I believe that Nancy and Harry need to go on an exploritory [SLOW BOAT] cruise to china long enough to get through and replace both because of incompetence. You folks know how the system works and you have continually for one year overplayed your hand and made this democratic congress as big a laughing stock as Bush. This country will be better off under a GOP house and senate that the demos can try to emulate and be obstructionists. A 78 yr old vet and once proud democrat.

I agree that this vote's timing AND Reid's public outcry for the Senator's to return stinks to high heaven of a clever ploy to derail Obama. Important votes are rarely if EVER held on weekends when most congressmen and women head home anyway. Not to mention the fact that there is no reason this vote needs to happen ASAP. On top of THAT, it's been widely speculated that Bush will veto the bill if it's even allowed to come to a vote by the Senate Republican party. The media needs to do their job and call this for what it is: A political hit job.

It's clear that the purpose of this Saturday vote is to disrupt Obama's Oprah rally. There's no reason why this vote has to be taken on Saturday, a day when the Senate nornally doesn't do business. Sen Reid can schedule this vote any time he wants. This vote is too critical for Reid to be playing politics.

Whoops. Looks like Harry lost again..

And they're still getting PAID as Senators, whether they do their job or not. If I took time off my job and missed typing up my reports, telling my boss I wanted to do work on a personal project, I'd be booted out the door. These guys should be fired, especially Mr. "Vote Present, Don't Take a Stand on Anything" Obama.

I hope all the Democrat presidential contenders turn up for this as it is a very important vote. As far as missing other votes is concerned, it really doesn't matter unless the vote is really close. The Iran vote mentioned above passed 76-22, so Obama missing it didn't make a difference. However, if he or anyone else misses the upcoming Energy bill vote, where 60 votes is needed, it really will look bad.

They were elected to serve their constituents not their own ambitions. We'll see how many care about that.

Let me see if I've got this straight,
an important vote is going to happen in the Senate on Saturday, and the four senators running for President are so busy running for an election that is still 11 months off that they can't take the time to go back to DC to do the jobs that they have been elected to do? Shouldn't they wait until the Congressional recess starts to keep campaigning, and do the job they are getting paid for. I don't remember anything saying that if you want to run for President, you don't have to go to work when it needs you to be there.

Since Mr. Obama missed a couple of other "very important" Senate votes. His passion for sitting on the fence will probably purvail on this one. The law requires all voting to be done "in-person" because a qourum present is required by law. I am sure Hillary will be there. The Republicans won't care–first because Cheney handles ALL their energy issues, and second: because–the (veto)"pencil pusher down the street" is going to veto the bill anyway.

Why do the Republicans not want a higher fuel economy standard?? Makes no sense.

Anyone who skips this vote is on the line of being crossed off my list.

There is no reason not to demand 70 miles by 2010! What is the problem with these milktoast congress persons, and the vote should be unaminous. They are still in the pockets of the oil industry, nothing has changed since the days of the Robber Barons.

I believe that the people, who's vote they want will understand and applaud them for taking the time to vote on this important issue. There is in my humble opinion no valid reason for not going back to Washington and voting.
The ones that don't go and vote will pay the price in the voting booth.

The hypocrisy of Obama, critizing Hillary for voting in favour for the Iranian resolution when he himself had an opportunity to vote but refused to do so.

Obama must show some courage and leadership. Obama needs to fullfill his obligations as a USA senator. Go vote.

Dirty trick against Obama, and completely transparent. If Reid's goal was actually to pass this important legislation, he'd schedule it at a better time. Instead he's abusing his power to hurt one of his own party's most promising Presidential candidates, possibly harming the bill's chance of passage in the process.

Hmm, this kinda reminds me of a couple of months ago when Reid (whose kid works for the Clinton campaign) told Obama that there wasn't going to be a vote on the September Iran resolution and then told him there WOULD be only after Obama had traveled out of DC and wouldn't have time to get back and vote. It may not be blatant sabotage, but I don't believe it's only a coincidence. I mean, the same weekend of Obama's big Oprah gig? Come on! I smell sneakiness.

Confused in Lexington KY,
That is just the procedure of congress; you have to be there in person to cast a vote.

I think it's terrible that he would expect these candidates to actually be accountable for the responsibilities which they accepted when they took office. How dare he try to get them to do their jobs?

As far as I'm concerned they all got a get out of jail free card when they got to skip Harry's Thanksgiving games and junior no name senators presided over the empty senate chambers. If they want this bill to pass they need to (for once) show some party unity and actually show up to work. My tax dollars aren't supposed to pay their salaries while they are campaigning.

Jesse, Burnsville, MN, don't be silly, how could Reid set up Congress schedule only for Obama? Your claim doesn't make sense to me.

Any democratic candidate who skip the voting this coming Saturday will lose a LOT of grounds from millions of voters

The democrats needed the vote to stop the GOP opposing the bill to filibuster it.

Their FIRST duty is to their constituents, second is their campaign. They can go back to their campaign after they cast their vote.

I called the HQ of the candidate I wanted to be the nominee, one of the staffer told me, they're keeping a close watch, getting update from the senate when it's going to be done so the senator can fly back to DC and cast his/her vote, then back to campaign trail again.

