Lieberman's Sabbath Walk Breaks GOP Filibuster

Senate Democrats turned back a Republican effort to block a final vote on a huge end-of-year spending bill that gives most federal agencies a generous budget boost. The 60-34 vote largely along party lines met the minimum threshold to end the filibuster by Republicans, who say the $447 billion measure has too much wasteful spending.

It's now expected to pass in a final vote set for tomorrow afternoon. Democrats held the vote open for an hour to accommodate Joe Lieberman, an Orthodox Jew who walked more than 3 miles to the Capitol to vote on the Sabbath. "Shabbat shalom," he told photographers as he entered the building. He wore a brilliant orange scarf, a wool coat, and a wide grin as he provided the crucial 60th vote.
(More Joe Lieberman stories.)