Deadline Poet / November 11, 2023

Senator Tuberville’s Block on Military Promotions

Calvin Trillin
Sen. Tommy Tuberville looks into the distance at the Capitol
Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, talks to reporters at the Capitol in Washington, May 16, 2023. (J. Scott Applewhite / AP Photo)

And then there’s Tommy Tuberville.
With rules the Senate favors still,
He needs a single poison pill
To block the jobs we need to fill.
For Tuberville this is a thrill—
And manna for his campaign till.
Among his colleagues on the Hill
Respect for him is nearing nil.

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Calvin Trillin

Calvin Trillin is The Nation’s “deadline poet.”

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