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Fact-Checking Obama's "90%" Argument
Barack Obama and his Democratic surrogates like to allege this election is between Obama-Biden and George Bush, not McCain-Palin. But FactCheck.org, a non-partisan political research site, has effectively popped this hot air balloon.
Overall, the site is even-handed in its analysis of misleading or untrue statements from both parties and both major presidential candidates, and it has plenty more half-truths from the campaign trail. Just be aware, too much time on FactCheck.org can sour your day, like seeing your favorite magician reveal the secrets behind his or her latest trick.
But back to the subject at hand: Obama says McCain has voted with the President 90 percent of the time. FactCheck.org modifies this, saying the record "has ebbed and flowed. It reached a low of 77 percent in 2005."
Later, it adds: "Obama's voting record is no less partisan than McCain's. He has voted in line with his party an average of nearly 97 percent of the time."
So who's the real maverick?
The site also notes, "Obama's own record of supporting Bush policies has averaged slightly under 41 percent since the senator took office."
In other words, a huge chunk of those votes for which Obama criticizes McCain today had Obama on board, too. And for someone who says we can't take a "10 percent chance" on change, Obama hardly looks like a new type of politics, with a 3% chance of disobeying the party line.
The reality is, hyperpartisan rancor in Washington has reached such a fever pitch that party leadership often dictates how its members vote. If a member doesn't listen to leadership, they can lose support for re-election (see Joe Lieberman), lose a committee chairmanship (as Lieberman might), or get kicked out of the Capitol (see California State Assemblywoman Nicole Parra).
They might also have a rough time winning their party's primary, as John McCain certainly did.
Not sure of the answer myself, I asked a longtime Republican strategist this week: Which Senator -- or Representative, for that matter -- has bucked his or her party more often or more clearly than John McCain? On campaign finance, immigration, torture, climate change, ANWR, the Gang of 14, Abramoff, Rumsfeld, and a host of other issues, McCain has gone his own way.
"I can't even think of who would come second," he said, shaking his head.
Which is why, despite today's rhetoric about voting records and who really embodies "change," it is a small miracle John McCain was the one giving the acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention last night. Few people could risk their political career so often, disagree with party leaders, insiders, and their President on so many issues, and still have a chance at leading the nation as Commander-in-Chief.
Few people have that ability.
Update: A reader notes that FactCheck.org concluded, "neither candidate can claim a strong record of 'breaking with his party' if Senate votes are the measure." That's true. My point is that Senate vote percentages alone don't tell the whole story, and in reality, McCain has done more to break with his party, on more issues and with greater success, than any other Senator serving today. If you disagree, nominate your selection in the Comments field below.
See also: My colleague Matt Negrin dissents.
Overall, the site is even-handed in its analysis of misleading or untrue statements from both parties and both major presidential candidates, and it has plenty more half-truths from the campaign trail. Just be aware, too much time on FactCheck.org can sour your day, like seeing your favorite magician reveal the secrets behind his or her latest trick.But back to the subject at hand: Obama says McCain has voted with the President 90 percent of the time. FactCheck.org modifies this, saying the record "has ebbed and flowed. It reached a low of 77 percent in 2005."
Later, it adds: "Obama's voting record is no less partisan than McCain's. He has voted in line with his party an average of nearly 97 percent of the time."
So who's the real maverick?
The site also notes, "Obama's own record of supporting Bush policies has averaged slightly under 41 percent since the senator took office."
In other words, a huge chunk of those votes for which Obama criticizes McCain today had Obama on board, too. And for someone who says we can't take a "10 percent chance" on change, Obama hardly looks like a new type of politics, with a 3% chance of disobeying the party line.
The reality is, hyperpartisan rancor in Washington has reached such a fever pitch that party leadership often dictates how its members vote. If a member doesn't listen to leadership, they can lose support for re-election (see Joe Lieberman), lose a committee chairmanship (as Lieberman might), or get kicked out of the Capitol (see California State Assemblywoman Nicole Parra).
They might also have a rough time winning their party's primary, as John McCain certainly did.
Not sure of the answer myself, I asked a longtime Republican strategist this week: Which Senator -- or Representative, for that matter -- has bucked his or her party more often or more clearly than John McCain? On campaign finance, immigration, torture, climate change, ANWR, the Gang of 14, Abramoff, Rumsfeld, and a host of other issues, McCain has gone his own way.
"I can't even think of who would come second," he said, shaking his head.
Which is why, despite today's rhetoric about voting records and who really embodies "change," it is a small miracle John McCain was the one giving the acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention last night. Few people could risk their political career so often, disagree with party leaders, insiders, and their President on so many issues, and still have a chance at leading the nation as Commander-in-Chief.
Few people have that ability.
Update: A reader notes that FactCheck.org concluded, "neither candidate can claim a strong record of 'breaking with his party' if Senate votes are the measure." That's true. My point is that Senate vote percentages alone don't tell the whole story, and in reality, McCain has done more to break with his party, on more issues and with greater success, than any other Senator serving today. If you disagree, nominate your selection in the Comments field below.
