FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Here's just one more sign that President Obama is in deep trouble headed into a re-election year:
The Democrat-controlled senate has failed to pass the president's job bill, his top legislative priority.
The senate voted 50-to-49 against the $447 billion package - falling far short of the 60 votes needed to pass.
President Obama has been barnstorming the country to promote this thing, but it didn't make a difference:
Not a single Republican voted for the jobs bill. And, even worse - two Democrats up for re-election in conservative states also voted against it.
President Obama insists this isn't the end of the road for the jobs bill. He's vowing to break the massive initiative down into several separate bills and have Congress vote on them one at a time. Some of the more popular elements include a payroll tax cut and the extension of unemployment benefits.
But it's far from certain that the bitterly divided congress will pass any of this stuff headed into the 2012 elections. Republicans call the whole thing a political stunt. They say the jobs bill is nothing more than another failed stimulus plan.
Meanwhile, Democrats up for re-election will have to decide whether or not to stand by the president. Experts tell Reuters that at least a few dozen Democrats might duck President Obama in 2012 since unpopular presidents traditionally hurt their party in Congress.
It's early - and that number may go up or down depending on a couple of other numbers: Mr. Obama's approval rating, now in the low 40s, and the nation's unemployment rate - which has been stuck at over 9%.
Here’s my question to you: What does it mean for President Obama that he can't even get the Democrat-controlled Senate to pass his jobs bill?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Randy:
Nothing. It wasn't meant to pass, it was meant to be a bludgeon to bang over the heads of his Republican "opponents" for election season. Same old song and dance both parties do for the cameras to keep the 99% occupied while their corporate and billionaire masters (the top 1%) continue the rape of America.
Wilhelm:
What in the world are you talking about, Cafferty? The damn Republicans once AGAIN filibustered the bill which meant 60 votes were needed. This garbage has been going on since President Obama took office. The Republicans would filibuster free beer at the ball park IF it was proposed by Obama. This bill had many things that were originally Republican ideas BUT they are willing to kill it in an attempt to put one man in Washington out of work at the expense of the millions of unemployed nationwide.
Bob:
You are not a leader unless people follow. No one is following this President.
Cliff in New York:
Jack, It means that President Obama is again a victim to the new math in Washington, where it now takes 60 out of 100 votes to start debating legislation, never mind that a 51 vote majority was already secured for passage. In a town that allows filibusters to be texted in from the Capitol Grill while taking special interest contributions, this latest charade highlights that we are a Democracy in name only and not in practice.
Harriet on Facebook:
What it actually means is that Obama needs to sell it better. It also means that no one is afraid of him.
D.:
Did I hear anyone say "lame duck"?