Yes, Please

It's about time (via Think Progress):

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 today or tomorrow, he will keep the Senate in session “straight through the night on Tuesday” and force a filibuster. From Reid’s speech:

Republicans are using a filibuster to block us from even voting on an amendment that could bring the war to a responsible end. They are protecting the President rather than protecting our troops.

They are denying us an up or down — yes or no — vote on the most important issue our country faces.

I would like to inform the Republican leadership and all my colleagues that we have no intention of backing down.

If Republicans do not allow a vote on Levin/Reed today or tomorrow, we will work straight through the night on Tuesday.

The American people deserve an open and honest debate on this war, and they deserve an up or down vote on this amendment to end it.

Can't wait to see what happens, especially now that a prominent Republican Congressman is on the record saying that the administration “f—ed up” the war.

Now that yet another hypocritical "Family Values" brand Republican is caught for buying hookers, oh and another for soliciting fellatio from an undercover cop (McCain's Florida Campaign Chairman), you have to wonder what new ideas the once-deluded "Party of New Ideas" (like, uh, squeezing the Middle Class) has to offer.

Back in the Senate, Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) lays into the opposition party for obstructionism and cowardice:

"A stunt! A stunt that we would stay in session. A stunt that we would have a sleepless night for Senators. I don’t think it’s a stunt. I think it reflects the reality of this war. How many sleepless night have our soldiers and their families spent?"

Hence the cots.

I just hope the filibuster does happen, and that it goes all night long and into the following day.

Give 'em enough rope.