Senate GOP blocks Iraq resolution

Senate Republicans yesterday blocked a resolution that would have condemned President Bush’s plan to send an additional 21,500 troops to Iraq. On a 49-47 vote that largely followed partisan lines, Democrats fell 11 “ayes” short of the 60 needed to bring about a vote on the resolution, which is nonbinding but is widely viewed as a declaration of no confidence in the continued mission of the Iraq war and Mr. Bush’s handling of it.

Many of the GOP Senators are no doubt adjusting to the strange new sensation of the sudden and previously un-noticed presence of a solid protective set of bones around their spinal columns.

Of course, that didn’t mean that the old RINO tendencies were entirely absent:

Among those who voted against last night’s motion was Sen. John W. Warner of Virginia, who wrote the resolution but joined other Republicans in opposition to holding a vote because the new Democratic majority is not allowing votes on other war resolutions.

Oh well.