New Start passes with 71 votes

[karynnj]

[Aramchek]

1. ahhh, you beat me to the punch

;)

[karynnj]

5. I think we tied

[nmbluesky]

2. Wow!!! 71!!!!!

What happen? Am I dreaming? how GOP become party of "YES"

[karynnj]

3. This should have in the 80s or 90s - but what is good is that many Senators

broke from the leadership's obstructionism. The speeches of many Republicans today were incredibly petulent - with DeMint whining that the patriots the Americans already voted in were ignored. Some of the Republicans who voted for it actually spoke of the leadership's actions - if only obliquely. (Corker said that Kerry demonstrated the patience of Job, which kind of implies what he thought of his side!)

[tishaLA]

6. Kerry said yesterday, "with today's senate, 70 is the new 90"

a sad statement about how dysfunctional that place is.

[karynnj]

8. Yep - and he said it with a smile!

It is a sign of how dysfunctional the Senate is. I have always been impressed by Kerry, but, even for the high standards I expect, he has been indefatigable and incredibly on task in debunking every Republican attempt to derail it. In addition to his incredible intelligence and articulateness, this really showed his incredible self control and character, completely refusing to sink to the level of several Republicans.

[vaberella]

4. Holy Shit. You'd think these clowns could have been this effective earlier on. n/t

[ProSense]

7. In Historic Vote, Senate Ratifies New START

In Historic Vote, Senate Ratifies New START

President Obama became the first Democratic President in history today to have an arms-control treaty ratified on his watch. The New START Treaty was approved in the Senate by a vote of 71-26. Thirteen Republicans, a quarter of the Republican caucus, broke with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ). This is the first time an arms control treaty has ever passed without the support of the minority leader. As Senator John Kerry (D-MA) said yesterday, “In today’s Senate, 70 votes is yesterday’s 95.”

more

[karynnj]

10. What is amazing is that so many Republicans actually broke with McConnell and Kyl

I would love to think it showed a break in their roadblock habits, but suspect that in this case, the facts were just too solidly in our favor. I also think a HUGE amount of credit has to go to Kerry, who was praised even by some of the Republicans who fought so hard against him. His management was consistently impressive - both in the quality of rebutting the Republicans, the ability to forge some changes - on the Senate floor, and his usual good manners and unwillingness to take the Republican bait.

[Inuca]

12. Some of the names, such

as Johanns (sp?) and Alexander were a surprise.

[flpoljunkie]

9. Thirteen Republicans voted for the new START treaty

*** UPDATE *** Per NBC's Ken Strickland, 13 Republicans voted for ratification: Lamar Alexander (TN), Judd Gregg (NH), Bob Corker (TN), Thad Cochran (MS), Johnny Isakson (GA), Dick Lugar (IN), Susan Collins (ME), Scott Brown (MA), Mike Johanns (NE), George Voinovich (OH), Olympia Snowe (ME), Lisa Murkowski (AK), and Bob Bennett (UT).

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/12/22/5697300-senate-ratifies-start-treaty

[karynnj]

11. Chairman Kerry looks pretty happy before the final vote

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