Burnt Orange Report

Republican Senate Games

By Byron LaMasters

It looks like Republicans are up to their old tricks. First, they attack John Kerry for missing votes in the Senate. His homestate governor, Mitt Romney even called on Kerry to resign:

Renewing an attack his lieutenant governor launched earlier this week, Governor Mitt Romney yesterday called on US Senator John F. Kerry to resign immediately, saying Kerry's absence from the Senate as he campaigns for president "has cost Massachusetts tens of millions of dollars." "We need to be represented, and him missing votes on critical matters is a real problem for us," Romney said yesterday after signing a statewide smoking ban.

So, Kerry goes back to Washington to cast a key vote in the U.S. Senate, and what do Republicans do? They delay the vote:

Sen. John Kerry jumped off the presidential campaign trail Tuesday so he could vote for a measure funding health care benefits for veterans -- only to watch Republican leaders postpone the vote.

The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee denounced their move as "politics at its silliest."

For the past month, GOP leaders have engaged in political gamesmanship with Kerry over his dual roles as senator and candidate.

Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-South Dakota, charged that Tuesday's delay -- on a proposed Democratic amendment to a defense spending bill to fund veterans' health care -- was but the latest example.

Typical GOP hypocrisy. Attack John Kerry for missing votes, then prevent him from voting when he makes a special trip to Washington to vote on an important bill.