We’re watching the wind-up to the vote in the Senate scheduled for 7:00 a.m. this morning. They’ve already had an opening convocation and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Vice-President Joe Biden is the president of the Senate today. Senator Harry Reid has now launched into a frenzy of thanks, spreading around his gratitude to everyone who works in the Senate.

Six minutes and counting…

Sen. Mitch McConnell now at the podium; he says that the problem with the bill is that it doesn’t do what it was supposed to do, lowering costs. If the bill was so great, it wouldn’t have needed votes in the middle of the night and even during a blizzard, or on Christmas Eve. "This fight isn’t over, this fight is far from over." They’re going to continue to fight on behalf of the American people.

Sen. Reid: This bill will reduce the deficit. We’ve had votes in the middle of the night because the Republicans wouldn’t let us. Reid now citing the example of a constituent with preexisting condition, one who will be among those who will give him an earful when he goes home.

Cites Harry Truman’s comments in 1945 in which Truman called for health care to be seen as a national concern; asks that one consider the case of a citizen born in 1945 who has never had affordable health care.

(Ed. note: that would be my mother, who was born in 1940 and who might still be waiting except that she now has Medicare, being 69 years old. Ahem.)

We may not cure this crisis to day, Reid says, but we must start somewhere.

He invokes Ted Kennedy’s quote, "The dream goes on."

Reid chastises political naysayers working against the bill.

We’re now moving to the roll call, a most stimulating obligation on the floor of the Senate. Who’s here for this historic debacle, I mean, vote?

Mr. Lieberman, Mrs. Lincoln are present.

Mr. McCain is not present.

Mr. Nelson of Nebraska is present. So far all Dems present.

There’s some laughter on the floor when Sen. Reid’s name is called, can’t see what has generated the humor other than we can’t hear his response.

Ms. Snowe is not currently present. Uh-oh…does this mean there will be no buffer, a straight party line vote?

We are hearing a lot of No (or not present) when Republican names are called.

Another No for Sen. Sessions.

Very long pause on the floor, a couple of minutes, before the roll call continues with Sen. Sanders’ name, whose Aye is audible.

It’s passed. 60 votes present.

God help us all.

UPDATE: Funnydiva2002 has the actual roll call on the vote below in thread, although the vote was strictly along party lines.

UPDATE #2: President Obama is expected to make a statement about today’s vote at 8:45 a.m., according to C-SPAN.