David Broder is a moron:

This Sunday, David "I see bipartisanship everywhere" Broder writes:

When Congress comes back from its two-week recess, members of both parties will be invited to the White House to celebrate what is, in today's context, almost a miracle: the signing of the Serve America Act of 2009.

Congress adjourned on Friday for the Easter break with the usual sounds of partisan struggle filling the air as the House and Senate rushed to pass the budget resolutions for next year. Nothing that one party proposed found favor with the other. Feelings were, once again, rubbed raw.

But eight days earlier, when the Senate approved a slightly modified version of the House-passed national service act by an overwhelming 79 to 19, the atmosphere was completely different. Democrats were congratulating Republicans and Republicans were praising Democrats. ...

Despite all the goodwill, 19 senators, all Republicans, including the party's two top leaders, voted against the law. The arguments were spurious.

Here is the Senate vote record.
Democrats: 100% present YEA (includes Sanders & Lieberman, Dorgan not voting)
Republicans: 53% present YEA (non absent)

And what about the House? The vote there was:
Democrats: 99% present YEA (1 NAY, 2 absent)
Republicans: 40% present YEA (104 NAY, 6 absent)

Bipartisanship is a majority from both parties supporting a bill. That did not happen in the House (and was barely met in the Senate by a mere 2 votes). But because some Republicans voted for a bill, and because Broder pays attention to the Senate and not the House, he declares a victory for bipartisanship.


posted by Quiddity at 4/04/2009 10:49:00 PM