McCain Leads! (In Missed Votes)

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) didn't find time in his busy campaign schedule Thursday to make it back to the Capitol for votes on money for Iraq and Afghanistan as well as new educational benefits for veterans that he opposes. After all, even though he has been quite outspoken on the new GI Bill and even pushed a competing bill of his own, he still has to, um, win the Republican nomination (isn't Ron Paul still running??). And, apparently, he had to campaign and raise money in that pivotal swing state, California.

McCain's absence helped cement his lead in one key category over his potential Democratic opponents and every other Senator -- missed votes.

Through last week, McCain had missed a nice, round 60.0 percent of Senate votes so far in the 110th Congress. After Sen. Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), who was absent for several months following a brain hemorrhage, comes Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who lay well behind McCain with 41.8 percent of votes missed. Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.), a former presidential candidate, was fourth, followed by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), who had missed 31.7 percent.

Obama and Clinton both managed to make it to the Capitol Thursday to vote for the war money and the new GI Bill. Obama and McCain skipped the vote Thursday on overriding President Bush's veto of the Farm Bill (even though McCain really, really dislikes the Farm Bill), while Clinton voted nay.

By Ben Pershing |  May 23, 2008; 10:20 AM ET 2008 Campaign , Senate
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Isn't that what being a maverick is all about? Missing votes and campaigning instead? Perhaps he was wrestling Hamas with his own bare hands.

He's McDreamy!!

Posted by: Vote...we don't need no stinkin' votes! | May 23, 2008 11:26 AM

Mc Can you see that huge bulge on the left side of my face is such a two faced hypocrite since when did her really care about our troops. He speaks of his prisoner of war drama all the time, but he is against congress investigating it. He would be found out to have given in to the enemy on many occasions. He wasnt even water boarded and he gave in. How many of our troops either died or were seriously injured because of his talking? He obviously has not changed and on any given day will sell out anyone to appease who he is speaking to at the time, seems he hasnt changed much.

Posted by: Billllly | May 23, 2008 11:36 AM

The headlines saying McCain "appears healthy" or he "appears younger than his years" make me think I'm ready The Onion. McCain appears to be near death and if you saw him in person you'd be afraid of contact because he mostly appears infected. I won't even get into what his wife looks like live but suffice it to say that all the money in the world can't save her. McCain will lose mainly because he is such a runt. Before you even get into his problems and sheer political rudeness, he will be rejected because he is the shrimp that he is and because it bothers him so very much. His cowardice won't be a factor, nor will his senility because so many other Republicans are exactly the same but even they don't like shorty.

Posted by: Mark McKinnon | May 23, 2008 11:48 AM

It does not matter how many times Obama votes or does not vote in the Senate. He will NEVER get my vote for President. I am AMAZED at Americans entrusting a man that has followed Anti-American rhetoric and "black theology" for 20 YEARS and wrote books reenforcing this Anti-American view point. And now that he feels he is OWED the PRESIDENCY of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, preaches unity, wears a flag pen, and actually has the audacity to rub Americans face in it by now saying God Bless America. HAVE AMERICANS LOST THEIR MINDS AND REASON? The satire in this is he has NO experience. Not to be confused, a Great speechwriter is NOT experience. Never would I trust this great nation to this undeserving candidate. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET THE SUPER DELEGATES TO HEAR THIS?... WE ARE NOT VOTING FOR OBAMA! WE ARE NOT VOTING FOR OBAMA!THERE WILL BE NO UNITY IN THIS PARTY WHEN THEY HAVE CHOSEN AN ANTI-UNITY CANDIDATE!

Posted by: DEM to IND | May 23, 2008 2:28 PM

DEM said, "He will NEVER get my vote for President. I am AMAZED at Americans entrusting a man that has...wrote books reenforcing this Anti-American view point. And now that he feels he is OWED the PRESIDENCY of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...HAVE AMERICANS LOST THEIR MINDS AND REASON?"

