Comments (26)

CT Voter wrote on January 28, 2008 5:19 PM:

Hey, Specter actually came through.

Good for him.

And now that he's demonstrated his backbone, we can probably expect a return to the talking one way and voting another way behavior we've grown to know and loathe over the eyars....

magster wrote on January 28, 2008 5:20 PM:

Beside McCain, who else failed to vote at all?

Bruce Sims wrote on January 28, 2008 5:21 PM:

Did it seem to you that Landrieu initially voted 'no' then changed to 'aye'?

TexModDem wrote on January 28, 2008 5:24 PM:

Wow! Obama finally showed up for an important vote and actually voted something other than "present."

Good for him.

Now, where's that consensus bipartisan legislation to bring the troops home that he has emphatically stated he can produce due to his belief in hope, desire for change, and ability to forge a consensus with anyone at anytime on any issue?

Will wrote on January 28, 2008 5:25 PM:

You're right Bruce- I think she switched her vote. At least thats what I saw...

Anonymous wrote on January 28, 2008 5:26 PM:

Yes I heard Landrieu change her vote.

Stuart wrote on January 28, 2008 5:26 PM:

Yes, Landrieu did flip her vote after it was clear that the republicans weren't going to get their 60 votes.

Randy Robinson wrote on January 28, 2008 5:28 PM:

I'm surprised and pleased that Salazar did the right thing here.

lestatdelc wrote on January 28, 2008 5:29 PM:

Anyone got a link to the actual roll call on this one?

Want to see how Gordon Smith voted.

Dusty wrote on January 28, 2008 5:35 PM:

YAY! Good news on Monday is always welcome, no matter how small it is.

Youffraita wrote on January 28, 2008 5:39 PM:

I'm with CT Voter, but since Arlen's one of my senators, maybe all those emails helped keep him honest this time.

Where are you watching this? Just went to C-Span's website and they're running Davos stuff and other filler on the channel that's supposed to be the Senate.

oleeb wrote on January 28, 2008 5:41 PM:

Ya'll really ought to provide the yeas and nays for all those voting on these kinds of stories. It would really be nice.

lestatdelc wrote on January 28, 2008 5:43 PM:

So the extension cloture vote also failed... now what?

The current (i.e. "new") FISA law will expire Friday and revert to the old FISA law.

Does that hand the GOP their talking point?

Ben wrote on January 28, 2008 5:50 PM:

http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/a_three_sections_with_teasers/votes.htm

Mr Furious wrote on January 28, 2008 5:52 PM:

The current (i.e. "new") FISA law will expire Friday and revert to the old FISA law.

You mean the perfectly acceptable, constitutional, and legal means to get a warrant after the fact that has pretty much never been denied?

How does this hurt our security?

Oh, there's oversight... I see.

slb wrote on January 28, 2008 5:55 PM:

On the theory that it is just as important to reward good behavior as to punish bad, I would encourage the readers here to contact Sen. Specter and thank him for breaking ranks with his party to do the right thing.

GMFORD wrote on January 28, 2008 5:58 PM:

This is good news - and except for the few DINO's the Dems made a good show of solidarity.

mcc wrote on January 28, 2008 6:00 PM:

Now we're on to the question of whether an extension will be passed. We'll have more on that in a moment.

Can you explain the following comment on Glenn Greenwald's site?

The vote on the Motion for Cloture on the 30-day extension (i.e., to proceed to a vote on it) just failed... Thus, at least as of today, there will be no 30-day extension of the PAA and it will expire on Friday.

Reid, however, indicated that it was certain that the House will vote in favor of an extension tomorrow,

Does Glenn have some information you guys don't and the Senate has indeed passed up on the chance for an extension? Or did he just get confused watching CSPAN?

mcc wrote on January 28, 2008 6:01 PM:

...uh... paragraphs one, three, and four in that last post were meant to have been quotes, but apparently I fail at HTML.

Bruce Sims wrote on January 28, 2008 6:02 PM:

Spector voted 'nay' not in objection to the bill but because the fellow RePubs would not allow his and Whitehouse's amendment to be voted on AND becuase the 'powers that be' ruled it as 'not germane',which it obviously was.

moondancer wrote on January 28, 2008 6:13 PM:

re: Specter Vote

Yeah but he so seldom does the right thing, that even for the wrong reason it's an improvemnet.

judyinnm wrote on January 28, 2008 6:13 PM:

Fine, pass the extension, let jr veto it, and then let it lie, never to see the light of day again. As a campaign issue, the Democrats were willing to continue the abuse of the Fourth Amendment; but Bush and the Republicans refused.

Who are the heroes?

kilroy the meh. wrote on January 28, 2008 6:17 PM:

Way to go everyone on getting out and calling senators! I called mine twice and he....

didn't vote. Way to go Bill Nelson.

BBpd wrote on January 28, 2008 7:17 PM:

Nice work Demos. That strange lump you may suddenly feel between your legs is called "balls".

CindyKay wrote on January 29, 2008 9:01 AM:

It's About Time they grew some BALLS!
Now lets get to Work & Use Your Newly Found BALLS!

3reddogs wrote on January 29, 2008 10:21 AM:

When I read Specter's name I fell off my chair. That has to be the first time in recent memory that he's actually backed up his rhetoric with a vote!!