Watson Coleman: “I have been a Senator for a little less than 2 months. The same is true for the Presiding Officer. And we ran at a time…”

“I have been a Senator for a little less than 2 months. The same is true for the Presiding Officer. And we ran at a time when I believe the message from the people--and not just of Minnesota but I believe the people in America--was one that it is important the Senate should get things done. The 170th Congress had not passed appropriations bills, had not passed disaster assistance, had not passed a prescription drug benefit for seniors, and had not passed a budget. A lot of serious work needed to be done. That was the message. We are here now--in a little less than 2 months--and we are caught up in a filibuster. I read about filibusters when I was a kid. This basically means the Senate is spending a lot of time debating the nomination of Miguel Estrada to be a judge in the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and the distinguished members of the minority party are not going to allow that nomination to get to a vote unless there are 60 Senators who vote for cloture to put an end to the filibuster.”