86 Dems
The vast majority of Democrats in the House voted against the supplemental. It passed anyway, with near-unanimous support from Republicans. The final count was 280-142. 86 Democrats voted for the bill, and voted to co-own the war. Their names are here, and it's everyone you'd expect (though Debbie Wasserman-Schultz is a particularly surprising addition. Same with Joe Sestak and Tim Walz).
That you could pass a bill in Congress when only a little over 1/3 of the majority supports it shows you just how much of a cave this really was.
I think I've said everything that needs to be said. I appreciate those who voted against this blank check, and those who voted for it just bought themselves a war. The Senate should vote on this tonight.
UPDATE: Is there nothing that John Boehner won't cry about? Mr. Tough Guy Daddy Party Majority leader set the water works flowing during the floor debate. He did the same thing in February. I thought the GOP was supposed to be tough. This guy wets the bed, literally, with any talk of Al Qaeda (who, by the way, isn't the major actor in Iraq, so stop lying).
Don't tell me the Republicans wouldn't run ads of a leading Democrat crying on the House floor and call him a wuss and a Nancy boy. Of course, the Dems can't do that because it was their own goddamn bill.
UPDATE II: 80-14 in the Senate. Obama and Clinton both vote NO, along with Dodd, Kerry, Sanders, Leahy, Feingold, and others. Biden, yes. Durbin, yes. Reid, yes. Klobuchar, yes. It was a bloodbath.
Congratulations, Democrats, you own the war. And now that there's no difference on that issue between you and the Republicans, prepare to lose seats in 2008.
Labels: Congress, Democrats, emergency supplemental, Iraq, John Boehner
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