The Not-so All-Night Debate on Iraq

The United States Senate is the world’s greatest deliberative body, and last night they debated a motion to begin troop withdrawals from Iraq.

But it turned out not to be quite the extravaganza we were promised, according to Shailagh Murray, Paul Kane and Debbi Wilgoren in the Washington Post. 

Reid, the majority leader, initially had threatened to schedule votes throughout the predawn hours. But he agreed shortly after midnight to delay even procedural votes until 5 a.m. That meant most senators could grab a few hours of shut-eye, so long as a few remained in the chamber[.]

Sen. Reid went to bed and a handful of senators kept the debate going, alternating Republican and Democratic throughout the night. 

That’s the way the WaPo reported it.  At The Captain’s Quarters, Ed Morrissey wrote about calling Majority Leader Reid’s bluff.  According to Morrissey Reid figured that Republicans would call for a quorum and when it failed would go home for the night and allow Reid to accuse Republicans of “dodging the debate.”  Instead, Republicans showed up for debate and Reid went home.

The overnight session has done nothing except to annoy Republicans into a more unified caucus, and to make Harry Reid look like a fool. One might have expected a Senator from Nevada to recognize a busted flush when he saw it.

At least the MoveOn.org folks got their media event.