As I blogged earlier, some Republicans have been (gasp) having bipartisan meetings behind McConnell’s back (naughty people, trying to do their jobs by representing their constituents). Here is further evidence that the dissatisfaction with McConnell’s scortched-earth partisanship is more wide-spread than the vote tallies may suggest.
Before John McCain cast his pivotal vote killing the “skinny” repeal last night, he and Lindsey Graham had this amusing exchange with Lisa Murkowski.
As Murkowski returns to her seat after casting her “no” vote to send the bill back to committee, John McCain gets her attention and shows her the same thumbs down he later gave casting his epic “no” vote. Lindsey Graham, who is seated next to McCain seems positively tickled and Murkowski approaches McCain and warmly grasps his shoulder in response, obviously sincerely moved. (Incidentally, as McCain voted “yes” on the committee motion and is before Murkowski it’s clear she understands what he intends to vote “no” on)
In fact, it appears that only the party leadership were taken off guard. As McCain approaches the clerk and a smiling McConnell to cast his vote, Bernie Sanders appears to nudge his neighbor to draw her attention to what McCain is about to do and Chuck Schumer has a restrained smile on his face.
Later, Amy Klobuchar, one of McCain’s friends in the Senate and a Democrat, admitted to a New York Times reporter that McCain had informed many Democrats about his intention to vote “no” prior to the vote.
Leader McConnell, you are losing the support of your own caucus. Democrats held hearings in 5 committees and over 60 hours of debate when they created the ACA despite having a filibuster-proof majority to make sure they knew what they were doing...and that it was worth the political repercussions. Now, your own colleagues are telling you they simply demand you do the same due diligence before you force them to vote on a piece of legislation on the record. The legislation you pushed for some meaningless partisan agenda was terrible for the people of this country, but what you did yesterday was unfair even to the people on your own “team”. For shame, does your cruelty know no bounds?
For those interested, PBS covered more of the action on the senate floor, including Diane Feinstein suddenly embracing John McCain as he spoke with the Democratic caucus and Senator Hirono’s uncharacteristically fiery speech minimizing her own cancer as no different than any other American’s health and sharing her sister’s death tragically not long before Japan adopted it’s (impressive) universal healthcare system in the 60s.