Methinks they are getting defensive, scared

[ChairmanAgnostic]

The GOP senators voted to prevent discussion of a NONBINDING resolution against the stupid surge, Bush's last gasp at confusing americans about Iraq.

Seeing GOPers talk about their vote, I detect a sense of fear, a defensive approach, as though an over-explanation might convince enough Americans that they should trust Bush one last time. And that as a corallary, finding fault with Dear Leader is unpatriotic and giving support to the enemy.

It is not working. Except for a rabid few, their arguments are falling on deaf ears and open eyes. Americans see it for what it is. A sham.

The GOPers know it, too. But they are doing their best to put lipstick on a pig and claim she is the sorority queen. The Alaskan Senator tried to sound calm, reasonable, but her demeanor was one of fear, insecurity and knowledge that the axe is about to fall.

[BOSSHOG]

1. In private moments

gop senators are cussing bush. He is the root of all their evil and their failures. Why they feel a need to side with him now is beyond comprehension. I'm enjoying them squirm. Many say the dems are in disarray and are rattling their cages. I say sit back and enjoy the gop senators attempt to provide bush with a dance partner. Purely pathetic. I hope they don't retreat from their failed course. Put the gop in permanent minority status and spend the next 20 years blaming bush who will be soon be snorting cocaine at his ranch in Paraquay.

[Igel]

2. They voted against cloture.

Unsurprisingly, the newspapers managed to get it precisely backwards in an important sense. Formally, the motion to end debate failed.

By having the cloture vote fail as the repubs wanted, debate continues in theory--but only in theory, since the motion is considered dead, the motion is tabled, and debate de facto concludes.

By having the cloture vote pass as the dems wanted, debate would have been ended and they would have proceeded to a vote.

One could could say the repubs killed debate by voting to continue debate, but had the motion passed one could more justifiably say dems killed debate by voting to end debate.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. stuff like this reminds me

that form has won out over function in both houses.

that "I reserve the remainded of my 30 seconds" crap and the contrarian irrational vote here is enough to piss off your average american.

[Blue_In_AK]

3. Apparently, Lisa Murkowski, Alaska's senator,

has been agonizing quite a bit about this, according to an article in the Anchorage Daily News over the weekend. Alaska has a very large military presence, and she, at least, seems to have a bit of a conscience about what's been going on.

The article is archived, but here's the first paragraph

For Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and many other senators, this week looms as one of the most agonizing of their careers as they debate whether to vote against President Bush's war in Iraq. "It's something that is consuming my thoughts," said Murkowski, a Republican who's up for re-election in 2008, and whose home-state Army unit from Fort Richardson has suffered ghastly losses recently.

I have no hope for Ted Stevens, however.