adds up to 220 or so workdays so far this year. in other words, the average american has worked 71 more days so far this year than senators have. nearly 100 more days than house members. and that s not counting the holidays. i know working during the holidays is not fun, but people whose jobs are essential, they do it all the time. airline employees, doctors, nurses, police, firefighters, utility crews, trash collectors, you name it. they work because they have important and essential jobs. wouldn t it be nice to think that our representatives also considered their jobs important and essential? senator joe lieberman, like reid and a number of republicans, are willing to work through the holiday this year to finish the job, especially on don t ask, don t tell. i spoke with senator lieberman about what he sees as growing chance of repealing the policy early tonight. senator lieberman, you said this has been a thrilling day. well, most thrilling is the vote in the house of representativ
bakeries, you know, and as dana said, delivering newspapers out in the cold. it kind of makes my head explode. in fact, this is it s senator kyl of arizona, republican, who s like the chief whiner about this. and senator kyl and all of his republican colleagues are the guys who blocked even debating the 9/11 health care bill. i mean, this is there s 58,000 men and women who inhaled frankly inhaled the pulverized particles of the world trade center. many of them are ill. they need health care. it s a national priority. the republicans filibustered against that. i guess that s in keeping with the christmas season as senator kyl is very concerned about offending his christmas celebrations. jesus would have wanted those 9/11 first responders to not get any health care. i heard harry reid invoke christ, what would jesus spend, i heard him talk about him on the floor. this is the republican talking floor. somehow if republicans have to work somehow that offends jesus. that s not
quote, distraction for marines in combat, suggested this could result in more casualties. were you surprised he made those comments at this critical juncture? and do you think those comments have had an impact on anybody? i was very surprised by general amos s comments. i know he s against the repeal. i respectfully just think he s absolutely wrong. 84% of marines who have served with gay or lesbian marines say that it has absolutely no effect on their functioning as a military unit, or their morale or their cohesiveness or their effectiveness. so that s the opinion of rank and file marines. when do you see the senate actually voting on this? well, you know, anderson, because the house leadership sent this repeal to the senate under what they call a special message category, senator reid could take it up tomorrow. my guess is he ll wait until after we finish the appropriations bill over the weekend and so i hope it could
it kind of makes my head explode. in fact, this is it s senator kyl of arizona, republican, who s like the chief whiner about this. and senator kyl and all of his republican colleagues are the guys who blocked even debating the 9/11 health care bill. i mean, this is there s 58,000 men and women who inhaled frankly inhaled the pulverized particles of the world trade center. many of them are ill. they need health care. it s a national priority. the republicans filibustered against that. i guess that s in keeping with the christmas season as senator kyl is very concerned about offending his christmas celebrations. jesus would have wanted those 9/11 first responders to not get any health care. i heard harry reid invoke christ, what would jesus spend, i heard him talk about him on the floor. this is the republican talking floor. somehow if republicans have to work somehow that offends jesus. that s not all the republicans talking point. yes, republicans are saying this. they
the nays are 175. the motion is adopted. without objection, a motion to reconsider is laid upon the table. well, in a moment we ll talk to senator joe lieberman who says that now he has enough votes, enough republican votes even, to pass it in the senate. majority leader harry reid has the power, if he wants to use it, to bring it to the floor for vote as early as tomorrow. senator reid s office says it s likely going to happen late next week. meantime, opponents of the repeal and of ratifying the s.t.a.r.t. nuclear arms treat is angry at the plan to keep them in washington next week and it touched off a food fight seems like you only can have in washington, d.c. only this time the senators who don t want to miss out on their vacation are bringing christianity into the argument. it is impossible to do all of the things that the majority leader laid out without doing frankly without disrespecting the institution and without disrespecting one of the two