Rachel Maddow Spoofs Minnesota Senate's 'No Eye Contact' Rule

Rachel Maddow declared last week "the Minnesota Senate is a weirder place than I imagined it might be," after reporting to her viewers how the chamber voted on two very unusual practices.

The first was Minnesota Senate Rule 36.8: "All remarks during debate shall be addressed to the President."

"The idea is," Maddow explained, "that by not addressing each other, the Minnesota Senate will somehow remain more civil. It means whenever you are talking in the Minnesota Senate, you have to talk to the senate president. It doesn't matter if you're answering a question from another member of the senate or arguing with somebody, or talking about a friend of yours or making a point about them, the only person you are allowed to look at is the senate president."

At this point in her bit, Maddow turns to the graphic image superimposed to her left, and explained: "You have to make eye contact with that specific person: Sandy Pappas."

A member proposed this rule be amended, calling it "antiquated;" by a vote of 44 to 15, the senators decided to keep things as they are.

Another proposal to allow lawmakers to have water on the senate floor was also defeated.

Watch the segment below.