Political Quotes

“I want to get along with everybody. I really have tried. I came here this morning at 9:30, and I said: We are ready to vote on the big bill that cloture was filed on last night. I am ready to do that. We were ready to do that this morning. I want to finish the pensions bill. I want to do something on the extenders. That is where I hoped we would have been--to have completed all this. No one has to worry about moving this when we get back. We want this bill to be completed. We want it to be done right. No one questions the capability of Senator Inouye and Senator Stevens on the Defense appropriations bill. But we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Hey, listen, some of my Senators are leaving. They don't need to be here to vote on cloture. Some of them would like to be here to vote on cloture. What I suggest is we have a program to complete the work around here. People have come to me--Democrats and Republicans--asking: What do you propose? I propose we vote on the so-called trifecta--I have another name for it--and do the pensions bill and try to get the extenders done. That is not easy lifting. That is a big project for us. And the Defense bill, I am sorry it was brought up when it was and it wasn't done sooner. As I said, we have cooperated with this body. We intend to continue to do that. And if the distinguished Senator wants to stay here all night, then fine, that is fine, we will have a cloture vote in the morning.…”