For quite some time we have been noting that the Republicans ran a hugely obstructionist strategy in the Senate, running up a record total of cloture motions. McCain, in his effort to cast himself as some kind of trans-partisan agent of change was of course fully on board with this agenda.
Further, McCain by far, leads the pack of senators for votes skipped during the 110th Congress. McCain skipped 63.8% of votes. He beats out stroke sufferer Tim Johnson, and both Obama and Clinton in the midst of their epic struggle who all still managed to attend a majority of votes.
Let's take a peek at that record, after all McCain says:
The constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these problems isn't a cause, it's a symptom. It's what happens when people go to Washington to work for themselves and not you.
Again and again, I've worked with members of both parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. That's how I will govern as President. I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country moving again. I have that record and the scars to prove it. Senator Obama does not.
I've looked through all the rejected cloture votes of the 110th Senate where the cloture motion got a majority. So this is where a bill would have passed, if not for the Republican minority blocking it. Here's a representative chunk of them:
McCain skips a vote on a bill to create energy independence. Which he just promised to achieve in his Nomination Acceptance speech. McCain's vote would have been decisive as the measure failed cloture 59-40. But McCain hates partisanship. Obama voted yea.
McCain skipped the vote on cloture for the economic stimulus package. Cloture failed 58-41. If McCain had voted yea, Reid would also have and cloture would be invoked. Obama voted yea.
McCain skipped the vote on cloture for the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. Cloture failed 56-42. Obama voted yea.
McCain skipped the vote on the Medicare Improvements Act. Cloture failed again 58-40, with McCain's potential "yea" being decisive. Obama voted yea.
McCain skipped the vote on the bill to increase the minimum wage. It failed cloture 54-43. Obama voted yea.
McCain skips a vote on cloture for a sense of the Senate on Iraq. It fails 49-47. I thought McCain had strong opinions on Iraq? Obama voted yea.
McCain skips another vote on cloture for a sense of the Senate on Iraq. Cloture fails 56-34. Obama voted yea.
McCain skips a vote on cloture for a bill to fund the Iraq war and compel redeployment. It fails 53-45. Obama voted yea.
McCain skips a vote on an energy conservation bill. No opinion on the energy crisis I guess. Cloture fails 50-44. Obama missed this one.
McCain skips a vote on cloture for an energy bill. Fortunately energy is not an issue the American people care about. It fails 57-36. Obama voted yea.
McCain skips a vote on another Energy cloture vote. It fails 53-42. Obama voted yea.
McCain skips a vote on cloture for the Intelligence Authorization spending bill. Fails 50-45. Obama missed this one.
McCain skips a vote on cloture for a bill to allow the government to negotiate over drug prices. Cloture fails 55-42. Obama voted yea.
McCain skips a vote on cloture for the motion of non-confidence in AG Gonzales. It fails 53-38. Obama missed this one.
McCain skips a vote on the Farm bill. Cloture fails 55-42. McCain, looking out for farmers. Obama voted yea.
McCain skips a vote on cloture for an Immigration reform bill. I'm sure the nativist base is glad to know McCain didn't have their back. Luckily 44 of his colleagues were able to block the Hispanic Horde. Obama voted yea.
Don't worry, John McCain didn't skip every key cloture vote. He votes "nay" on lots of them, to help his Republican colleagues obstruct the will of the Senate numerical and often bi-partisan majority.
McCain voted no on cloture to block the Employee Free Choice act. Cloture failed 51-48.
McCain voted no on cloture for a bill to guarantee soldiers a minimum amount of time between deployments. Him and 40 other Republicans succeeded in thwarting the will of 56 senators who voted aye.
McCain voted no on cloture for a bill to redploy forces from Iraq. Cloture failed 52-47.
McCain voted no on cloture for a bill to give the District of Columbia a vote in Congress. Only 57 Senators in a bi-partisan majority supported this one, so luckily the 42 who voted no were able to block this, or more citizens might have a voice in government. Whew.
McCain voted no on cloture to a bill to restore Habeas Corpus to detainees. Cloture failed 56-43.
Republicans used John Kerry's voting record against him effectively in 2004. They've gone after Obama for his "present" votes in Illinois. Now their candidate has a record a mile long full of obstruction of the small-d democratic majority and just plain skipping town.
I particularly think the contrast with Johnson could be effective in an ad. McCain had his nomination sewn up on Super Tuesday. Yet a stoke victim and the two fighting the extensive primary all made far more votes than him. It's pretty clear McCain has purposely not voted so as to avoid having a record, and in doing so, has set a record of cowardice from taking stands he should be forced to address. Why did he miss so many votes this congress? Who is representing the people of Arizona in the United States Senate?
I'd also like to see Obama surrogates confronting Obama's "most liberal voting record" by replying "At least Obama has a voting record."
