The problem is, the majority doesn't rule in the Senate. The Senate is supposed to be deliberative and slow and difficult.

The problem is the majority doesn't rule in the Senate. The Senate is supposed to be deliberative and slow and difficult but it also -- and I've checked the Constitution, it's supposed to run on a majority. Not 60.

It's usually a safe bet that things die in the Senate. That's been the pattern for many years now.

This was -- this was the Republican talking point. See they are saying that if the senators have to work somehow that offends Jesus.

You know, it's -- it's usually a safe bet that things die in the Senate. That's been the pattern for many years now.

I -- I -- President Obama, I know, called her last week and personally lobbied her on this.

This is like -- Lincoln told a story about the man who murdered his parents and then threw himself on the mercy of the court because he was an orphan.

Yes. I think any congressionally-directed spending is an earmark. Now I don't think all earmarks are bad at all, as long as they're transparent, disclosed, subject to debate.

The Democratic Party is the party that balanced the budget the last time it was balanced. The Republicans haven't balanced the budget in over 60 years.

If all of the $8 billion, $8 billion of earmarks in this bill, if they're eliminated, instead of a deficit of $1.3 trillion, we'll have a deficit of $1.292 trillion and at that pace, we will pay off the deficit in 163 years.

But when the Republicans had the House, the Senate and the White House they destroyed all of our fiscal discipline.

A lot of people in diplomacy particularly at his level are very bright and a few people are very tough, but it's never the same person. Richard always was the toughest and the smartest guy in the room.