Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid led off Thursday’s session with praise for Sen. Rand Paul’s 13-hour filibuster the previous day, saying the junior senator from Kentucky used the rules the right way — and showed a strong spine, as well as other body parts.
“To succeed, you need strong convictions, but also a strong bladder. It’s obvious Senator Paul has both,” said Mr. Reid, a veteran of his own nine-hour filibuster a decade ago.
Mr. Paul, with help from his GOP colleagues, held the chamber floor for 13 hours to block a vote on John O. Brennan, whom President Obama has tapped to head the CIA. Mr. Paul is seeking assurances from the White House that it agrees drone executions of noncombatant American citizens within the United States is illegal.
Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. seemed to say he agreed with that in a hearing Wednesday, but Mr. Paul said he wants a stronger, more coherent statement by Mr. Holder or Mr. Obama.