Aren't we paying these people to be in Washington?

Folks -

This isn't even a vote on a bill - it's a vote to vote on a bill. (A cloture motion.) And there's no fundamental reason this needs to happen this weekend, since it's not the actual vote on the bill. I think it's more that Reid is trying to exert some power and work hard for that 11% approval rating.

A Saturday vote? The same Saturday that Obama has scheduled a major rally in SC? Hmmm. Something smells fishy. Either Obama is forced to miss his rally and alienate a significant African American population in SC or he has to miss the vote which Sen Clinton can use to show that he doesn't care about his current job. Wow. That's pretty slick in a Karl Rove kind of way. I guess Sen Reid is a Clinton fan.

"The first consideration all of candidates, be it democrat or republican is to fulfill the requirements to which they were elected."

Ummmmmm….no.

Wish it was true. First obligation, yes. First responsibility, yes.

First consideration? Same as last one and middle ones, "How do I get re-elected?"

Does Harry Reid get any questioning on his Mormonism and how it affects his POLITICAL decisions or his politics?

How many wives does he have or how many pairs of funny underwear?

Thought so.

I don't care if he is a Mormon, just like NOBODY should care if Romney is.

Raise your hand if you didn't know until VERY RECENTLY that Reid was a Mormon?

Keep em' up. One, two, three, four…

With reference to the Iran non-binding vote; all the other candidates made it back….some of them worked tirelessly to make the language less hawkish…I suspect that Obama did not think much of the resolution (as it was non-binding) therefore did not make an effort to go back to Washington to place his vote. Either way, if he had misgivings with the resolution, he was more than welcome to have said something during the Democratic debate THAT EVENING. Maybe, just maybe he wanted to see which way the winds were blowing (especially considering the fact that he supported — co-sponsored — a similar resolution in April…

I love it….another missed vote for Osama Obama….has he been available for ANY vote these past few months?

While I can appreciate the effort that has gone into his upcoming appearance with Oprah Windbag at some football stadium and the several thousand folks planning to attend, it seems to me that doing the job that he is being PAID to do, which is taking care of the 'peoples business' has a far higher priority than schmoozing with an over-rated dip like Windbag. I have no doubt the other candidates will show up, but then experience tells, doesn't it.

I'd venture to say that keeping your own constituents satisfied that you are doing what they pay you to do should be paramount in your political career.

The question is why a Saturday? Is there some pressing deadline that has to be met or the car manufacturers will get their way? NO! So once again Sen. Reid, whose son is Hillary's campaign director in Nevada, is messing around with the schedule to embarrass Obama. When Obama is elected president, don't think he won't remember Reid's BS and move to get him replaced as senate leader.

Why Saturday, Harry? Why?

Very strange time to force a vote. What happened to the week day.

I absoutely agree that the first obligation of these four people is to that of the US Senate. However, I can't help but smell something rotten here… Anybody who is anybody in politics knows the HUGE event in Iowa with Obama and Oprah, and anybody who is anybody in politics knows that the Senate vote can be delayed until Monday, also anybody who is anybody in politics knows that Reid's son holds a high position within the Clinton campaign and Reid himself has shown strong favoritism towards HRC… This stinks through and through.

Strike a compromise for everyone - take the vote on Monday like you would for anything else that is not an emergency measure (which this is not).

Jesse:
Reid is not trying to make Obama look bad. Wow, the world DOES NOT revolve around him. Congress just has a few weeks to get several bills passed before they go on break. They have their work cut out for them. And on the Iran vote, even Obama said that it wasn't Reid's fault. Obama was just too busy on the campaign trail in New Hampshire too get back to do his job. But then again, missing votes is what Obama has done best, both as a US and Illinois Senator.

… hey, guys … you were elected to the Senate to help govern the country.

Doing that job well is much better than skipping out to shake hands and kiss babies.

As it is, Obama has missed several important votes - thus staying off the record and being able to attack how other candidates voted.

If you don't show up to work … like most of us have to do … then you won't get my vote.

Harry Reid is in Hillaries pocket.
He is just trying to cause contriversy
since they know that The Oprah-Obama Rallies are the next big turning point.
It's the last dirtiest thing that Hillary can do to try and stop his momentum.
They will say that he is not concerned about the enviornment he is just concerned about campaining.
It's a shame…..

The first consideration all of candidates, be it democrat or republican is to fulfill the requirements to which they were elected. Vote in the senate than go back to campaigning. Just think we will know how they voted on an important issue. I believe to many important votes have been missed.

GO DO YOUR JOB — CAST A VOTE!!!

Can anyone explain to me why they have to be there in person for voting?

Harry Reid did this on purpose to try to make Obama look bad. Just like he did on the Iran vote. He is purposefully trying to make Obama miss votes so that Clinton can try to use it to her advantage. Sound like a conspiracy theory. Well, Harry Reid's son is the head of Clinton's campaign in Nevada. I'm really starting to hate this guy.

Obama '08

I am an undecided Democrat, and any candidate who skips this very important vote will lose a LOT of ground with me.