The 51-46 vote short of the 60 votes in support needed to bring the measure to the floor went along party lines with only GOP Senator Susan Collins crossing the aisle to vote with the Democrats while Senator Mark Pryor of Arkansas sided with the Republicans.

FORBES: GOP Tax Jihad Continues-Senate Shoots Down Buffett Rule

They said - Senator Biden had one of the funniest lines.

NPR: Democratic Presidential Hopefuls Take on Las Vegas

Senator PATRICK LEAHY (Democrat, Vermont): The lines seem clear.

NPR: Congress Returns to Debate Immigration Bill

The Arizona senator is widely respected nationwide, his personal appeal crosses party lines and he is a tireless campaigner.

CNN: Obama bets big with 50-State Strategy

"If we take one police officer, one ambulance or one fire-department staffer to put them on the marathon rather than doing the emergency-response work they are doing, it is not just an outrage it is an abuse of their responsibilities, " State Senator Liz Krueger said on ESPN's "Outside the Lines" program Thursday.

WSJ: Jason Gay: Are We Really Going To Run This Race?

The senator is a policy wonk with the political skills, regularly applied across party lines, to put ideas into practice.

ECONOMIST: The incomparable Daniel Patrick