SSDD
Rich roles out the newest reminder of why the abortion Present votes by Obama are taken way out of context. I seem to remember covering this in 2004 with Rich and Eric Zorn. Obama was voting as Planned Parenthood asked. As Rich said, Present votes are fair game, but in this case, Obama was providing cover for others.
The irony is that pro-life groups in Illinois attacked him for killing later versions of these bills when he was a Committee Chair by not letting them out of committee.
The reporters might check with one of the Trib’s columnists who covered this about three years ago if they have any doubt.
December 4th, 2007 at
“Obama was voting as Planned Parenthood asked……in this case, Obama was providing cover for others [in his party]”
So, Obama was following orders from a special interest group and allowing partisan considerations to supplant the views of his constituents and his own conscience?
December 4th, 2007 at
Someone voted strategically? I’m shocked. What a horrible thing to do.
December 4th, 2007 at
“So, Obama was following orders from a special interest group…”
So weak.
December 4th, 2007 at
I’m not shocked either, Arch, and that’s the whole point. Obama is just another calculating, partisan politician. What’s “horrible” is that tomorrow he’ll be back on the stump saying that he’s ‘not beholden to special interests,’ and that ‘we need to end partisan gamesman in Washington.’
At least when Bush campaigned as a “uniter, not a divider,” he had a record in Texas that actually backed it up. Now, based on the fact that Bush was, for whatever reason, unable to replicate that success in Washington, maybe we can pin our hopes on Obama being the reverse: maybe his record in Springfield means he’ll turn out to be an independent thinker above the partisan fray when he gets to the White House.
December 4th, 2007 at
I’m sure I’m not consistent in some post if you look hard enough, but I don’t find a problem with strategic voting if it helps further the legislative goal. I don’t see much of a difference here then when someone switches their vote to be able to recall the bill.
I fully admit I wouldn’t want to try and explain this to most people, but using the tools of legislative process generally doesn’t bother me so I don’t find this all that terrible.
December 4th, 2007 at
Bush had a record in Texas?