The voting on the Thune Amendment will begin at 11:30. This will let us know who our real friends are in the Senate. I will update as the voting proceeds.
UPDATE: DiFi was heard on C-SPAN talking about how strict the California licensing process is. She would know, since she’s been through the process.
UPDATE: Thune is calling the Democrats out for using a VPC study which is largely crap. Some of the alleged killers did not have permits, and one of them who did was never charged because it was self-defense.
UPDATE: Barassso just whipped out his Wyoming concealed carry license on the floor of the Senate.
UPDATE: Coburn just said he would support the Dems in the states right argument if they’d agree to a bill on enumerated powers and restoring the 10th Amendment. Think there will be any takers?
UPDATE: I think the vote will be at noon. Someone said 11:30. Can’t remember where I saw that. High Noon on the Senate floor… ha!
UPDATE: Barbara Boxer claims she’s never seen the phones in her office ring off the hook. That sounds like a dare to California gun owners if you ask me.
UPDATE: Boxer just acknowledged DiFi’s personal experience with the California permitting process.
UPDATE: Webb and Warner were both yes votes. Both Virginia Democrats.
UPDATE: Indiana Republican Dick Lugar voted no. Evan Bayh, an Indiana Democrat, voted yes.
UPDATE: Democrat Bob Casey voted with us. Former Republican and now Democrat Arlen Specter voted against us.
UPDATE: Gillibrand is a no too, but I gave up on her a while ago. She’s switched sides.
UPDATE: Udall of Colorado voted yes. We might break majority. Holy crap, Bennett too!
UPDATE: Why did Specter vote no when a lot of fellow Democrats didn’t cave?  Webb & Warner were targeted with full page adds yesterday. Bennett hasn’t had to face the voters yet and will in 2010. Udall was never alll that reliable in the house. They voted yes. I think Specter made a mistake. A big mistake.
UPDATE: Last call for vote changes. Arlen? Come on man. We just picked up Pryor from AK.
UPDATE: Final vote 58-39. The bill is defeated, as it needed 60 votes under the rule. I told Bitter this morning I expected majority, but no passage. We have done better than I would have anticipated, and this was a major piece of pro-gun legislation that would have altered the landscape significantly.
UPDATE: Expect gloating from the anti-gunners, but we came very close. We will be back with this bill, or another like it. They can take that to the bank.
