SENATE STIMULUS CHAT.

I just got off the phone with Jim Manley, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's spokesperson, for a story that will come out on Monday. Some newsy items: According to Manley, Reid -- who thought the original bill was "pretty good" -- does have the votes to gain cloture for the stimulus bill that comes out of a series of amending votes this evening. On leadership's opinion of the Nelson-Collins compromise attempts, Manley had less information.

"[Reid] supports attempts to try and broker a compromise," he said. "The goal continues to be how best to get a bill out of the Senate. To the extent Republican votes are needed to get a bill out of the Senate, he's waiting to see what exactly they come up with."

A final vote could come later tonight or tomorrow. Manley expects the final vote for cloture to be just north of 60, and notes that Senator Chuck Schumer at a pen-and-pad briefing this morning "acknowledged for the first time that eighty votes is done and we're just trying to get it out of the Senate."

-- Tim Fernholz