Webb GI Bill Passes Senate, McCain Skips Vote

*** UPDATE BELOW ***

The Associated Press reports that the Webb GI Bill has passed the Senate:

Senate Republicans have broken with President Bush to help Democrats add support for veterans and the unemployed to a bill paying for another year of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

The 75-22 vote also added billions of dollars in other domestic funds such as heating subsidies for the poor and money for fighting wildfires to the $165 billion for the military operations overseas.

...The huge tally in the Senate was driven by $15.6 billion over two years to extend unemployment benefits by 13 weeks and more than $50 billion over the upcoming decade to provide returning Iraq war veterans with sharply increased college aid.

Both Sens. Obama and Clinton voted in favor of the bill. Sen. McCain skipped the vote (as did Sens. Tom Coburn and Ted Kennedy).

Howard Dean released a statement criticizing McCain for skipping the vote:

"America's veterans and military families deserve better than a candidate who is willing to keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years, but refuses to take care of them when they come home. The men and women in who volunteer to put on the uniform of the United States of America risk their lives to defend our freedoms, and we should do everything we can to help them be successful when they come home. While Senator McCain talks about supporting our troops and veterans on the campaign trail, his real record tells a much different story. While we honor his service to our country, Senator McCain's double talk on veterans' benefits is one more reason he is the wrong choice for America's future."

Obama also responded to McCain's absence:

I respect sen. John McCain's service to our country. He is one of those heroes of which I speak. But I can't understand why he would line up behind the President in his opposition to this GI bill.

I can't believe why he believes it is too generous to our veterans. I could not disagree with him and the President more on this issue. There are many issues that lend themselves to partisan posturing but giving our veterans the chance to go to college should not be one of them.

And McCain hammered back in a particularly harsh response:

"Perhaps, if Senator Obama would take the time and trouble to understand this issue he would learn to debate an honest disagreement respectfully. But, as he always does, he prefers impugning the motives of his opponent, and exploiting a thoughtful difference of opinion to advance his own ambitions. If that is how he would behave as President, the country would regret his election."...

"It is typical, but no less offensive that Senator Obama uses the Senate floor to take cheap shots at an opponent and easy advantage of an issue he has less than zero understanding of. Let me say first in response to Senator Obama, running for President is different than serving as President. The office comes with responsibilities so serious that the occupant can't always take the politically easy route without hurting the country he is sworn to defend. Unlike Senator Obama, my admiration, respect and deep gratitude for America's veterans is something more than a convenient campaign pledge. I think I have earned the right to make that claim."

UPDATE: Obama has responded to McCain, calling him out for making 'schoolyard taunts':

I am proud to stand with Senator Webb and a bipartisan coalition to give our veterans the support and opportunity they deserve. It's disappointing that Senator McCain and his campaign used this issue to launch yet another lengthy personal, political attack instead of debating an honest policy difference. He should know that this is not about John McCain or Barack Obama - it's about giving our veterans a real chance to afford four years of college without harming retention. Senator Webb's bipartisan bill will do this, and the bill that John McCain supports would not. These endless diatribes and schoolyard taunts from the McCain campaign do nothing to advance the debate about what matters to the American people.

Comments

[nathananderson]

Honestly, I think this proves once and for all that John McCain has completely forgotton his military background. He is one of the troops, and has a record for supporting them. He WAS tortured - and he went back on the torture bill. He attended the Naval Academy on the Governments dime - now he wants to deny other troops - troops that might not have had the military family status as McCain - the ability to do the same?

Can I ask you... who is the elitist? Obama, who was raised on food stamps, and attended Occidental, Columbia, and Harvard based on academic merit. Or, McCain, who graduated in the bottom 10% of his high school class and attended Annapolis based on Alumni status.

Obama = merit. McCain = status.

I used to admire John McCain. Obviously we had some ideological differences, but he seemed like a Senator who actually stood up for what he believed in. The Republican party and the Evangelical right have leeched off of eachother for decades, and McCain wouldn't have it. He supported Kennedy's immigration reform, various climate change action legislation, anti-torture measures.

He isn't the same man. This candidacy has changed him, and now he is merely a tool for the neocon movement - starting wars, lowering taxes, and increasing spending. It's pretty pathetic and sad to see a former maverick become such a tool.

[Insideout143]

Just have to wonder, does McCain want to punish our troops for what he suffered? Kinda looks that way.

[solidsonic02]

He still didn't say why he opposed it.

[IowaKid]

Thank you Senator Jim Webb.

[peskyliberal]

At least McCain have the backing of Hillary supporters.

[Bluejay00234]

They deserve to die and be injured for our country, yet our country treats them like second class citizens? Yes McCain is the future.