Americans have not lost their minds, but you surely can use one. Of the two books authored by Obama, which of them "re-enforces" Anti-Ameerican views? I read both and I have yet to find a single page to conceed your opinion. No presidential candidate in history has won a contest with 100% of the votes. No candidate has won every state. Simply put, Obama doesn't need YOUR vote, he just needs the electoral math to win.

Posted by: Nikki | May 23, 2008 2:45 PM

Nikki: Bingo. There are far more of us (Independents) who are going to vote Obama than avid Clinton "democrats" who refuse to.

Hell, as soon as the retarded DNC gets this mess sorted out and we figure out who'll get the money: many of us will kick in a few bucks to help down-ticket races ... how many pissed off Hillary supporters can say that (and be believable)?

Posted by: IND to DEM | May 23, 2008 3:00 PM

My only problem with Obama is that he is willing to be united with the likes of Clinton and the Israeli enablers. I'd send him another check if he hadn't become the pragmatist but like so many other Democrats who have gladly caved to the Israeli lobbies, he turns me off. Of course, if it comes down to him vs Clinton or McCain, I will vote for Nader.

Posted by: Mark McKinnon | May 23, 2008 3:25 PM

FUND RAISING? Makes people want to ask whether or not old man McCain remembers he has already wrapped up the Republican nomination.

Posted by: infuse | May 23, 2008 3:32 PM

Rural Clinton Supporters who will support McCain:

Many of the Clinton supporters are threatening to vote for McCain because they suffer from Racial Divisions and Ignorance! And they don't live in the states you would think they do. They're in these southern Midwestern states and Central Southern states.

The So-called hard working white class Vote ISSUE:
Has anyone noticed the states in which these hard working "white" class voters became an issue. In states like KY,TN,WV and PA some of the most racially intolerant states in America even southern IL and IN. You see it's states like MS,AL,GA,LA,AR and TX (Gulf states) that get the bad rap but what most of the mainstream media overlooked and the Clinton Camp knew all along was the fact that states like KY,TN,WV,PA and etc. didn't make the same limited progress 20 or 30 yrs ago that the southern gulf states did during the Civl rights era. Why you may ask:

The southern gulf states had a higher populus of Blacks/Minorities than these mountainous regions of the country. Since these regions had more blacks to consider the spotlight was on them when it came to instituting the civil rights laws to combat the Jim Crow regulations of the south. States like KY,TN,WV and etc. which had southern racial ignorances too never had to implement these laws fully since their minority communities were tucked away and less considerable. The southern gulf states however made some limited progress in this regard since their minority communities were simply on the other side of the tracks. Those of us who have lived and/or resided in these regions know this to be true. We would get called all types of Ni**ers when schooling in some of these areas and this was in the 90's.

I can even remember the racial threats made against Tubby Smith former coach of Kentucky Wildcats during his recent coaching stint there. Now this was after he had considerable successes too I might add. The racial make-up for these areas are less diverse as compared to Georgia or Alabama for example however these whites held many of the same views of their confederate brethren from the south.

AS FAR AS BLACKS VOTING FOR OBAMA:
Many of us just happen to think that he"s the most studied,knowledgeable,insightful and honest of all the candidates of this cycle and before even.
Which of you could honestly accuse Blacks for voting for Obama due to Color. Blacks have voted overwhelmingly for democrats regardless to color be it white, yellow, orange , purple or brown. Which of these so called "Rural hard working white class voters" can claim such? Where is your proof? In 2004 President Bush had a multicultural cabinet, remember Condi Rice and Colin Powell?

However Blacks voted overwhelmingly against BUSH more so than any other voter demographic. We didn't care about his multicultural cabinet. FOX news pundits even chimed in on the issue however our voting history is proof. Where is the proof of rural"Hard working white class voters"?.

These Rural Clinton supporter's are full of gibberish and I can guarantee you that they have absolutely NO RECORD of ever supporting a candidate of different ethnicity. Show it to me Rural Clinton folks!, the rural "HARD WORKING WHITE CLASS" is nothing more than a "code" word for Racial Ignorance and HRC knows it too! James Carville even said that between Philly and Pittsburgh it was just like Alabama? What was that supposed to mean? Gov. Ed Rendell said PA wasn't ready to vote for a black candidate? Ok, what did that one mean? These were two individuals closely involved in her campaign however what was the implication toward these "RURAL HARD WORKING WHITE CLASS VOTERS"?

