Obama gets hero’s welcome in Senate

By Jared Allen
Posted: 06/04/08 01:24 PM

Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) received a hero’s welcome home in the Senate Wednesday as he returned to vote on the budget a day after he clinched the Democratic presidential nomination over his colleague Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.).

Obama strode into the chamber shortly before noon, led by Sens. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and headed to the desk to cast his vote in favor of the Democrats' budget. He did not make it far, though, before being greeted by a bevy of members wanting to share a handshake, a hug and a few laughs with the new Democratic standard-bearer.

Clinton, who did not concede the contest to Obama, did not make it into the chamber and did not vote. It was not immediately clear if she returned to the Senate at all on Wednesday. Earlier, she was speaking to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington.

But if Tuesday night’s delegate count wasn’t proof enough that the nomination is over, Obama’s Senate colleagues reinforced the message in full.

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06.04.08 -- 3:18PM
By Josh Marshall

From Roll Call ...

Furthermore, during a Senate vote Wednesday, Obama dragged Lieberman by the hand to a far corner of the Senate chamber and engaged in what appeared to reporters in the gallery as an intense, three-minute conversation.

While it was unclear what the two were discussing, the body language suggested that Obama was trying to convince Lieberman of something and his stance appeared slightly intimidating.

Using forceful, but not angry, hand gestures, Obama literally backed up Lieberman against the wall, leaned in very close at times, and appeared to be trying to dominate the conversation, as the two talked over each other in a few instances.

Still, Obama and Lieberman seemed to be trying to keep the back-and-forth congenial as they both patted each other on the back during and after the exchange.

Afterwards, Obama smiled and pointed up at reporters peering over the edge of the press gallery for a better glimpse of their interaction.

Obama loyalists were quick to express their frustration with Lieberman's decision and warned that if he continues to take a lead role in attacking Obama it could complicate his professional relationship with the Caucus.