Is that 90% number true? Is it more than you would expect – after all, many laws are uncontroversial. I hate numbers without context. Here’s some context.
The claim is true. According to Congressional Quarterly’s Voting Studies, in 2007 McCain voted in line with the president’s position 95 percent of the time – the highest percentage rate for McCain since Bush took office – and voted in line with his party 90 percent of the time. However [Why did they feel the need to put “However” in here? It doesn’t rebut anything. Can’t anyone just present facts?], McCain’s support of President Bush’s position has been as low as 77 percent (in 2005), and his support for his party’s position has been as low as 67 percent (2001).
In contrast,
When doing so, they may wish to consider that Obama’s votes were in line with the president’s position 40 percent of the time in 2007. That shouldn’t be terribly surprising. Even the Senate’s Democratic leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, voted with Bush 39 percent of the time last year, according to the way Congressional Quarterly rates the votes.
That’s an enormous difference. I thought it would be an empty soundbite that dissappeared under scrutiny. It didn’t.