Congress: Biden and HRC say goodbye
Posted: Friday, January 16, 2009 9:07 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:
Congress, Joe Biden
"Just days before they move onto new jobs and challenges, Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Secretary of State-designate Hillary Rodham Clinton took to the Senate floor to bid farewell to their colleagues," the New York Times writes. "And, perhaps not too surprisingly, both displayed well-known personality traits -- Mr. Biden’s chattiness, Mrs. Clinton’s attention to detail -- in addition to effusively praising their colleagues and the Senate."
Clinton "thanked her staff, talked about how the club known as the Senate finds common ground, and expressed gratitude to New York voters who took a chance on her eight years ago. Clinton talked at length about the days after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks: seeing exhausted firefighters emerge from the rubble, smelling the acrid air, pushing for money for the recovery, getting to know victims' families. She implored senators to bring that same commitment and cooperation to working with the new administration. When she finished, she received a standing ovation and was greeted with hugs and handshakes."
"Joseph R. Biden Jr. offered passion and Hillary Rodham Clinton offered mostly prose as they said their goodbyes to the Senate Thursday to take up top posts in the Obama administration," the Washington Times writes.
The AP on Biden’s speech: " 'I may be resigning from the Senate today, but I will always be a Senate man,' Biden told his colleagues in a rambling half-hour speech. 'Except for the title 'father,' there is no title, including 'vice president,' that I am more proud to wear than that of United States senator.' It's fitting then, that Biden's new job as President-elect Barack Obama's second-in-command will return him to the chamber as soon as next week in a different role -- as Senate president and its chief tie-breaker."
Biden’s successor in the Senate, Ted Kaufman, gets sworn in at 11:00 am ET, NBC’s Ken Strickland notes.
On last night's TARP vote, The Hill notes, "Newly sworn-in Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) cast his first vote in favor of releasing the funds. Vice President-elect Biden, just ahead of his resignation from the Senate, cast the final Senate vote of his 35-year career to reject the resolution. Democratic leaders timed the vote before Biden's resignation."
The Hill also reports on brewing tensions between Democratic members in the House and their leadership. "As congressional Democrats take the lead in responding to the sinking economy, subcommittee and even some full-committee chairmen -- who normally wield significant influence in writing legislation -- have been forced to wait on the sidelines as monumental bills are written in Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) office."
