There has been a great deal of discussion this week about what Barack Obama and John McCain are paid to do. No one would argue against the fact that Obama and McCain are paid by taxpayers to serve as senators. It is also a fact that they have both been paid hundreds of millions of dollars by those same taxpayers to campaign to become president. They both have far more influence on their respective parties now as presidential nominees than they ever did. As nominees they have cameras following every move they make and recording every word they say. Given the vast amount of media attention (and the advent of the cellular telephone), what logic supports the need for either one of them to go to Washington for this or any other matter for the next 38 days? Their influence on fellow senators is much more important than their single votes in the senate.
Another idea... many people to whom John McCain could not relate are poor and they must work 2 jobs. Is John McCain too good to work 2 jobs - senator and presidential candidate?
Best regards,
Jay
Jay Allen
MovieVoice
jay@movievoice.net
Do you mean that these guys must be able to multitask to be Prez? I think there is something to be said for them to be "present" especially for McCain to lend his gravitas--on second thought I think Obama could continue campaigning.
Have a good weekend and no politics.
Beblessed
John
After his lackluster performance last night, I wonder if McCain wishes he would have stayed in Washington.
Jay ~ Wow, what liberal glasses you have on. It blinds you to the truth. McCain is off to Washington to debate and get an important bill signed and Obama is off to North Carolina to campaign. Look who cares about the country. Actions do count. They'll just call Obama if they need him, he'll only vote present anyhow, he is not needed. Obama will go down in history as one of the most unproductive and ineffective senators in history. Great choice for president, keep those liberal glasses on, you'll need them.
Come on Nicholas - as a member of the 110th Congress, McCain has missed 64.1% of votes in the Senate - more than Tim Johnson, who suffered a brain hemorrhage in December 2006. McCain has also missed 40% more votes than Obama.
See for yourself - http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/110/senate/vote-missers/.
Obama has been a senator for over two years and has voted present 136 times. McCain has been a senator for 26 years, and your comparison is?
Here's another way to look at it - How do you think Gov. Palin would articulate specifics with regards to your question? He's a maverick and mavericks don't have time to vote in the 110th Congress.?
We're not talking about the McCain of the 1980s or the McCain who lost to Bush in 2000. We're talking about the flip flopping McCain of 2008 - the one that only votes one third of the time.
Jay ~ McCain is running for President as is Obama. I am not counting this year for either candidate. It is when Obama first came into office for two years, that is not experience which counts.
For a McCain supporter, it is certainly more convenient to not count this year.
The performance tonight was much better..........
Tina Fey As Sarah Palin: Katie Couric SNL Skit (VIDEO)
Top Recipients of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Campaign Contributions:
1. Dodd, Christopher D-CT $165,400
2. Obama, Barack D-IL $126,349
3. Kerry, John D-MA $111,000