Reply #2: Best hope may be getting 51 votes to sustain the chair's ruling that ANWR

[flpoljunkie]

drilling should not be in the defense appropriation bill. Some Senators have said they will vote to support the chair, but will "reluctantly" not vote for a filibuster--among them Gordon Smith of Oregon. Specter says he "will hold his nose" and vote for cloture. Somehow I think he would be voting differently if he were up for re-election in 2006.

Does anyone know if Bill Nelson of Florida will vote against cloture? Yesterday he was not saying. This is very disturbing news, if true, that he is contemplating voting for cloture.

Although your link indicates cloture vote will come first... http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/122005/anwr2.html

"Under Senate rules, Republicans need 60 votes to cut off debate. Even if that threshold is met, they would need a second 51-vote majority to execute a parliamentary maneuver intended to circumvent a point of order against the ANWR provision. Several Republicans, including Gordon Smith of Oregon and John McCain of Arizona, said Tuesday that they would oppose the procedural move."