Dem hopefuls skipping votes

The Boston Herald ^ | 5/10/03 | Noelle Straub

[Gothmog]

Presidential campaigns conflicting with day jobs

WASHINGTON - Two congressional Democrats running for president have missed nearly every House and Senate vote in the past two weeks, choosing the campaign trail over their day job.

U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.) and Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) have only cast one vote each since Congress returned from its spring recess April 28.

Gephardt skipped 36 of 37 roll calls in the House. Lieberman missed 11 of 12 Senate votes.

At the same time, Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kerry skipped half the Senate votes. And Sen. Bob Graham (D-Fla.) skipped three-quarters of the Senate votes.

By contrast, U.S. Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) had a perfect record. But, unlike the other candidates, Edwards is up for re-election to his Senate seat next year.

Kerry missed two votes Thursday while in Massachusetts speaking at the anniversary dinner of a hospice that cared for his mother before she passed away in November. He was in Minneapolis and Indiana meeting with Democrats for three other missed votes, and visiting an Alabama church and speaking to state Democrats during another vote.

``John Kerry has cancelled campaign trips to return to the Senate for close votes,'' said Kerry spokesman David Wade. ``But the unfortunate reality is that, when you are running for president, you are going to miss votes.''

Most of the Senate roll calls confirmed or blocked some of President Bush's judicial nominees, although the missed votes would not have changed the outcome.

Besides votes on judicial nominees, the Senate also ratified the admission of seven eastern European nations to NATO and passed a measure allowing law enforcement officers to wiretap non-Americans suspected of planning terrorist attacks.

``You certainly don't want to miss votes, but, unfortunately, running an aggressive effort to win the party's nomination, you have to miss some votes,'' said Gephardt spokesman Erik Smith.

``Sen. Lieberman obviously takes his responsibility to represent the people of Connecticut very seriously, but running for president is also a full-time job,'' said Lieberman spokesman Jano Cabrera.

Kerry also learned yesterday he won't be invited to speak at South Carolina's Bob Jones University, despite his interest in appearing at the controversial school.

A Kerry spokesman said he wanted to ``challenge the university on some of its views.'' A Bob Jones spokesman yesterday said an invitation wouldn't be forthcoming. ``Is he crazy?'' Jonathan Pait asked.

[Gothmog]

"'Sen. Lieberman obviously takes his responsibility to represent the people of Connecticut very seriously, but running for president is also a full-time job,' said Lieberman spokesman Jano Cabrera."

Or: 'Lieberman puts his political career ahead of CT constituents.'

[Commiewatcher]

RATS not present to vote in the House and Senate is a good thing!

[OldFriend]

Agree!! It would be a good thing if we could convince a few more sinators to run for president. Keep them out of town and out of our pockets.

[Free the USA]

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/bump-list

[alancarp]

John Edwards may have a perfect record RECENTLY, but prior to having light displayed on his record, he was missing somewhere around 16% of the roll call votes.

If he's indeed running for re-election (typically, he hasn't showed his cards on this yet), then that may speak volumes about his confidence in winning the Dem Presidential nomination.

[Consort]

At each of their campaign stops, they need to be asked how they would have voted on each vote they missed — for the record.

[timestax]

RATS not present to vote in the House and Senate is a good thing! 2 posted on 05/10/2003 6:44 AM PDT by Commiewatcher [

DITTO !!!!

[alancarp]

I'll add this, too:

"'Sen. Lieberman obviously takes his responsibility to represent the people of Connecticut very seriously, but running for president is also a full-time job,' said Lieberman spokesman Jano Cabrera."

The people of Connecticut realize, I trust, that Senator Lieberman was neither elected nor is he PAID to run for President. His full-time job is to be one of two Senatorial representatives for his home state.

Same goes for the rest of these ne'r-do-wells... excepting Sharpton and Carol Mostly-Gone.

[AlGone2001]

Call it what you will, but the ONLY reaon they are missing votes is because they don't want campaign commercials that tie them to their agenda.

The bottom line is that they know that liberalism isn't popular right now. This is good news.

[Commiewatcher]

Since we have RINOs the absence of any one of these guys on a critical vote could make a difference, especially in the Senate where the vote on most anything is close. Bill Frist might consider some "creative scheduling".

[gitmo]

Kerry also learned yesterday he won't be invited to speak at South Carolina's Bob Jones University, despite his interest in appearing at the controversial school.

A Kerry spokesman said he wanted to ``challenge the university on some of its views.'' A Bob Jones spokesman yesterday said an invitation wouldn't be forthcoming. ``Is he crazy?'' Jonathan Pait asked.

YES.

[Gothmog]

Yep, and it also highlights that Kerry, Lieberman, etc., could make most of the votes if they just made a little effort.

[Gothmog]

Yeah, I thought that was pretty funny, too. Kerry can schedule an event to garner himself attention, but scheduling time to do his job is just too difficult, for some reason.

[gitmo]

What I thought was hilarious was Kerry asking BJU if he could come speak there so he could tell them what a bunch of jerks they are. And he's surprised they declined.

[chiefqc]

It's all about them. Elected to do a job, tells their voters get lost I'm in this for mayself.

[LADY J]

Ordinary working folks would get fired for missing work.

If these yo-yos can't be better planners - there should be a new rule and they should have to resign in order to run for President.

[ImpotentRage]

These candidates want power - not responsibility. However, as mentioned in another post, would that they ALL run for president thereby "missing" votes.

[NMFXSTC]

Maybe there should be a job description on file...miss more than 20% of any roll call and it's a recall and dismissal for the congress critter. Seems fair enough?

[Marauder]

Are these the same bozos that are complaining about Bush and his carrier deck landing?

[Gothmog]

Good point