things they have no business doing it for.

The meta message here is that there is a lot of good legislation that the GOP is blocking (and there is: they've used cloture as a technique some 40 times, IIRC).

by: mbayrob @ Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 15:21:26 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

It needs to be longer (0.00 / 0)

Is there a requirement for there to be a summer recess? This kind of stunt should be pulled just before the recess and continued indefinitely, eating into the recess if the Republicans refuse to allow a cloture vote. That's the kind of stunt that will get a response.

Forgotten Countries - a foreign policy-focused blog

by: Englishlefty @ Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 16:13:14 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Cots! Lots of cots! (4.00 / 1)

Word from a press secretary meeting on the Hill is that Democrats are going to be providing cots for the members to sleep on. Good news.
They don't actually need them, they've got great sofas in their offices, but the cots create a wonderful visual for the media. And that's the only way to make this effort work -- by making sure the media covers it like the political drama it is.

Wouldn't it be fun if, say, Robert Byrd snapped a photo of Russ Feingold in his pajamas, drooling on his cot, and leaked it to the media?

by: AdyBarkan @ Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 14:38:01 PM CDT

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Headlines (0.00 / 0)

With the track record the MSM have I wouldn't be surprised to find a headline, "Senator Byrd Pictures Feingold Drooling over Cot" or "Senator Byrd Snaps; Feingold Drools".

by: dmineau @ Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 15:33:30 PM CDT

[ Parent ]