McCaskill Votes Against Omnibus: I ‘Just Couldn’t Do It’
EmailOn Sunday’s "This Week", Obama ally Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., signaled her support for the $410-billion omnibus budget bill the president signs today, despite her disdain for earmarks. "Well, I have done everything I can possibly do to reject the process of funding — funding projects through earmarks. I vote against earmarks when I get the chance, as long as we’re voting against all of them, and I’ve dropped another bill to reform the process even further this week," McCaskill told me on Sunday. "But I don’t think I can sit on the sidelines on every budget, though, because I’ve got to tell you, George, you talk about a habit that’s deeply ingrained and a culture that’s very hard to get rid of, these guys love these earmarks." The senator made the same argument back in Missouri over the weekend. So why did McCaskill vote "no" last night? I asked her today via Twitter. Thirty minutes later … this "tweet" from the senator:
"George S.:Ultimately just couldn’t do it. Not just earmrks tho, also increase in spendng(8%too much)& failure to reconcile $ with stimuls."
Fair enough. By Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., also had a couple of spare votes that weren’t certainly there on Sunday. So he didn’t have to ask McCaskill to take one for the team. –George Stephanopoulos
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Hi George,
It is so good to see people split with their own party without thinking that they are traitors. It also looks like Republicans and Democrats in Washington are talking together again – is that accurate? If so, that’s a very encouraging sign. Now, if we could just get some of those blowhards on the radio back into their cages….
Posted by: Steve From NH | March 11, 2009, 11:26 am 11:26 am
George,
Great new way to conduct an interview. Short, simple, to the point. I propose the term “intertweet”.
I would love to see a press conference done this way.
Posted by: Kevin in NJ | March 11, 2009, 11:54 am 11:54 am
Steve from NH, do you want to censor the conservatives on the radio, jail them, or kill them? Please let me know
Posted by: Robert Gibbs | March 11, 2009, 11:54 am 11:54 am
Obama is a sham. He doesn’t have the gonads to do what CM did.
Posted by: Kitty | March 11, 2009, 12:06 pm 12:06 pm
george,
great job again. Loved ur substantive use of twitter, especailly the story about new treasury nominees the other day. Keep up the great work. Would love to see Katrina VH with Newt on a future TW roundtable.
Posted by: tw | March 11, 2009, 12:16 pm 12:16 pm
The economy is in a shambles. Maybe an earmark hear or there is a good thing. However, Obama’s new tax proposal is a marriage tax. Here is how. If you are single and make 150 thousand you are rich. I f you are married and make as a cople 25o thousand you are rich. Ha? Why shoudln’t married couples be rich only after 300 thousand. A marriage penalty to married couples with families. I guess Obama wants us to just live together have children and not marry. Also you may be rich in a some suburban areas making 250 thousand as a couple with children, but in NY, LA San Fransisco Chicago you are far from rich and may even be struggling with child care education expenses commuting costs and retirement plans that have meltied down. Obama budget bill is running amouk and will create havoc for American familes who are essentially the back bone of the US economy. 250 couple living in NY IS VERY “MIDDLE CLASS” and not at all rich. Maybe a congress person could send an earmark or two our way. Every education and or retirment break is for couples under $100,000. The 250 families need help to George
Posted by: anonomous | March 11, 2009, 12:20 pm 12:20 pm
I am from FLorida, but love following Sen. McCaskill’s tweets. She reads them all and does it all herself. I love that! It makes me feel like she cares about her people and we have a direct voice right to her. I watched the “interview happen” and I think it is so cool to be a part of!
Posted by: Jessica H | March 11, 2009, 12:26 pm 12:26 pm
No more $$$ for anything!
Posted by: jane | March 11, 2009, 12:39 pm 12:39 pm
I hope everyone is keeping track what their representatives from the state they live in and how they are voting. We will never get term limits, but we can vote them OUT!!!!!!
Posted by: jane | March 11, 2009, 12:41 pm 12:41 pm
Steve from NH, do you want to censor the conservatives on the radio, jail them, or kill them? Please let me know
————————————
None of the above – boycotting their advertisers would be enough for me, and it’s voluntary! They have the right to spout nonsense just as much as I do.
I didn’t say conservatives, I said “blowhards”. They come in all stripes.
Posted by: Steve From NH | March 11, 2009, 12:41 pm 12:41 pm
P.S. Mr. Rush was on about card check yesterday. Second time I’ve ever agreed with him….
He should get a rap name. Like R Diddy or something. Much better than Rushbo.
Posted by: Steve From NH | March 11, 2009, 12:49 pm 12:49 pm
Hey Georgie any word from Emammuel this morning
Posted by: Obama-cabinet of corruption | March 11, 2009, 12:56 pm 12:56 pm
anonomous,
It is SOO unfair! I weep for the married couple who make $300,000 and will see their taxes go up from 34% to 39%.
It is SOO unfair! Taxes will go up to their rate during the GOOD TIMES.. The Clinton years.
It is SOO unfair! We should increase the fraction of the taxes paid by the Middle Class!
We should set the rate on the wealthy to ZERO!
Only Little People pay taxes!
Posted by: John | March 11, 2009, 1:09 pm 1:09 pm
hey Georgie can you please find out why John McCain is so worked up about earmark but not about the Drug Cartels close to his hometown?