Now HRC wants to accuse everyone of sexism due to the Feminist Movement activists within her supporters! And these bunch of ignorant rural folks wanna accuse blacks of supporting Obama because he's black?

FACT: No one has ever supported Democrats overwhelmingly as the BLACK voters regardless of color and until you feminists and "RURAL HARD WORKING WHITE CLASS voters can show otherwise stop it with the BS and "code" words.

We know why about 50% of you are voting for HRC! So be honest and just say I will never vote for a Blackman (Obama) and I will have more respect for you and GOD might too (maybe)!

BTW: Rural Kentuckyans even said race was a decisive issue for them in this Presidential Race! Well duh????????

Posted by: mikey | May 23, 2008 3:47 PM

DEM to IND wrote "...WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET THE SUPER DELEGATES TO HEAR THIS?... WE ARE NOT VOTING FOR OBAMA! WE ARE NOT VOTING FOR OBAMA!THERE WILL BE NO UNITY IN THIS PARTY WHEN THEY HAVE CHOSEN AN ANTI-UNITY CANDIDATE!"

well for one thing stop typing in all caps, that's really annoying especially to super delegates. for another thing stop thinking that you speak for all Americans, you don't and you never will.

Super delegates respond to certain things in candidates.
1) the ability to raise money
2) the ability to win primaries
3) the ability to bring in new voters

oh hey what do you know Obama out performs every candidate in all three of those categories.

Moral of the story, Americans do want Obama as president and they are a few months away from getting what they want.

Posted by: formlessness | May 23, 2008 4:06 PM

Really, do you think the that all Americans want Obama as president? Well think again, there is a VERY silent majority who, do not answer polls or discuss the problems out loud or write in blogs, that have a very large problem with voting for Obama and these are the millions who will vote against him in the fall. Clearly 50% of democrats have voted AGAINST him. Add that to the Republican vote and you have an unelectable candidate again.
Incredible how stupid the leaders of the DNC are. They had the election handed to them and they blew it yet again..Time to start a third party that includes all Americans that are disgusted with the megalomaniacs of the DNC and the GOP.

Posted by: Anonymous | May 23, 2008 11:13 PM

Instead of voting to support the troops, McCain was in California raising money for his anemic campaign. He also made an appearance on Ellen, where he engaged her in a debate on gay marriage. He tried to soft peddle his opposition by telling her that she could "sign legal contracts" with her hot fiancee, Portia de Rossi. She replied that made her feel like a 2nd class citizen, and called it "old thinking that kept women and blacks from voting for so long."

He started his usual stammer showing he had played his last ace, so she took pity on him and invited him to walk her down the aisle.

He then ended the day with a diatribe attacking Obama for calling McCain's BS on not supporting the troops, making it sound like he had skipped his annual rabies shot.

If Thursday was any indication of how McCain plans to run this year, he should start asking Bob Dole to write his concession speech.

Posted by: AxelDC | May 24, 2008 12:01 AM

Hey, mikey,

Blacks are not voting for Obama because he is the most "studied, knowledgeable". This guy thinks Sioux City is in South Dakota (contrary to Sioux Falls) when in actuality Sioux City is in Iowa. Or was it revised as part of his 57 states?
But also what is interesting is that while both Clinton and Obama have very similar policies blacks still vote 90% for Obama. The argument that blacks voted 90% against Bush is irrelevant as Bush was a Republican. But now we have two democrats but black voters do not see it that way. And you can't possibly tell me that 10% that do vote for Hillary do not get flak for that.
You ought to research it more before making those comments.

http://www.kvue.com/news/state/stories/042108kvuepolloyalty-cb.85c68374.html

Posted by: Dmitriy | May 24, 2008 5:17 AM

Do you think Hillary is going to cast her vote for McCain??? Hell no!!! Let's stop bickering and do the right thing this November!

No more Bush. No more McWar. Please?

