Unfocused

As expected, the gay marriage ban failed in the Senate today, by a vote of 49-48 with a two-thirds majority (60 votes) need to pass. The 49 votes in favor of the ban was only a one vote increase over the last Senate vote on this issue in 2004, with a surprising 7 Republicans voting "No". Only two Democrats voted for the ban, Nebraska's Ben Nelson and West Virginia's Robert Byrd.

Related: Thanks go out to JMG reader Todd, who sent me this Garrison Keilor piece from Salon. Best bit: "Somewhere in the quiet leafy recesses of the Bush family, somebody is thinking, "Wrong son. Should've tried the smart one. This one's eyes don't quite focus."