Reid, Pelosi Swearing Match Over Omnibus

Politico: Heated, Profane Exchanges Took Place Between Democrats After Spending Bill Didn't Reach 60 Votes In Senate

(The Politico)  This story was written by David Rogers.

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After an angry, swearing late night meeting among top Democrats, Congress voted Friday to give itself another five days to try to complete a long-overdue omnibus spending bill that had become a growing embarrassment for party leaders and President Barack Obama.

Senate Democrats had abruptly pulled back Thursday night after finding themselves one vote short of the 60 needed to cut off debate. The action infuriated Speaker Nancy Pelosi so much that the California Democrat wanted to abandon the $409.6 billion measure and instead push through a stripped-down continuing resolution to keep the government operating through Sept. 30.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) and his deputy, Majority Whip Richard Durbin (D.-Ill.) were called to Pelosi’s office late Thursday night and ultimately prevailed in their argument that Democrats should try to salvage the bill, which includes critical spending increases for vital agencies. But the heated, sometimes profane, exchanges were described as “ugly” by Democrats on both sides of the Capitol. Staff, kicked out in the hall, could hear the yelling, and Pelosi herself seemed a little abashed the next day, joking that nothing her leadership could say to her now would match the night before.

The speaker’s anger was directed primarily at Senate Republicans, who withheld their support even when they had substantial interests in the measure. Pelosi feels that Republicans are gaming the Democrats, who have to be tougher in turn by forcing them to live with the consequences of what she sees as obstruction.

The speaker’s scorched earth alternative, killing the omnibus, was too much for some in her own leadership. But Pelosi’s anger is shared by many House Democrats along with the fear that the Senate debate is being dragged out by Republicans as part of a concerted campaign to pummel Obama even as the young president tries to keep the nation focused on his economic agenda and budget going forward.

With funding running out Friday, Pelosi finally called her members back to Washington to pass the five day extension on a 328-58 vote. Ironically enough, this came after a 218-160 vote in which Democrats killed a Republican alternative that would have cut about $17 billion from the omnibus and come closer to the stripped down alternative the speaker herself had been threatening.

By prior agreement, the Senate cleared the House bill immediately, but Reid still has a climb ahead as he works toward another attempt at cloture Tuesday night. He has promised Republicans about a dozen amendments, but his challenge is to defeat each so the omnibus measure can go straight onto the White House.

The whole episode left Obama exposed to another weekend of Republican calls on television news shows, demanding that he veto the package which contains thousands of parochial projects for members of both parties.

Thus far, the White House has refused to give in, citing the importance of the measure to major agencies, now frozen at last year’s spending levels. But going forward, Obama is under pressure to better spell out his policy toward earmarks, either in the form of tighter caps or singling out individual projects to be denied funding.

“Discretion is the better part of valor,” Reid quipped when abruptly pulling back from the vote Thursday night.. But for a man so skilled at counting votes, there were ample warning flags that he was rushing events.

Behind the scenes, Reid had to struggle with one in his own leadership, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), who was upset with Cuba-related provisions in the bill. Efforts were under way to try to win back the New Jersey Democrat with a letter from Treasury addressing his concerns, but these appear to have been unsuccessful.

The bigger dynamic was on the Republican side, where Minority Whip John Kyl (R.-Ariz.) appeared to play a greater than usual role in pulling back votes from the Democrats.

Reid cmplained privately that a last minute Republican switch left him exposed after announcing the 8:15 p.m. vote. But in an interview with POLITICO earlier in the day, Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran, the ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee and someone working with Democrats to pass the bill, had predicted more time -and an extension-would be needed.

Part of the confusion may be explained by the fact that so many top senators, including Reid, spent so much of Thursday at a White House summit on health care reform. The normal face-to-face floor exchanges didn’t happen until the evening, and the episode reflects the strain on Democrats- so busy looking forward with Obama’s agenda that they can trip over their own.

In fact, a solid bloc of Republicans-including some in the party leadership-are prepared to help pass the bill but remain shy of voting with Democrats until their colleagues have had a chance to offer more amendments.

[dougnshannon]

refusal to veto a bill filled with earmarks and wasteful spending, i.e. $1.7 million for pig odor research in Iowa Posted by nativeflower-2009 at 2:55 PM : Mar 9, 2009
**************************
lol!!! ***?

