The 'Barbie' vs. 'Oppenheimer' debate makes its way to the U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON — Senators are heading into the weekend as divided as ever on a question plaguing America: "Barbie" or "Oppenheimer?"

As they headed for the doors Thursday night for a four-day break, after voting on a series of amendments to the National Defense Reauthorization Act, many senators said they're planning to enjoy this weekend's double feature. Several got in on the fun on social media, posting shots of themselves in "Barbie" pink and "Oppenheimer's" more subdued black and white.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he was opting for "Oppenheimer," while Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., told NBC News he would see "Barbie" and is “taking hundreds of people” with him. The New Jersey senator said he'll host a screening of the Greta Gerwig movie off Capitol Hill next Thursday with fellow senators and aides.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said he would be seeing "Oppenheimer" “because I’m an old fart,” while Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., said, “I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I’m going with 'Barbie.'”

Other members refused to disclose their plans altogether.

“I’d love to give you the answer to that. But it’s extraordinarily classified,” joked Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee.

NBC News asked more than two dozen senators about their movie plans. Here's where they landed:

Team "Barbie"

Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill.: “'Barbie' all the way, man. I have a 5-year-old and an 8-year-old, so it’s gonna be tough to not see it.”

Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., called the choice "a tough one," adding: "Well, I hate to sound shallow but 'Barbie.' … I’m shallow and I’m embarrassed to admit it but I’m going with 'Barbie.'”

Kevin Cramer, R-N.D.: “I’m probably not going to either one. Although I will say that it’s funny you ask that because my wife has been waiting for the 'Barbie' movie. The Ken guy is really interesting to her.”

Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y.: “I’m going with Cory Booker to see 'Barbie' next week. I can’t wait. It’s really funny, it makes lots of jokes. It makes fun of misogyny, makes fun of anti-LGBTQ people. It takes the piss out of all the things you think are wrong with Barbie and Ken and makes fun of themselves. It’s really good.”

Alex Padilla, D-Calif.: “My kids want to watch Barbie.”

Ben Cardin, D-Md., tweeted that he's all-in for "Barbie."

Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., concurred.

Team "Oppenheimer"

“Oppenheimer” seemed to hold the most sway in the Senate, earning votes from Schumer, Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., as well as Sens. Steve Daines, R-Mont., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Tim Scott, R-S.C., Gary Peters, D-Mich., and others.

Mitt Romney, R-Utah: “'Oppenheimer,' but I’ll see ‘em both. 'Barbie' second.”

Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.: “I’m going to see 'Oppenheimer,'" adding that he worked on a bill with retired Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., to restore Robert Oppenheimer's security clearance. "This was long before the movie was on anybody’s radar.”

Bernie Sanders, D-Vt.: “I’ll probably see the film 'Oppenheimer.'”

John Fetterman, D-Pa.: "Team Oppenheimer.” (Still, Fetterman embraced his inner Barbie by tweeting this photo.)

Joe Manchin, D-W.V.: “'Oppenheimer.' … Why would you even ask me that?”

Martin Henrich, D-N.M.: "I will be seeing the movie 'Oppenheimer.' There’s a lot of New Mexico history there."

John Cornyn, R-Texas: “Definitely not 'Barbie.' ... One of my favorite books is about the atomic bomb and the story of Los Alamos, so I’m intrigued by the 'Oppenheimer' movie.”

Thom Tillis, R-N.C.: “'Oppenheimer.' Although I did see a few scenes from 'Barbie' that I thought were funny, so, originally I wasn’t going to watch it, but now I will.” (Asked whether he identified as a “Barbenheimer,” Tillis said, “Yeah, that’s not me.”)

Josh Hawley, R-Mo.: “It would be ‘Oppenheimer’ between those two.”

Peter Welch, D-Vt.: “You know, I’m so behind on popular culture that I’m undecided. But, I’m thinking I may go with ‘Oppenheimer.’”

Team Barbenheimer

Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz: “Can’t you be both?”

Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisc.: “I have not decided! It’ll have to be dependent on where, if it’s at a theater near me. I’m letting the chips fall where they may.”

Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.: "My plan is to see both of them in the next week." Asked which she would see first, Klobucher said, "That I don’t know.”

Jacky Rosen, D-Nev.: "I want both. I’m a woman in STEM!"

Bob Menendez, D-N.J. posed the question on Twitter: “¿Por que no los dos?” (Why not both?)

Bill Cassidy, R-La.: "'Barbenheimer!'”

Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., also said on Twitter, “I’m a Barbenheimer.”

None of the above

Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska: “Oh my gosh, what is the deal with Barbie? ... I’m probably not going to see either one. I think the last movie I watched was 'Frozen.'" Murkowski added she was joking, but is focused on Senate work. "Like, why are you gonna go watch a movie this weekend instead of finishing the NDAA? That’s my stress level right now."

Jon Ossoff, D-Ga.: “I hope to have the time to go to the movies, OK?”

Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, identified himself as “Neither ‘Barbie’ nor ‘Oppenheimer,’” writing, “I’m a Ken” on Twitter.

Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said he’d have to abstain from “Oppenheimer”: “My dad wrote a book called ‘Day One,’ the story of the atomic bomb, and it was a CBS Sunday night movie. It got Emmy Awards, it starred Brian Dennehy, who some of you might not even remember, but there was a contest to list the great movies that would compete with ‘Oppenheimer.’ My dad’s came in like third or fourth.”

Tom Cotton, R-Ark.: “No comment.”

CORRECTION (July 21, 2023, 2:48 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misstated Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s party affiliation. She is a Democrat, not a Republican.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com