Thursday 10 July 2008

Welcome Back Teddy!

Ted Kennedy has returned to the Senate - to a very warm reception from his colleagues.



So glad to have you back Teddy.

UPDATE: And by the way, his return was no mere symbolic gesture - according to Paul Kane of the Washington Post:

Kennedy's return to the chamber yesterday was really something special. Republicans and Democrats alike cheered him on, and GOP senators such as Kay Bailey Hutchison were just awe struck. Plain and simple, Kennedy turned that vote around. They had 59 votes without Kennedy, he showed up and gave them 60 -- the number needed to pass the bill -- and as soon as Republicans like Hutchison realized the bill was passing they lined up to vote yes. They wanted to be on the winning side. Thinking of the Senate like a basketball game, Kennedy scored 10 points yesterday. His arrival meant 10 votes, taking it from 59 votes to 69 votes. I've never seen anything like it in the 8 years that I've now closely covered the Senate.

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