See also: My colleague Matt Negrin dissents.
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Bill In Illinois
7:16AM 7:16AM Sep 6th 2008
Hey Joshua, if you want to fact check this, why don't you try going to McCain himself. I just say video of McCain bragging about voting with Bush 90% of the time. I don't know about you, but when a candidate says his opponenet did something, and the opponent also sayys he did it, how much more checking do we need? Or could it simply be that McCain will tell anyone what they want to hear to get elected, regardless of how tru it is?
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rick hendricks
2:02PM 2:02PM Sep 6th 2008
ho billy boy you know who talks out both sides of their mouth o-i will boma
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phil
9:23AM 9:23AM Sep 6th 2008
Dude, your partisan slip is showing. According to the report:
It's true that McCain's voting support for Bush policies has averaged slightly above 89 percent since Bush took office, according to Congressional Quarterly’s vote studies. But it has ebbed and flowed. It reached a low of 77 percent in 2005. Last year it was 95 percent. By comparison, Obama's own record of supporting Bush policies has averaged slightly under 41 percent since the senator took office. However, Obama's voting record is no less partisan than McCain's. He has voted in line with his party an average of nearly 97 percent of the time. The truth is that neither candidate can claim a strong record of "breaking with his party" if Senate votes are the measure.
You forgot to cite McCain's record last year of 95 percent. As for Obama's 41 percent, remember that even an idiot like Bush has to be right around half the time.
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Jerre
9:25AM 9:25AM Sep 6th 2008
Hey, Bill...most of McCain's votes in agreement with Bush were for troop appropriations and money for the Iraq war. Lets call it like it is. Obama voted with his party 97% of the time and McCain 77% of the time.
Check FactOrg.com before you talk.
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Bill In Illinois
10:49PM 10:49PM Sep 6th 2008
Jerre, I realize I misspelled the word "saw", but read what I wrote. I saw McCain on tv saying, directly into the camera no less, "I have voted with the president 90% of the time". That is an exact quote, thus my point. I saw the man say it with my own two eyes, and it's on video. My point is, this guy can sit here and say it isn't true all he wants, which do you believe? This reporter, or McCain himself? Let me repeat that, so it's crystal clear...MCCAIN SAID IT HIMSELF DIRECTLY INTO A VIDEO CAMERA!
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Jerre
1:16PM 1:16PM Sep 7th 2008
That may be true, Bill but they don't clarify what for.
It had mostly to do with troop appropriations and the War in Iraq which he doesn't deny being in favor of the surge, etc. He also went against him 77% of the time on other issues. C'mon, let's be fair. I think Obama will do well.....in ten years or so, not now. He needs to get more experience, not on the job training.
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Bart
10:48AM 10:48AM Sep 7th 2008
http://thedailyvoice.com/voice/2008/09/why-does-todd-palin-hate-ameri-001107.php
Why Does Todd Palin Hate America?
Kola Boof | Posted September 3, 2008 12:55 AM
... the Alaskan Independent Party--a party that promotes "secession" from the United States as one of its most virally public, if not written, agendas--lists Palin's husband, Todd, as not only a two-time member of said Anti-American political party, but also as a currently "Non-Committed" voter.
(If your wife is a sitting Republican Governor, then why not at least register a party affiliation?)
... For those of you who don't know what AIP stands for; let me reprint this mission statement of the party's founder, Joe Volger:
"I'm an Alaskan, not an American...I've got no use for America or her damned institutions. The fires of hell are glaciers compared to my hate for America and her government."
So tell me--why isn't the nation in an uproar about the fact that Todd Palin hates America and that his supposedly Oval Office-caliber wife chose him as a husband in the first place? More importantly--why isn't John McCain in an uproar about this blatantly unpatriotic ice fisherman ...?
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Bart
10:48AM 10:48AM Sep 7th 2008
http://thedailyvoice.com/voice/2008/09/why-does-todd-palin-hate-ameri-001107.php
Why Does Todd Palin Hate America?
Kola Boof | Posted September 3, 2008 12:55 AM
... the Alaskan Independent Party--a party that promotes "secession" from the United States as one of its most virally public, if not written, agendas--lists Palin's husband, Todd, as not only a two-time member of said Anti-American political party, but also as a currently "Non-Committed" voter.
(If your wife is a sitting Republican Governor, then why not at least register a party affiliation?)
... For those of you who don't know what AIP stands for; let me reprint this mission statement of the party's founder, Joe Volger:
"I'm an Alaskan, not an American...I've got no use for America or her damned institutions. The fires of hell are glaciers compared to my hate for America and her government."
So tell me--why isn't the nation in an uproar about the fact that Todd Palin hates America and that his supposedly Oval Office-caliber wife chose him as a husband in the first place? More importantly--why isn't John McCain in an uproar about this blatantly unpatriotic ice fisherman ...?
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