President Barack Obama is rolling out the red carpet, complete with the full pomp of a 21-gun salute and a black-tie dinner after Oval Office talks on Wednesday.
So he came up with a plan to tie weather balloons to his chair and bring a pellet gun with him to shoot the balloons when he needed to hasten his descent.
Seven Republicans voted for the Democratic amendment -- two more than crossed over on the gun show vote a year ago, when Vice President Al Gore broke a 50-50 tie.