Coburn: 'Good Thing I Can't Pack a Gun' in Senate

The 17 women of the chamber regularly gather for dinner

(NEWSER) - As Washington continues to struggle with divisive political rhetoric, one group has been quietly making strides in the opposite direction: the 17 female senators. “We committed to maintaining a zone of civility here within the institution long before it became the chic thing to do,” says Barbara Mikulski, the longest-serving woman. Along with fellow Democrat Claire McCaskill, Mikulski organized a regular dinner group for the ladies of the Senate years ago, with just a few rules: "no staff, no memos, no leaks, and no men," Politico reports. More»

Comment may be dig at Minn. freshman, who shut down Lieberman

(NEWSER) - Chris Dodd battled a perceived lack of decorum in the Senate yesterday with some stern language from the floor. The Connecticut Democrat did not name names but rather cryptically chastised the Senate’s “newer members” for failing “to understand how the Senate has worked for more than two centuries” during the course of the health care debate. Most “newer members” are Democrats. More»

Ex-NYC mayor effectively ends political career

(NEWSER) - Ending months of speculation, Rudy Giuliani will announce tomorrow that he will not run for US Senate. The former New York City mayor plans to remain a presence on the national GOP scene, seizing "an opportunity to engage in targeted races across the country," says a source. He will throw his support to Long Island congressman Rick Lazio, best known nationally for losing another Senate race to newcomer Hillary Clinton in 2000. More»

'In Washington big changes never emerge in perfect form,' ex-senator writes

(NEWSER) - As president of the Senate, Joe Biden has the run of the place, but the vice president takes to the op-ed page of the New York Times to urge fellow Democrats to stop sniping and support the health care bill. "I’ve been around a long time," the six-term former senator from Delaware writes, "and I know that in Washington big changes never emerge in perfect form." More»

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama said he was "heartbroken" to learn of the death of Ted Kennedy, whom the president called “one of the greatest senators of our time but also one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy," in an appearance on Martha's Vineyard, where the First Family is vacationing. The president was apprised of the senator's death at 2am and spoke to his widow, Victoria Kennedy, a few minutes later, Politico reports. More»