Obama had full control of both houses for 133 days, including the Holiday break.
He needed 60 seats in the Senate to stop Republican fillibusters. Ted Kennedy had a seizure during Obama’s inauguration dinner and never returned to vote, but didn’t step down. He eventually died, and was temporarily replaced by Paul Kirk on September 24, 2009, but in the Special Election for Kennedy’s seat, the Tea Party won and the Senate majority was no longer fillibuster-proof as of February 4, 2010.
Obama had full control of both houses for 133 days, including the Holiday break.
He needed 60 seats in the Senate to stop Republican fillibusters. Ted Kennedy had a seizure during Obama’s inauguration dinner and never returned to vote, but didn’t step down. He eventually died, and was temporarily replaced by Paul Kirk on September 24, 2009, but in the Special Election for Kennedy’s seat, the Tea Party won and the Senate majority was no longer fillibuster-proof as of February 4, 2010.