Senate Votes Down Iraq Withdrawal

The Senate yesterday shot down a plan to cut all funding for the war in Iraq by next March. Russ Feingold's proposal, largely a test of anti-war support, was defeated in a 67-29 procedural vote, as Congress moves towards compromise with the White House on a spending measure.

But the ayes included all four senators (Obama, Clinton, Dodd and Biden) with White House ambitions. A Republican plan that would have funded the war indefinitely contingent on progress from Baghdad—which Feingold called "very tepid"—came closer to approval, but still fell short of the 60 required votes. (More Iraq pullout stories.)