Reid Votes Against Auto Bailout, Then Blames Republicans

[travelinman67]

Immediately after the 52-35 late night vote in the Senate, which failed to advance the "Auto Bailout" bill which had been intensely negotiated all day, Reid assigned the failure to the Republican's...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081212/ap_ ... ress_autos

WASHINGTON – A bailout-weary Congress killed a $14 billion package to aid struggling U.S. automakers Thursday night after a partisan dispute over union wage cuts derailed a last-ditch effort to revive the emergency aid before year's end.
Republicans, breaking sharply with President George W. Bush as his term draws to a close, refused to back federal aid for Detroit's beleaguered Big Three without a guarantee that the United Auto Workers would agree by the end of next year to wage cuts to bring their pay into line with U.S. plants of Japanese carmakers. The UAW refused to do so before its current contract with the automakers expires in 2011.
The breakdown left the fate of the auto industry — and the 3 million jobs it touches — in limbo at a time of growing economic turmoil. General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC have said they could be weeks from collapse. Ford Motor Co. says it does not need federal help now, but its survival is far from certain.
Democratic leaders called on Bush to immediately tap the $700 billion Wall Street bailout fund for emergency aid to the auto industry.
Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., called the bill's collapse "a loss for the country," adding: "I dread looking at Wall Street tomorrow. It's not going to be a pleasant sight."

Yet...when the roll call is published...

8 Democrats voting "No" or Not Voting on Senate Auto Manufacturer's Bailout Bill Dec. 12th, 2008, killing the bill.

Reid (D) -NV No
Lincoln (D) -AR No
Biden (D) -DE Not Voting
Kennedy (D) -MA Not Voting
Kerry (D) -MA Not Voting
Baucus (D) -MT No
Tester (D) -MT No
Wyden (D) -OR Not Voting

Despite 20 Republicans/Independents crossing ranks and voting "Yes" or Not Voting

Stevens (R) -AK Not Voting
Lieberman (I) -CT Yes
Craig (R) -ID Not Voting
Lugar (R) -IN Yes
Brownback (R) -KS Yes
Collins (R) -ME Yes
Snowe (R) -ME Yes
Bond (R) -MO Yes
Hagel (R) -NE Not Voting
Sununu (R) -NH Not Voting
Domenici (R) -NM Yes
Dole (R) -NC Yes
Voinovich (R) -OH Yes
Smith (R) -OR Not Voting
Specter (PA) -PA Yes
Graham (R) -SC Not Voting
Alexander (R) -TN Not Voting
Cornyn (R) -TX Not Voting
Sanders (I) -VT Yes
Warner (R) -VA Yes

I'm confused? Why did Reid vote against the bill he had spent all day negotiating, with 7 other Dems either voting "No" or skipping the vote, THE EXACT NUMBER NEEDED FOR THE BILL TO PASS, then turn around and blame the Republicans for the Bill's failure?

More Democrat Reid leadership?

[HI54UNI]

I would venture that Reid voted "no" for procedural reasons. That still doesn't mean he isn't an idiot.

[AZGrizFan]

Wow. Who knew that the two Montana donks had a brain stem?

[Col Hogan]

I would venture that Reid voted "no" for procedural reasons. That still doesn't mean he isn't an idiot.

What surprises me the most about Reid is, we have had idiots from both parties in the Senate for years...but usually they have a pretty astute staffer who whispers the right stuff into their ear...

It appears to me that Reid either doesn't have that astute staffer...or his staff is as stupid (or maybe arrogant) as him...

[BigApp]

there wasn't enough pork for Nevada in it. That's why Reid voted No

[slycat]

An auto bailout annoys me. I know they are putting huge stipulations on it but I get the feeling we'll be hearing about the auto industries financial worries again in the near future.

[BigApp]

An auto bailout annoys me. I know they are putting huge stipulations on it but I get the feeling we'll be hearing about the auto industries financial worries again in the near future.

you know we will. They could give them $100 billion, it won't matter. People aren't going to be buying their cars for at least a year or two. It ain't often unemployed folks go looking for new cars.

[slycat]

I'll be buying a new car sometime soon. Not sure if I'll buy American or not yet. I never make my choice on which country its from.