All Blog Posts from Couric & Co.

A nineteenth century American poet named James Russell Lowell once wrote, "Compromise makes a good umbrella, but a poor roof."

If that pithy quote proves true, the health care reform bill headed for the Senate floor is about to get all wet.

Senator Harry Reid made the decision to advance a bill including a public option - well sort of. It would create a government plan to serve as competition for private insurance companies - but it allows states to opt out.

The very existence of the option in the bill makes it a tough sell. No Republicans will support it. Neither will Independent Senator Joe Lieberman, and even some moderate Democrats are now on the fence.

But if there is a public plan at all, experts say it will be more effective in negotiating lower prices if it's truly national.

Without the 60 votes necessary to block a filibuster, this bill may end up on the ground - like a broken umbrella after a storm.

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News

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Much will be said about Senator Edward Moore Kennedy in the days and weeks to come as Americans look back on his life and celebrate his legacy.

I’ll always remember when he took me on a tour of his beloved Boston, and it was clear from everyone who crossed his path he was revered as much as the Old North Church.

He will be remembered for his ability to turn political foes into friends, his gift for hammering out compromises that changed lives and gave a voice to society's disenfranchised. The Kennedy family lived by the motto "to those whom much is given much is expected."

At times expectations were low for the youngest Kennedy son, and he made his fair share of mistakes. But he evolved from a callow young man to an elder statesman of immeasurable strength and unwavering commitment.

He may not have been a perfect man, but his life's work was improving an imperfect world.
And for that we are eternally grateful.

That's a page from my notebook.

I'm Katie Couric, CBS News.

Katie's on assignment. I'm Kelly Wallace.

You know the feeling - you open a credit card bill and see a balance that looks more like the national debt.

In the past six months, an estimated 10 million Americans have seen their interest rates double or even triple, often retroactively. Others have been hit with over-the-limit penalties because the bank lowered their credit line, or paid late fees because the due date was a Sunday, and the bank was closed.

Well, a bill being debated in the Senate this week would change that. Customers who pay on time could see their rates go down, and some of those annoying fees would disappear. A similar bill has already passed the House.

Banks are in business to make a profit. Customers should expect penalties when they don't play by the rules, but banks should play fairly, too. After spending billions of taxpayer dollars bailing them out, many customers feel they deserve a little credit.


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In a scene like no other on Capitol Hill, the man appointed to fill Barack Obama's old Senate seat showed up today, and was quickly shown the door.

Senate leaders don't want to seat Roland Burris because he was appointed by disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, even though Burris did nothing wrong.

For now, they're relying on a technicality - that the Illinois secretary of state never certified the appointment. But many legal experts think Burris would prevail in court.

Former comedian Al Franken wasn't sworn in either, because Republicans are challenging his 225-vote lead out of almost three million cast in Minnesota's Senate race.

The battle over that seat could take weeks. The fight in Illinois could drag on for months. With our economy in such bad shape, Congress has a full agenda, starting with Mr. Obama's stimulus package. This is one distraction neither he nor the Senate needs right now.

Chip Reid is Capitol Hill correspondent for CBS News.

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Sen. Ted Kennedy, accompanied by Barack Obama, walked onto the Senate floor today to a thunderous standing ovation from Democrats and Republicans alike. Kennedy, who is undergoing chemotherapy for a brain tumor, returned to Washington to vote in favor of a Medicare bill, that would avert a rate cut for doctors.

The bill passed.

Kennedy's wife, Victoria, wiped away tears as she watched from the Senate gallery. She was joined by Caroline Kennedy, daughter of Sen. Kennedy's brother, President John F. Kennedy.

At one point a beaming Sen. Kennedy looked up and waved to his wife from the Senate floor. When he voted, he shouted "aye!" with both thumbs up. Kennedy's son, Rep. Patrick Kennedy, joined the bipartisan mob of Senators who surrounded Kennedy, patting him on the back and taking turns shaking his hand, welcoming him back to the Senate.

Jill Jackson is a Capitol Hill field producer for CBS News.

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Sen. Barack Obama stepped into a swarm of superdelegates this morning when he visited the House of Representatives in the middle of a vote. Obama stayed on the floor for almost half an hour visiting with both Democrats and Republicans who looked completely star struck.

Even Speaker Nancy Pelosi left her weekly press briefing and made a beeline for the House floor to say hello. And the Capitol Hill press corps surrounded the House Chamber to catch him on his way out and fire questions about such an unusual move for a presidential candidate, even if he is a senator.

"I wasn't campaigning, I was just saying hello to everybody," Obama said.

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Chip Reid is Capitol Hill correspondent for CBS News.

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Senn. John McCain was the center of attention when he made a rare appearance on the Senate floor this morning. Republican colleagues took turns – a couple even waited in line – to shake his hand and pat him on the back. He spent alot of time in serious conversation with some of his strongest supporters – Republican Senators Tom Coburn, John Thune, Richard Burr, (recently quoted as saying he'd be interested in the VP job), Kay Bailey Hutchison, Mel Martinez, Sam Brownback (who could be heard facetiously bragging about how he rallied the vote for McCain in Kansas, where McCain got crushed by Huckabee), Susan Collins, Saxby Chambliss.

Two fun moments (if only we had the floor bugged!):

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With the critical midterm elections now just hours away, CBS News producer Steve Chaggaris gives us a preview of the preparations underway over at the Senate desk. -- Ed.

As political candidates wrap up months of campaigning, those of us following the Senate races here at CBS News are wrapping up months of preparation for our big night on Tuesday.

CBS News National Political Correspondent Gloria Borger and a team of three producers, myself included, are working the Senate desk for the Evening News and for our two Election Night specials in prime-time tomorrow night. And we’re spending today and all of tomorrow just outside CBS’ Studio 47 in New York City - the home of the Evening News newsroom - finalizing all of our research and potential scenarios for what may happen in a series of tight races.

There’s a chance that the Democrats could take over the Senate for the first time in four years, if they can gain a net of six seats from the Republicans. Their chances, if you listen to pundits and polls over the past few weeks, have ranged from not-so-good to extremely possible. We’re preparing for the three possible scenarios: 1.) The Democrats will gain a net of six seats and take over control of the Senate; 2.) The Democrats will have a net gain of less than five seats and stay in the minority; and 3.) The Democrats will have a net gain of five and it will mean a 50-50 split in the Senate. In the third scenario, while the Republicans would still be in control of the Senate because Vice President Cheney would break any ties as President of the Senate...

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