We should have some fireworks in the Senate this afternoon. Or not. It all depends on whether Mitch McConnell succeeds in blocking debate on a non-binding resolution. If he succeeds I guess we won’t see many fireworks. But if he fails then it will get very interesting.
The drama is to begin late this afternoon with a procedural vote on whether to move ahead with the debate. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) vowed Friday to try to block that, promising to rally his fractious party behind him.
The bipartisan resolution to be offered on the floor states that the Senate disagrees with the president’s plan and urges Bush to consider all other options for achieving his strategic goals.
Should resolution supporters clear their first obstacle, the Senate will move to an anticipated long series of votes on amendments. The big ones to watch include a Republican call for the immediate withdrawal of all troops, intended to put Democrats on the spot, and attempts by antiwar Democrats to strike certain provisions, including one opposing the termination of funding for troops in the field.
It is just like Republicans to initiate a vote on immediately withdrawing the troops. I am not a big fan of introducing amendments that you oppose. It’s an obnoxious trick. It shows that they are not taking our difficulties in Iraq seriously. They just want to give the President cover to stay the course by getting the Democrats to give bipartisan opposition to an immediate total withdrawal.
I’ll be interested to see which Democrats vote for terminating funding ‘for troops in the field’. I’m not sure that there will actually be an amendment that specifically calls for that. Should be an entertaining day for C-SPAN watching.
