« Dumbest soundbite eva. . . | Main | Decisions. . . Decisions. . . »

November 1, 2005

Democrat stunt. . .(audio added)

The Democrats have moved the Senate into a Closed Session to try and make news.

In the middle of a budgetary debate that was moving in the direction of "drastically" cutting Federal Spending, Minority Leader Reid forced the Senate into closed session. Majority Leader Frist characterizes the move as a "stunt" to try and bring up a pre-war intelligence matter. Apparently Ried is using the "stunt" to try to get attention focused on the Valerie Plame/Joe Wilson issue.

I guess they're just mad that the Libby indictment has been moved off the front page.

Updates to come. . .

--Jason

UPDATE: C-Span 2 is reporting that Democrats may decide to use this Closed Session option in the Senate rules, EVERY DAY, until they feel they're satisfied. So there you have it, it's a publicity stunt!

UPDATE 2: I captured the audio of Harry Reid's speech on the floor, before he moved to go into Closed Session, essentially he makes many claims, many of which are re-hashed partisan talking points. He then moved into closed session to avoid any further debates or comments by other members on the floor, this was nothing but an ambush. I'm uploading the audio now, it'll be available in a few minutes.

UPDATE 3: Majority Leader Frist points out that this move is designed to "push you out" (referring to the media) and to "push out the American people" from the Senate.

UPDATE 4: Here's the relevant Senate Rule for entering into closed session. Further proving this is a "stunt", Reid knew that it wasn't a matter of just closing the doors and removing the media. The entire Senate chamber has been thrown into an uproar, the room has to be cleared, secured, swept for electronic devices, all microphones and recording devices have to be removed. This process takes time, exactly the amount of time that Reid needed to get his press releases sent out and his talking heads in a row.

UPDATE 5: C-Span2 is reporting that there won't be any actual discussion in the closed session, he just made everyone jump through procedural hoops and draws all the media to into attendence. C-Span 2 expects that open session will begin shortly. It's 3:07 Central right now.

UPDATE 6: Harry Reid's floor statement calling for a Closed Session (audio only - 58 megs - sorry about the size, I was caught off guard and grabbed it as quick as I could without any means to streamline the capture or make it smaller. You may want to right click and "Save As. . . ")

STOP the ACLU has more and is rounding up much of the discussion. They also agree that the timing of this has much to do with the Alito nomination knocking the Libby indictment for "lying about a crime that was never committed" off the front page. Keep grasping at straws Dems, keep grasping at straws. Don't worry, the Republicans will keep running the country while you whine and cry in the corner and don't offer anything other than stunts, poorly attended rallies and useless whines and rants about the evils of Conservative America.

--JC

Posted by JasonColeman at November 1, 2005 1:53 PM