Reid Promises to Force Filibuster on Iraq Withdrawal

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has announced that Senate Democrats are going to force Republicans to filibuster all night long if they want to continue to block Iraq troop withdrawal legislation. Previously, the Democrats politely allowed the opposition’s formal promise to filibuster to stand in for the action itself.

Fox News showed its lack of bias with this headline on what appears to be a straight news story: “Reid Threatens to Keep Senate Up All Night, Republicans Yawn.” Fox also quotes an unnamed “senior Democratic aide” as saying: “Is this a publicity stunt? Yes. This is the only way we know to highlight their complete ignorance of the will of the people!”

Think Progress:
Moments ago, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced that in response to conservative obstructionism, he plans to force war supporters to physically remain in the Senate and filibuster Iraq withdrawal legislation.

Reid accused conservatives of “protecting the President rather than protecting our troops” by “denying us an up or down vote on the most important issue our country faces.” He said that if a vote on the Reed/Levin Iraq legislation is not allowed [Monday or Tuesday], he will keep the Senate in session “straight through the night on Tuesday” and force a filibuster.

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