“„Democrats were overjoyed and Republicans stood, smiled and applauded as well, though some looked uneasy as it dawned on them that once again Mr. Kennedy was about to hand them a stinging defeat on health care policy.
“„[…]
“„Few Democrats were made aware of the plan until minutes before the vote, and Republicans were blindsided, giving them no time to plot a counterstrategy.
“„[…]
“„President Bush and many Republican senators have opposed the measure, in part because it would finance a small increase in Medicare payments to doctors by cutting federal payments to insurance companies that offer private Medicare Advantage plans, as an alternative to the traditional government-run program.
“„“It has to be done in a bipartisan way, in a way that keeps alternatives for seniors in the private sector,” said Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, who was one of the original holdouts against the measure. But Mr. Cornyn ended up supporting it Wednesday, along with eight others who voted to block consideration of the measure just two weeks ago.
“„Others who switched their votes at the last minute on Wednesday, just before the roll call ended, were Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker of Tennessee, Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, Mel Martinez of Florida, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and John W. Warner of Virginia.