Democrats Tell Republicans to "Wake Up"

Posted by Adam Howard at 10:30 AM on July 18, 2007.

Think Progress was at the Capitol building, live-blogging the all-night conservative filibuster of Iraq withdrawal legislation.

12:27 AM: 1,000 people gathered outside the Capitol tonight for a rally and candlelight vigil. A highlight video of speeches from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Iraq war veteran Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA), Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Sens. Carl Levin (D-MI) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), and Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Patty Murray (D-WA) is to your right:

12:10 AM: Sen. Joseph Lieberman's (I-CT) metaphor bites:

Some have said that [Levin/Reed] is the only amendment with teeth. It does have teeth but I think we've got to ask: who's it bite? I think it bites our hope for success in Iraq. It bites our troops as they proceed day in and day out courageously, compassionately, effectively. It bites our hope for keeping al Qaeda and Iran out of controlling Iraq. This amendment mandates a retreat. Watch it:



1:17 PM: Just in: 57 House members and 25 senators -- fully a quarter of the Senate -- attended the candlelight vigil and rally outside the Capitol tonight. We'll have a highlight video soon. Speaker Pelosi's speech is HERE.

10:49 PM: Take action. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) urges you to make a call to wavering senators. See his personal "all-nighter" call sheet.

10:25 PM: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA):

And finally, improving the image of the United States and repairing the damage done to our credibility around the world. Does anyone believe truly that this war has gained us respect in the council of world nations? Does anyone believe that? Because if they do, they're smoking something. Because it hasn't. There has never been a time when America has less credibility abroad than today.

10:06 PM: Huffington Post is staying up tonight too. There's a live chat tonight tomorrow with Tom Matzzie from Americans Against Escalation.

9:49 PM: More from the Iraq rally outside the Capitol: Sen. Patrick Leahy addresses the crowd, "Thank you, you're a lot nicer to me than Dick Cheney."

9:41 PM: Americans Against Escalation In Iraq, MoveOn.org, and others are holding a candlelight vigil and rally right now across the street from the Capitol:


(click for larger version)

A report from the rally:

Shortly after 9pm, Senate leadership took the stage. Reid spoke first, followed by Speaker Pelosi. She asked the crowd, "Are we united in speaking out against Republican obstructionism?" The crowd responded with a roar!

Pelosi was followed by Sen. Durbin -- then Rep. John Lewis and then Schumer, then Pat Murphy, then Patty Murray -- who led the crowd in a "Wake up" call chant.

From the Senate, we have in attendance the following: Reid, Reed, Durbin, Levin, Schumer, Pelosi, Leahy, Klobuchar, McCaskill, Murray, Akaka, Casey, Lautenberg, and Harkin.

During the middle of the program, the House emptied out and flooded the rally.

9:32 PM: For the past few hours, Democratic Senators have taken the floor to call for an up-or-down vote on the Levin-Reed Iraq redeployment bill. Providing political cover for the Bush administration, one Republican Senator after another has stood and voiced objection to moving forward on the legislation. Some examples:

SEN. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON (R-TX): I object.

PRESIDING OFFICER: Is there objection?

HUTCHISON: I object.

[...]

SEN. JOHN WARNER (R-VA): Mr. President, I object.

PRESIDING OFFICER: Is there objection?

WARNER: Yup.

Watch the obstructionism in action:



9:25 PM: After some technical difficulties, we're off. Bob Geiger has been covering the action thus far, with a "desperate buzzphrase count" from war supporters. From Sen. Kit Bond's (R-MO) speech:

* "Retreat and defeat" 3

* "Cut and run" 2

* "Run and leave" (See "Cut and run") 1

* "Embarrass the president" 1

Tagged as: republicans, iraq war, democratic congress, filibuster

Adam Howard is the editor of PEEK.