First Door on the Left

Ninety-nine out of one hundred (99/100) Senators showed up today to pass a bill blocking a 10.6% cut in Medicare payments to doctors. Even the Senator who recently had brain surgery and is currently undergoing radiation treatments for brain cancer managed to be there to cast his vote…

Senate Overwhelmingly Passes Medicare Bill

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) made a dramatic return to the Capitol today to help the Senate pass legislation that would rescind a sharp cut in Medicare payments to physicians.

Kennedy, who underwent surgery June 2 to remove a life-threatening brain tumor, appeared on the Senate floor at 4:15 p.m. today for the first time in more than six weeks, bringing activity in the chamber to a halt and prompting a standing ovation that lasted several minutes.

The legislation–which fell just one vote shy of passage less than two weeks ago, prompting the call for Kennedy to appear–was approved 69 to 30, a veto-proof margin.

Kennedy, who is undergoing chemotherapy at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, was ushered into the chamber by his longtime friends, Sens. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) and John Kerry (D-Mass.). Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who Kennedy endorsed in January for the presidential nomination, and Kennedy’s son, Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), also walked onto the floor with him. Kennedy’s appearance brought tears to some colleagues’ eyes and pats on the back from both sides of the aisle.

“Aye,” a smiling Kennedy bellowed when the matter came up for a vote.[..]

Kennedy cast his vote to prevent a 10.6 percent cut in payments to doctors who treat Medicare patients. On June 26, Democrats collected just 59 votes in favor of the legislation, which needed 60 votes to overcome Republican objections to the bill. Kennedy was not present for the previous vote because he was being treated in Boston.

Only one out of one hundred Senators could not be bothered to show up for this vote. One! Can you guess which one?

If you guessed this one…

…you would be correct.

I guess he was just too busy calling Social Security a “disgrace.”

And this is the man the Republicans think should be our next president. What a joke!

Access Hollywood’s Maria Menounos caught up with the Obama family in Butte, Montana on July 4th [story]…

Personally, I see nothing wrong with the interview. I thought it was kind of charming and gave us a good insight into the family who will soon be occupying the White House.

Senator Obama, however, does not agree. He says the interview was a mistake and nothing similar will happen again. While I agree with the need to protect the children from the ravages of the right wing media, I see nothing wrong with a friendly sit-down like this one perhaps every year or two.