[nativeflower-2009]

refusal to veto a bill filled with earmarks and wasteful spending, i.e. $1.7 million for pig odor research in Iowa and $150,000 for a rodeo museum in South Dakota (as much as i like animals and cowboys, this is an unnecessary use of federal taxes)

what happened to "c-h-a-n-g-e" ...it's politics as usual. nothing new, nothing "c-h-a-n-g-e-d"

[wvu74621]

I would like to see Congress get into a good old fashined knock down drag out, like they do in some other countries. Ive seen them on TV they are hilarious.. Maybe it would wake them up!

[wvu74621]

Bi-Partisanship? The Democrats can not even get along in their own ranks. What makes anyone think things will be different in a congress that has been controlled by Dems for 21/2 years, adding Mr Obama to the mix has made it total chaos.

[wvu74621]

Lets just get this one item straight....The former President, George Bush didn't make "mistakes" as you put it.....he committed criminal acts while in office and has conspired with energy companies to take over the country.

Posted by netjunkie1 at 3:07 PM : Mar 8, 2009

The Bush card is dated. Get over it, he is gone! Put your aluminum foil hats on and sit in the corner and wait like a mushroom. There are more lies coming to fertilize your conspiracy theories, only this time you only have the Chosen one to blame.

[GODSnLIBERALS]

alley thugs in suits...the DNC

[honestindividual]

Gee...the second coming of Christ just took place on January 20, and already Reid and Pelosi are screaming at each other, each trying to be the first one to make sure the USA becomes a true third-world country! Don't worry, it's happening. I have to admit that it's entertaining if nothing else; here's Nobama, with a huge deficit on his hands, so what does he do? He prints several trillion dollars in new "money" and says that will save us!Any economist can tell you that, if you increase the money supply by say 10%, then the actual purchasing power of the currency already in circulation goes DOWN by 10%...so much for the "free ride".

[philabias]

ISNT IT FUNNY THAT THE DEM LEADRERSHIP IS FIGHTING OVER WHO WILL BE BLAMED FOR THE CRASH OF THE GOV. THERE STIMULAS WAS BLEACH TO THE ECONOMY AND NOW THEY SEE THE WRITING ON THE WALL THEY HAVE GIVEN THEMSELFS RAISES AND BONUSES AND NO ONE POINTED OUT THAT WITH AMERICAS ECONOMY LOSING SO MUCH THAT IT DOES NOT COME CLOSE TO SUPPORTING oBAMA. LOOK AND SEE HOW SMALL YOUR NEST EGG IS AND RELIZE THAT THE GOVS DROPED MORE THAN YOURS DID BUT THEY GAVE THEMSELFS MORE MONEY THAN BUSH SPENT OF 8 YEARS OF WAR. WHAT DID YOU EXSPECT AMERICA. WE HAVE BAILED OUT CALIFORNIA MORE TIMES THAN aig AND IT KEEPS UP LOSING MONEY AND OBAMA IS NOW DOING THE SAME TO THE WHOLE COUNTRY
VOTE FOR CHANGE DID YOU( WELL JUST LIKE THE PALESTIANS VOTING FOR HAMAS VOTEING IRRESPONSABLE MAKES ALL YOUR WEALTH GO BY BY.

I can't keep up with the bloggers but it is apparent by looking at the wisdom, language and mentality that Congress represents the lot of them. Maybe that is why we are in trouble. Lets get all the "bloggers" out of Congress and replace them with intelligent life.

Name calling and blame! There is plenty to fill both sides of the isle. I voted for change and hope that our congress might rise above the sophomorish garbage that bloggers take comfort in and begin to run the country. Alas Congresspersons are just like us, short on knowledge and long on the need for conflict. Just because one president made mistakes doesn't mean the next won't. Go Country Western---you start walking my way and I'll start walking your way--we will meet in the middle---! Those who insist it is "My way or the highway" please leave my country and get off my president(S) backs and insist congress pay their taxes, ascribe to honesty and listen to the needs of the country.

[tucano2]

Yell, Scream, E-Mail, Fax, Phone "your" Senator and insist E-Verify be included in every piece of legislation. Elected employees of yours like Pelosi, Reid, Feinstein, Boxer and others (are they all Communist Anti-Americans?) are working hard to put Americans on the bread line and illegals on the job line so all can be manipulated and controlled. Revolt, Rebel, RECALL.

[heliocracy]

liberalsick, you talk a lot, but don't say much. Could it be that you're a conservative because that's the default position for people that know nothing about politics and especially economics? Ever wonder why the states with the lowest education levels are solidly conservative, while those with the highest educational achievement are the most solidly liberal?

