Beyond the Dome

Barack Obama may say he can heal the nation’s partisan divisions, but a nasty one happened tonight on the Senate floor and he was too busy chatting to even notice it.

Obama dropped by the Senate tonight to vote for a bill to block a 10 percent cut in Medicare physician payment rates, followed by a vote for an emergency war spending bill that includes an expansion of educational benefits for veterans.

The war spending bill passed, but the Medicare bill fell just short of the 60 votes it needed to end debate, triggering a tongue-lashing from Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

“We are seeing another partisan game being played in front of the American people,” Reid said, waving a pencil as Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky looked on stiffly.

And the two began to bicker over which party was to blame for the fact that the payment cuts would probably take place and Medicare patients would find it harder to find doctors who would take them.

So what was Obama doing this whole time? Kicking back in a seat in the Senate chamber, chatting with his Illinois colleague, Senate Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin — and, at one point, Hillary Rodham Clinton. As if healing the party was all that mattered.

Reid: “Is it any wonder that Mississippi sent us a Democratic House member? They did that because they see what’s going on over here.”

Obama and Clinton: “Blah blah blah.”

McConnell: “What in the world does that have to do with the subject matter before us?”

Obama and Durbin: “Blah blah blah.”

Reid: “You’re worried about a veto from the president? Gee whiz, who would be afraid of him? He’s got a 29 percent approval rating!”

Obama and Durbin: “Blah blah blah.”

So the Medicare cuts will take effect next week, and senior citizens might have a harder time finding doctors. But at least Obama and Clinton seemed to be getting along okay.

One step at a time.