Reply #2: I think you are right. They wanted it to pass, despite all the [View All]

[Bumblebee]

qualms, and all the candidates voted no because they did not want another vote like the Iraq war vote which would haunt them, so there was, as you say, vote-swapping of some kind. Rookie senators who could stomach it were chosen, I am sure, because they are not up for a reelection for a long time -- that explains, Webb, McCaskill, and Klobuchar -- and Reid made sure that in the end there would be 60 for, and that also explains why Landrieu kept changing her vote -- hoping, maybe, that she can vote "nay" but then her vote was needed for 60. Reid orchestrated it to give themselves cover for why no one is filibustering but then he still wanted to appear to be critical of it. And Mikulski is both safe and loyal plus they thought it was so unusual for her, it just won't stick. Don't blame the senators who voted for it -- some of them fell on their swords for the party. They are all responsible. One word: cowards.