So, you hate liberalism, eh? Well I'm afraid that comes with a certain responsibility to be true to your beliefs. First, you must forget everything you learned in public school, and refuse to take Social Security in your retirement beyond what you put in. Prepare to work in a place where your employer doesn't have to be safe, and prepare to be fired when you get hurt. Since you've been fired, you can't take unemployment, so you should go ahead and send your nine-year-old child to work in the factory. You won't be able to afford health care either, and Medicare is definitely not an option, so you probably won't live long anyway. Maybe you'll need a minimum-wage job, but you must work for less than that...whatever your employer is willing to give. You can't drive on public roads, though, so it''s going to be hard to get to any job. Maybe you could open a business, but no, because the top 1% of wealthy people control all the capital in the country. Well, it looks like it's the cardboard box in the shantytown for you...why should you live better than those in Brazil or India? Eat your roaches and rats and be proud that you live in a great conservative paradise.

Politics is one of those subjects that very few people know anything about, but nearly everyone considers themselves an expert whose opinions are beyond question. If everything you know about politics came from a politician, website, pundit, or your parents, you don't know 1/100th of what you need to in order to evaluate any public policy. If you can't name one way in which the "other" party's efforts or beliefs have made the country or the world a better place, then you don't know enough to proffer an opinion. If you never disagreed with your own party, or agreed with the opposite party, then your so-called opinion means nothing by definition. If the main thrust of your argument is calling names, then we're all better off not hearing from you. Most importantly, if you don't realize that the truth lies somewhere in between the Republicans and the Democrats, then you're simply a fool.

[liberalsick]

I laugh every time I read anything by the Obama Kool Aid drinking liberal demos. They throw figures around like their an off spring of Einstein. Our whole economy has been in a downward spiral since it was apparent that the messiah would be the demo nominee and when elected on Nov. 4th, everything has headed south. The only thing Bush did wrong in Iraq was not completely leveling the whole dump and let them start over. When the great one pulls out from there, watch all Hell break loose. He wants to start his own war In Afghanistan just to prove how great he thinks he is. The Demo congress has to be the true example of stupidity and how long have they been in control now? But I,m sure he will send a letter to the Russian leaders for their help. He reminds me of an old saying in the flying profession: ALL FLAPS AND NO THROTTLE! And, I hope all you KOOL AID drinkers enjoy all the taxes your messiah will levy on you. Talk is cheap demos! Of course your all in la la land. To much KOOL AID.

[ameroseas]

Wow, doesn't sound like Pelosi or Reid are having much fun right now... but neither one is King or Queen of the universe... I love the founding Fathers! God bless America!!

[bajajohn1]

McCain is grandstanding over 1% of the budget. What a total obstructionist loser that old McSenile has devolved into becoming. Wait until the midterms and we will throw every single hypocritcal Republican under the bus. That, of course, means all of them.

[bajajohn1]

Frankly, the best decision is to shut the government down, except for the military. Maybe that way the Republicans will be seen by the entire country and the world for the pissant obstructionist they truly are. One gets very ill, very quickly over their infantile BS. Over 40% of the earmarks in that package are sponsored by Republicans. Every member of the Congress probably has one tucked in there. What is truly disturbing is the high level of hypocrisy by the Republican hypocrites. Wish we could have fired every last one of them last election.

[sfrose99]

PROFANE? Please! BUSHCO has left the building, we are all adults. What does God or swearing have to with it? IF it does... then call it swearing, not "Profane" because not all of the world gives a damn. It's the ISSUES that matter. Pursing our lips and puckering our butts went OUT with BushCo & Cheney... It's hypocritical.

[engineer1503]

Funny how the Republicans here forget that this is the GW Bush leftover budget.

Ried and Pelosi should let the Government stop, just like Bill Clinton did. Then Republican hypocrits would be screaming because their pork was dead.

[starleo146]

I don't feel Republicans are being obstructionists because of Obama. It's really Pelosi's fault. She set the tone from day one and basically said to the Republicans my way or the highway. She didn't include them early in the process of creating the $787B stimulus package. I think the woman has let her ego get the best of her.
Posted by pizzanick at 12:36 PM : Mar 7, 2

This happened in the Senate Pelosi is Speaker of the House not but 178 republicans there all can pass the house if some dems don't turn coat

[starleo146]

What about Reid if you think Pelosi is bad, he lets them all run over him where is Al Franken I thought he won is the republican pulling a bush this is disgraceful