Posted by: Please do the right thing | May 24, 2008 10:51 AM

This is really sad. The Democratic Party is doing something incredibly historic for this country. We are running the first viable female and first viable African American candidate. Instead of enjoying this historic moment we have this kind of hatred dividing our party. Can't we all agree that Bush has been a disaster for this country and for the world. Can't we all agree that McCain would continue Bush's horrible foreign and monetary policies? We have a chance to change the history of this country by electing the first female or first African American President. Both of the candidates are smart, strong and capable. We should be proud --- instead we are angry. For the good of the country and the world we need to stop this bitterness and move forward so they can undo some of the damage that has been done in the last 7 1/2 years.

Posted by: Pam | May 24, 2008 11:39 AM

This is actually a littlebit of history repeating because Frederick Douglas and a leading Women's Suffrage activist were Dem. candidates many a year ago so I guess I have to ask you what do you consier "viable"?

Posted by: Luby | May 24, 2008 7:50 PM

Oh Oh Little Barack Hussein Obama is going
to be in deep,deep trouble with his crazy
"Adopted New Mommy" Mad Madame Nancy Pelosi
for Obama not voting like Pelosi to him
on Her Precious Farm Bill Veto Override.
As after all Mad Madame Nancy Pelosi has
made millions off of free farmer money from
the Feds along with Pelosi using Illegal
Aliens in vineyards,fancy restaurants and
price resort hotels. And I hope the voters
remember all this on Election Day 2008.
So just say NO to Barack Obama and No to
Mad Madame Nancy Pelosi in 2008!

Posted by: Sherry Kay | May 25, 2008 6:21 AM

John Mc Anus and Brownie for the Republicans for 2008.

Posted by: oldman&theC | May 25, 2008 11:37 PM

Awww, come on, guys! Give an old man a break!!!!

Posted by: JoeS | May 27, 2008 10:52 AM

McCain..... calling for a trip to Iraq with Senator Obama. Get real McCain does not know how to win a war, he and Bush are now losing two wars miserably. He is old, he is dumb, second from the bottom in his class.. and he does not know the meaning of death before dishonor. He signed documents calling those of us fighting on the ground in Viet Nam, war criminals..... get that he called us war criminals. And today, once again he shows he does not give a dammed about Vets by voting against the Webb bill.

McCain is a disgrace as a senator and is not capable of taking on the role of Commander in Chief.

Get rid of these losers, Bush, Rove, Card,Rumsfeld,Clinton, McCain...... we need real leadership before our country sinks into the third world nation they and their multi-national financiers want us to sink to.

Posted by: SDindependent | May 27, 2008 1:19 PM

Do you think John McCain got cornholed at the Hanoi Hilton?

By Chairman Mao

Posted by: ChairmanMao | May 27, 2008 9:05 PM

Dmitriy,
I am an African American voter. I am curious as to how people think they can read the minds of others.

I for one do not vote based on race or gender. I vote based on research and knowledge of the issues.

I have formulated an opinion of each candidate based on FACTS, from REAL sources, not internet drivel.

That is how I vote.

I suggest everyone quit guessing and making such broad strokes with their brushes and join the rest of us back on Terra Firma.

Posted by: Vance | May 28, 2008 10:29 AM

Most of the posts here are baseless, nonesensical and hateful character attacks that make independent-minded people cringe.

McCain has served his country honorably, both as a warrior and an elected official. His character is impeccable. So are his foreign policy knowledge and experience. I don't agree with McCaion on all issues, I like Obama and respect Clinton, but among all three, McCain stood out as one with DEMONSTRATED EXPERIENCE, STRONG CHARACTER AND LEADERSHIP ON THE MOST DEFINING ISSUES OF OUR TIME, AND THE MOST GENUINE CANDIDATE WHO HAS ALWAYS PLACED HIS COUNTRY ABOVE HIS PERSONAL AMBITION.

I DON'T THINK I, AND MANY OTHERS, INCLUDING SUPPORTERS OF OBAMA AND CLINTON, CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT ABOUT THE OTHER TWO CANDIDATES.

Posted by: Former Dem | May 28, 2008 11:31 AM

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