[Zhonni]

; ^ )

[SFkid]

How is it that MCCain, a Vet, does not support every bill that benefits vets? Our veterans deserve beneficial policies and a piece of the American Dream. John McCain seems to just want vacant bodies to fill uniforms to ship out as defense walls. He doesn't seem to put a face to our men and women fighting over seas. What happened here?

Don't vote for McCain, he betrays our vets for his own political gain.

[JackND]

Because a soldier is more likely to stay in the military if he has no prospects upon leaving.

Bush and McCain don't wnat them to have it "too good" when they get out, lest they actually look forward to getting out.

[SaltySaltillo]

Every Proud American owes it to our nation to slam McCain for his rude bludgeon of a response defending his decision not to vote on Webb's bill. How dare McCain use his service to our nation's military as a device for silencing his opponents. In very straight talk terms McCain effectively denounced Obama as unqualified to criticize McCain on matters affecting the military or the well-being of Vets because Obama felt "no responsability to serve". This should offend the conscience of every American. Stand up ALL and denounce McCain's cheap use of his own service as a bludgeon. Military service is not the pass key to the right to speak or have an opinion on these matters. I have a feeling this is the first of many times we will hear McCain defend his positions on issues like War and Veterans Affairs with acidic "I am a war hero you are not, therefore I am right and you don't know what you are saying." rhetoric unless we, the bloggers, and the Media pundits, denounce this sort of grandstanding for what it is: gorilla politics.

[Shelly1970]

So McCain's answer is to dump a bucket of slime on Obama and offer no substance to counter his accusation? Looks like McBush thinks tough-guy talk will get him into the WH.

[OrionGal]

Yep, looks like McCain's Temper, then Mouth starts in before his brain.

This is Not an attribute I want in my next President. period.


Obama / Webb !

[DrNetwork]

I have been one who has tried to give McCain the benefit of the doubt. I am thankful for his military service to our country as well as his service in Washington. I really thought that the Straight Talk Express was a breath of fresh air - cool, even. I am a Democrat who supports Obama and until McCain asked people to support the president in January of 07, I still gave him consideration. I even overlooked his anger issue, but his non-support of this G.I. Bill really, really bothers me. It makes you wonder about all the old issues including the Keating Five, the Martin Luther King holiday in Arizona, and his very smooth handling of the media as well as the new ones like his inability to keep things straight about who is doing what in Iraq/Iran. Is he really just a cynical, angry old man who missed his real chance at the BIG brass ring in 2000?

[demigod]

SO - you overlooked the little beady eyes, the black fur, the white stripe, but that smell, that smell, and now you ask - is it REALLY a skunk ? Go on, stick your nose up there and find out. I know you want to be SURE. Not like those of us who had his number long, long ago.

[DrNetwork]

You want to insult me because perhaps (!) I'm not as smart as you? All you are doing is "preaching to the choir". What I have to say may actually move people who have had similar ideas. You won't gain ONE vote for our cause with your vitriol.

[lmwish]

McCain has one of the worst records on veterans issues

The Disabled American Veterans (the nation's oldest organization for taking care of disabled veterans and all money donated to it goes to advance the cause of disabled veterans)
has records on veteran votes ...

for his entire term in the Senate, McCain has only voted with the major Veterans organizations 20% of the time .... the other 80% he has voted against veterans

his reason for voting againt this bill is because it jeopardizes tax cuts for the wealthy

[JackND]

When did John McCain become such a sleazy politician?

I miss the John McCain of 2000. The one I supported in that primary season.

He sure doesn't exist anymore...that much is clear.

[SaltySaltillo]

JackND - I voted McCain in the 00 primary as well. On the one hand, his loss in 2000 was a wake up call to the kind of politician he would have to become if he would ever win the favor of the powers that control the GOP enough to be able to become the nominee for President. On the other hand, I now realize what I didn't know then: he always has been a sleazy politician.

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

McCain always skips votes. That’s what “mavericks” do.

[personalpolitical]

Way to make no sense McCain. You screwed over the troops again, period.

[Bobrobert]

WOWSA

I am shocked.

Do you realize that we will have to have the DRAFT to replace all these boys and girls that are going to go to college.

We will finally put an end to NO LOSS for the war for oil.

This is wonderful - we will finally stop the Bullsh and McDoodoo war for oil.

America has grown up - we will be giving our Vets what they deserve - and getting out of a war that we should never have gotten into.



Thank you Senator Webb.

[shawnaNaustin]

McCain is trying to school Obama on how being President is different from running for President? And McCain knows this HOW?!!

[JJaye]

McCain lost his bearings again. He actually thinks he has been President. Does anyone actually take him seriously??

[SaltySaltillo]

Unfortunately, TOO MANY AMERICANS take this man seriously.