Don’t lie. During Sen. Rand Paul’s filibuster last night on NSA surveillance, you couldn’t help but wonder how he controls his bladder for hours on end during his lengthy speeches. Although Rand has never peed on the Senate floor, there are others who have urinated while filibustering. Here are some tricks for how some have learned to filibuster without flushing:
1. Wear an Astronaut Bag
In 1977, Senator Bill Meier (R- Texas) staged a 43-hour filibuster about a bill he believed to be an attack on the state’s open records laws. Beneath his suit, he wore an astronaut bag on the Senate floor. Every time he filled the tank, former Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby would arrange to take a message from the house, and Meier ran to the women’s restroom, since it was closest, to empty the bag. On each trip, two sergeants-at-arms came with him to ensure he never sat down. Poor guy.
