It was all politics around the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill on Capitol Hill today as a cloture vote to end debate on it fell short, bringing different characterizations and conclusions from the opposing parties. TPA Headlines and Forecast It was all politics around the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill on Capitol Hill today as a cloture vote to end debate on it fell eight votes shy (52–45). For Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) and the Republicans, the abandonment of President Barack Obama by his fellow Democrats reinforced the message that he is a lame-duck leader. Their hope is that newspaper headlines describe the president losing on a key aspiration at the hands of organized labor representing just 11 perc...