The Other End Is Near: GOP Negotiating A Bunning Deal

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Politico:

The Jim Bunning show may be coming to an end on the Senate floor.

Senate Republicans say they’re negotiating a deal to get Bunning a vote on how to pay for the highway funding, health care and unemployment package Bunning has filibustered for four days on the body’s floor. Whether Democrats give Bunning anything at all after his one-man filibuster remains to be seen.

Republican leaders would not offer details on any deal being worked out. Bunning, the Kentucky Republican, signaled he wanted three votes — including votes on the extensions of the federal programs and a separate vote on how to pay for those programs. Bunning held up three fingers Tuesday when waiting for an elevator door to close Tuesday.

“I think we’re going to be able to work out the short-term extension in the very near future, and we’re in the process of working on that now,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday afternoon.

When pressed further on details of the deal, McConnell repeated that “we’re working on this and we believe we can reach a consent agreement that will allow some amendments and allow us to approve the short-term measure and move ahead.”

Democrats aren’t buying into that game plan. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he did not have details of any potential deal but bristled at the possibility of offering Bunning several separate amendments — Reid said he had heard Republicans wanted four votes.

“I’ve said from the very beginning, we will give them a vote,” Reid said. “They want this paid for, they can have a vote to have it paid for, they can have that. But we’re not having four votes.”

Bunning has signaled that he has no problem with the underlying bill, but he just wants votes on pay-as-you-go provisions and wants to offset the costs by reducing the federal stimulus money.