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."

[zingzang]

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.

I hope the moron does switch parties. He's no help to the Republicans, and as someone stated in another post, he'll never get over losing the nomination to Bush. Let the jerk switch. The way the dems are going, they are their own worst enemies, and he'll definitely help in that aspect!

[LS]

No, that is the Arizona Senate Seat. That's not Goldwater's seat. That's God's seat.

[RoseofTexas]

I heard on Special Report that Chaffee is the one MOST likely to switch! He has Lott by the WALNUTS if he doesn't
meet all the GOODIES he wants! Can you say BLACKMAIL?!! Don't worry about McVAIN for now it's CHAFFEE who will do the turncoat dance!

[mombonn]

I am proud to say that I have never supported John McCain.

That's two of us! I went staight from Keyes to Bush.

[Sparta]

She's still toast here in Louisiana anyway.

[Fledermaus]

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.

I totally agree. Did you see her on MTP Sunday with Terrell? She was practically on her knees giving a "Clinton" to Bush she sucked up so hard!

[SunStar]

I heard on Special Report that Chaffee is the one MOST likely to switch! He has Lott by the WALNUTS if he doesn't meet all the GOODIES he wants! Can you say BLACKMAIL?!! Don't worry about McVAIN for now it's CHAFFEE who will do the turncoat dance!

What???

Assuming Landreu (sp?) keeps her seat, the Democrats will need TWO switchers if they are to pull another Jeffords Special on the GOP. That would be Chafee and McCain...

[KriegerGeist]

It would suck bigtime if McCain and Chafee jumped to the Dems. That is why I was so disappointed when Thune threw in the towel. It's not a long stretch to see those two hold hands and jump.
If the Senate goes back into the hands of the Dems, we can forget about any good judges and tax reform and economic stimulus et. al.
Do you think that Lott knows or suspects that he can and might lose control, so that is why he is making deals with the Devil? Oops, I ment Daschle?

[Fledermaus]

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.

Since the Dimbulbs are moving farther to the Left...I doubt McCain will go that far. After his attacks on Bush I don't think he can play the "conservative Democrat" game and get the independent white men back!

[Gunder]

Landrieu must have been asleep on November 5th. In case she didn't notice, the "I'm with the President where it counts" kind of Democrats like Carnahan and Cleland got beat. Americans in 2002 want Republicans, not Republican-lites.

[Wphile]

I don't think McCain will switch but on Brit Hume, Carl Cameron said they are most worried about Chaffee. Chaffee is a flake.

Having said that though, I do think the GOP screwed up here and added this stuff at the 11th hour. It would have been better for everyone if they had just kept the bill clean. I realize that is how it is done but Cameron reported that Lott was only able to keep Snowe, Collins and Chaffee on board if he agreed to have the House revisit those issues - the limited liability, the money to Texas A & M, and one other provision. Lott got Hastert and Tom Delay to go along with that. Had he not been able to secure the acquiescence from Hastert and Lott, Daschle's amendment would have passed.

If they had just left all that crap out, we wouldn't have the big dog and pony show today. I say the House GOP overreached here and they shouldn't have done it.

[desertcry]

Most Arizona Republicans woun't vote for mccain as dog catcher. We will hang him out to dry in the desert next time he ask for our votes.

[RoseofTexas]

Over confident KILLED the pubbies the last time they WON BIG!! They need to settle down and start planning out their strat. to keep one step ahead of the RATS and the EVIL liberal media WHORES!! IF they play their hand like they did the first time THEIR TOAST!! Lott is BAD NEWS for the pubbies!! :(

[GraniteStateConservative]

It's called a "Monica."

[Cautor]

Grampa Dave--I see your posts on a lot of threads and I roger what you say 100%. McFlameout especially pisses me off. He is a hot head who would have washed out of the Navy except for his admiral father and grandfather. He left his wife who stood by him while he was a POW for a rich daughter of an AZ beer baron who was in kahoots with the local hoods. He got elected using her money. He got burned in the Keating 5 scandal but never really got the reprimand he deserves. He suffers big time from little-man syndrome. I consider him a traitor to his party and a slimey bastard. I hope he runs against Dubya again. He and his racist pal Rudman deserve to have their noses rubbed in it again. Keep up the great comments gramps. I love em!

[KriegerGeist]

"If they had just left all that crap out, we wouldn't have the big dog and pony show today. I say the House GOP overreached here and they shouldn't have done it."

Sort of like gloating over all those 50 bills that didn't pass while Daschle was "roadblocking".
I agree with you. And besides, this is not time for gloating or bill-padding or pork of any kind.
The Republicans, of all people should know that...what God has raised up, God can and will also tear down.
It's time to get as many good judges confirmed and as much passed to cut taxes and stimulate the economy, but for real, and not symbolic. Or else the Repubs can find themselves licking Dasshole's well...you know...again!

Snowe and Collins: RINOS and Chafee: L.I.R.D. (liberal in Republican disguise). What a worthless trio.

[cajun-jack]

if we can only get the dead folks in new orleans to take the day off on dec 7th...

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

I may move to Arizona to vote against him in the primary

Get an apartment and I'll pay half the rent so my wife and I can vote absentee from there! Texas doesn't need my vote right now.

[Sparta]

Don't worry, we will.

[Wphile]

The rationale, I guess, is this is what they all do. ALL the time. I say it's time to stop and I'd like to see the GOP be the first ones to stop it.

Now is not the time to overplay your hand. One step at a time.