Barkley Votes With Republicans on Homeland Security Bill (w/Priceless McCain Democrat suck-up quote)

AP ^ | Published: Nov 19, 2002 | Frederic J. Frommer, Associated Press Writer

[SunStar]

Nov 19, 2002

Barkley Votes With Republicans on Homeland Security Bill

By Frederic J. Frommer
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - On the job for only a couple of weeks, interim Sen. Dean Barkley of Minnesota suggested Tuesday that he's learned to use his leverage as senator.

Barkley would not commit to voting with Republicans on a homeland security bill until the Bush administration committed to a Minnesota welfare waiver - though the independent senator had planned to vote with the GOP all along.

Barkley, an independent, said he received four calls from the White House over the past couple of weeks seeking his support on the bill. Two hours before Tuesday's vote, Barkley said, he got a commitment from Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson to grant the state a continuation of its welfare waiver next year.

Thompson spokesman Tony Jewell confirmed that commitment but said the decision had nothing to do Barkley's vote on homeland security.

Barkley, who is filling out the term of the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., said he already had decided to support the bill.

"But I wasn't going to show that card until I actually see if I could get the commitment from the White House and Tommy Thompson," he said.

Minnesota's waiver, which expired Sept. 30, allowed the state to offer welfare recipients options such as extra schooling and mental-health counseling.

The key vote Tuesday was 52-47 against a Democratic amendment to strip GOP provisions that Democrats considered special interest gifts to corporations. Had that amendment passed, there might not have been time to pass the overall bill this year.

Barkley said he agreed the GOP provisions should be removed but not at the cost of killing the bill.

"I had to make the call whether or not having a homeland security bill was worth those special interest provisions - which I hate," he said. "But I'm a realist to know that that's how this game is played around here."

Barkley has said since arriving here that his No. 1 priority was creation of a new Homeland Security Department.

One provision particularly tough for Barkley to accept was the weakening of a Wellstone amendment barring companies with offshore tax havens from getting federal homeland security contracts.

Barkley said Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican who voted with Democrats, told him, "'You're in Wellstone's seat, you should be cognizant of that, and they weakened the Wellstone part, and you ought to say that you're not going to do that.'"

McCain spokesman Marshall Wittmann said the Arizona senator "did not tell him how to vote."

[SunStar]

Let's see the McCain supporters defend their guy after reading this quote...

[dead]

McCain spokesman Marshall Wittmann said the Arizona senator "did not tell him how to vote."

He just tried to.

[BUSHdude2000]

Sounds like more BS from the "Straight Talk Express".

[Chemnitz]

Isn't he in Goldwater's seat? Goldwater would be ashamed of him. I am.

[Wait4Truth]

I am proud to say that I have never supported John McCain. I wish he would just go away. He is a traitor to his own Party while he sucks up to the RATS day after day. He will never get over losing the nomination to George W. Bush. It's as simple as that.

[prognostigaator]

Notice that Landrieu of Louisiana voted with pubbies when it had already passed....

[Wait4Truth]

Landrieu = slimy politics at its best. A true hillary clone.

[Wait4Truth]

slimy = slimey...sheesh

[Leto]

Well this bit of grandstanding by Mc Cain will be worth a lot of face time and adulation from Russert. Stephie, Schieffer and the rest of the adoring mainstream media.

I'm sure Judy Woodruff is thrilled.

[dead]

The best thing about this lame-duck session is the torture she is going through. Every single vote is going to be lambasted by somebody, costing her votes.

It's like she's spinning slowly on a spit.

[F.J. Mitchell]

MC "CAIN" will slay reasonable legislation, just as long as his supporters en"Able" him. Nothing honorable in McCain's past, can deodorize the skunk he has become.

[my right]

When is this idiot up for reelection? I may move to Arizona to vote against him in the primary, it damn sure looks like the natives can't do the job. I have always said that if my Dad were to run on a democrate ticket that I would vote against him. I believe I would make an exception for this turncoat.

[Douglas]

McCain is rumored ready to switch parties if Landreau wins and another Republican comes forward to switch with him - which would give the Democrats Senate control magain.

This vote on his part (the sole Republican) could be setting the stage for that. It would give him cover arguing his switch is idealogical and not strictly a political move. McCain wants to run for Pres and that is out in 2004 unless he's a Democrat or switches but becomes Independent like Jeffords.

[Gunder]

Too little, too late, Ms. Landrieu.

[Grampa Dave]

McCainal is infected with the same destructive virus that many who claim to be Republican have been infected with. They must have had too many STD's not cured and inhaled a lot.

They claim to be Republican and spend 24/7 stabbing our president and party in the back. They are all over America. They are in the Senate, in the house, serve as governors and state legislators. They are on Free Republic and other web sites. They are mentally ill and petty POS's!

They, like their poster boy McCainal, are worse than the Rats. At least the rats call themselves Democrats, and we know what to expect from them.

[mlo]

Let's see the McCain supporters defend their guy after reading this quote...

Are there any around here?

[savedbygrace]

"But I wasn't going to show that card until I actually see if I could get the commitment from the White House and Tommy Thompson," he said.

Barkley doesn't really play poker, does he? That's wasn't your card, silly. That was your bluff. And you NEVER tell anyone you've just bluffed them. You just pull your money in and get ready for the next ante.

And NEVER count your money 'til you're outa there.

And if your wife asks, tell her, "I just broke even. Might've won or lost a few dollars, but I think I pretty much broke even."

[Caipirabob]

McCain would be as popular as Jeffords if he did. Also, I don't think the Queen would permit it. She'll be too old and dried up if she waits too long.

[HitmanLV]

Is McCain of medium or short stature? I saw him in shots with Dubya on 'Journeys With George' and he looked a litter shorter than Dubya, who I figure is about 5'10".

Also its amazing how they made up McCain's young rich trophy wife to look closer to his age. She is a vixen for sure, and he is a lucky man, but they really wanted to avoid any issues there - so phony! So what is he has a wife 15-20 years younger, and so what if she is a fox? Bully for him!!!

[Douglas]

McCain has a huge ego and my bet is he does not care what the Quenn thinks. Sure the party establishment would be against him, but I could see McCain entering the Demo fray as a populist. Its not totally out of the realm to believe McCain could beat Gore and Kerry in the primaries.