Senate Sleepover

The Iraq vote, an unusual all-nighter for U.S. senators, forced many senators to get just a few hours of sleep Tuesday night — or hit the sack much later than usual. Here is how your local senators spent the night:

Sen. George Voinovich, a Cleveland Republican, cast the first vote on the measure at 8:34 p.m., then went to dinner with his wife, Janet. He was back at the Capitol for an 11:59 p.m. vote before heading to his Capitol Hill townhouse for a nap. But he didn't sleep long, because he was back at the Captiol for the next vote, which was at 5:13 a.m. He did NOT speak on the floor and ended up voting AGAINST allowing the measure calling for troop withdrawal to be considered.

Sen. Jim Bunning, a Republican from Southgate, Ky., spoke on the Senate floor at about 8:15 p.m. - right before the first vote. He then stayed at the Capitol, wandering back and forth between the Senate floor and his office, until 1:30 a.m., at which point the sleepy senator went home and promptly went to sleep, skipping the early morning vote so he could be awake and fresh for his regular 8 a.m. prayer breakfast, his spokesman said. He also voted AGAINST the measure.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Louisville, also skipped the 5:13 a.m. vote. During first half of the night, however, he held court in his leadership office, meeting with lawmakers and even serving dinner so many of them and their staff members, his office said. Finally, however, McConnell needed his rest.

"He went home for a nap — had to take a break from the 'theatrical display' organized by the Dems," said his spokeswoman, Julie Adams, in an e-mail.

(Yes, McConnell too voted AGAINST the measure.)

Sen. Sherrod Brown of Lorain in northern Ohio, on the other hand, stayed up most of the night — even appearing as a guest blogger on the Ohio Democratic Party blog, which was updated all night. The freshman senator, and the only Democrat in the group, spoke on the Senate floor at 11 p.m., presided over the chamber for two and a half hours, and made every vote. He napped for a few hours on the couch in his office, then voted FOR the measure.

"He is wearing the same shirt but a different tie," spokeswoman Bethany Lesser said yesterday.