Heavens! Did you hear the one about Harry Reid scuttling bipartisanship? The Washington Post's Dana Milbank is besides himself!
The Senate then moved to validate Washington's concern by taking up the jobs bill. The measure had been rolling toward swift and easy passage -- a tally of 80 votes had been anticipated -- because of a bipartisan deal negotiated between the top Democrat and Republican on the Finance Committee.
Wow! 80 votes in today's Senate? We don't get that kind of tally except when naming post offices! And all of it scuttled because Harry Reid didn't want bipartisanship! It was horrible!
But of course, Milbank offers no supporting evidence for that laughable claim. There's nothing to suggest mass support for that bill was in the offing, and in fact, it appears that Reid decided to gut the pork-laden bill, with its estate-tax gift to the Waltons, after Senate Republicans refused to commit to it.
The Baucus bill, which was estimated at $85 billion, included $31 billion in tax extenders that Reid has decided to leave out. A Senate Democratic leadership aide said Reid decided to drop the tax extenders after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) declined to endorse the Baucus package.
So where is Dana getting the 80-vote thing? Apparently, from the Senate GOP's press office.