UPDATED 7:34 pm EST
This really says it all.
UPDATED 7:15 pm EST
That wasn’t a long-shot vote. That was an exercise in punishment.
The Senate has voted, and a productive and bipartisan measure has failed. Reid gave Landrieu a chance to vote “yea” on an energy bill, and Durbin made moves to insulate Democrats should anyone try to hold a member of his caucus accountable for an “anti-environment” vote. Reid’s “strategy” on Keystone XL was designed to fail, and everyone—including Mary Landrieu—knew it.
This may be the end of Landrieu’s tenure in the Senate, but it’s not the end of the road for Keystone. “Tonight, Senate Democrats once again stood in the way of a shovel-ready jobs project that would help thousands of Americans find work — a remarkable stance after an election in which the American people sent a clear message to Congress to approve serious policies like the Keystone XL Pipeline and get the Senate working again,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in a statement following the vote. “Unfortunately, many Senate Democrats failed to hear that message. But once the 114th Congress convenes, the Senate will act again on this important legislation, and I look forward to the new Republican majority taking up and passing the Keystone jobs bill early in the New Year.”
Anyone who watched the C-SPAN feed during the vote noticed something interesting—the rest of her caucus avoided Landrieu like she was surrounded by a forcefield. Many pundits have enjoyed the “Reid is giving her a chance to redeem her candidacy” narrative, but let’s not pretend this was anything more than Democrats going through the motions and then pulling the rug out from under yet another lost cause.
Democrats have lost their majority; all they’ve got going for them is their support for a lame duck President who has done nothing but tank their approval ratings—which is still more productive than supporting an increasingly toxic member of their caucus whose vote can’t put them into the majority anyway.
George Will said just now on Special Report with Bret Baier, “I think she was going to lose anyway, and she’s certainly going to lose now.”
UPDATE: Bill fails 59-41. Sgt at arms currently attempting to restore order in the gallery.
Vote expected at 5:50 pm ET.
It’s been a dramatic day on the floor of the Senate, as Senators on both sides of the Keystone debate do their best to sway votes and win the approval of voters in their respective states.
Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) just wrapped up her final plea for the votes needed to send the pipeline project out of the Senate and to the President’s desk for approval. Analysts believe that she has secured 59 “yea” votes, and is currently seeking the necessary 60th vote to pass the measure.
Landrieu’s bill is identical to one (sponsored by her challenger, Bill Cassidy–the humanity!) passed 252-161-1 by the House last week. Only 31 Democrats crossed the aisle to support the House bill, and the success of today’s measure could depend on the support of Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) who as of yet has refused to pledge his vote.
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