Posted by: Rachel | March 11, 2009, 1:10 pm 1:10 pm
Steve from NH, do you want to censor the conservatives on the radio, jail them, or kill them? Please let me know
————————————
None of the above – boycotting their advertisers would be enough for me, and it’s voluntary! They have the right to spout nonsense just as much as I do.
I didn’t say conservatives, I said “blowhards”. They come in all stripes.
———————————–
Steve From NH ,
Easy to do, since all the advertisers put there money behind conservative talk shows!!!
Why do you think there has been all this fuss over the “Fairness (NOT) Doctrine”.
There are no successful liberal talk show hosts. If you can’t get any listeners, you cant charge for advertising!
The only Liberal I know at the moment on the radio having any kind of success is Tom Finneran. His show has only been on for a couple of years.
Actually, he is not following the party line much lately. He is not in favor of Obama’s tax policies at all.
Posted by: Mike_C | March 11, 2009, 1:11 pm 1:11 pm
Jane says:
hope everyone is keeping track what their representatives from the state they live in and how they are voting. We will never get term limits, but we can vote them OUT!!!!!!
YOU ARE SO RIGHT! When we get rid of every last “the uninsured should just die without treatment” Republican, we will be a better country.
YOU ARE SO RIGHT! When we get rid of every last “the Iraq war was worth the estimated $3 TRILLION it cost” Republican, we will have a better economy.
Posted by: John | March 11, 2009, 1:13 pm 1:13 pm
anonomous,
It is SOO unfair! I weep for the married couple who make $300,000 and will see their taxes go up from 34% to 39%.
It is SOO unfair! Taxes will go up to their rate during the GOOD TIMES.. The Clinton years.
It is SOO unfair! We should increase the fraction of the taxes paid by the Middle Class!
We should set the rate on the wealthy to ZERO!
Only Little People pay taxes!
———————————–
John,
I am by no means near Obama’s mythical 250K line, but only a fool can think that we are going to pay for all this spending he is doing by taxing “the rich”.
You might want to notice, the number of millionaires fell 27% last year!
There are going to be less and less people above Obama’s Mendoza Line! Sooner or later he is coming after my wallet & YOURS!
By the way do you smoke cigarettes? If you do, your taxes are already going up.
$0.61/pack to pay for the SCHIP program!
so much for not raising taxes on those under 250K. Smoking knows nothing about your income level.
Posted by: Mike_C | March 11, 2009, 1:16 pm 1:16 pm
Jane says:
hope everyone is keeping track what their representatives from the state they live in and how they are voting. We will never get term limits, but we can vote them OUT!!!!!!
YOU ARE SO RIGHT! When we get rid of every last “the uninsured should just die without treatment” Republican, we will be a better country.
YOU ARE SO RIGHT! When we get rid of every last “the Iraq war was worth the estimated $3 TRILLION it cost” Republican, we will have a better economy.
———————————–
John ,
YEP…
When we get rid of “every liberal fruitcake who thinks its a great idea to make banks & financial institutions loan money to those who have no possible way to pay it back”, Then the economy can recover and work the way its supposed to.
When we get rid of “every liberal who thinks its everyone elses responsibilty to pay taxes”, we can finally get real income tax reform!
.
.
.
Posted by: Mike_C | March 11, 2009, 1:26 pm 1:26 pm
My respect for Sen McCaskill just went up 100 fold. Thank you Senator for changing your mind when you believe it is the right thing to do.
Posted by: Chantal77 | March 11, 2009, 1:27 pm 1:27 pm
Kudo’s TO McCaskill for standing up on her prinicipals!
She may have just her “Liberals Club Card” though!
Posted by: Mike_C | March 11, 2009, 1:29 pm 1:29 pm
Kudo’s TO McCaskill for standing up on her prinicipals!
She may have just LOST her “Liberals Club Card” though!
Posted by: Mike_C | March 11, 2009, 1:29 pm 1:29 pm
Thank you Sen. Clair McCaskill for being a “voice of reason” in these troubled times!!! Pres. Obama may well let pass by a pivotal chance to “follow through” on a campaign promise which helped get him elected. Namely, the emphatic promise of “no more pork-barrel/wasteful government spending”!! This IS NOT an “old business” spending bill. THIS IS A SPENDING BILL WHICH WILL PROVIDE FUNDING OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION FOR THE NEXT 6 MONTHS!!
Well folks, ACTIONS DO SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS!!
Posted by: Susanne | March 11, 2009, 1:31 pm 1:31 pm
Wha? The Obamabots haven’t called McCaskill a racist yet? How odd.
Posted by: Stacey | March 11, 2009, 1:36 pm 1:36 pm
This Missouri republican is eating crow. McCaskill said no, while Kit Bond comes out as #3 on the Pork list behind Byrd of WV, the King of Pork, and Shelby of Alabama. Well, Bond is retiring, and Shelby probably will, but he just doesn’t know it.
What’s wrong with the Constitutional process of expenditures passing through examination by budget and appropriation committes? Obama says just now that he’ll approve earmarks “with a legitimate public purpose”. Who is to decide what earmerks are legitimate. You are allowed just one guess.
Posted by: Tom Beebe | March 11, 2009, 1:42 pm 1:42 pm
Bravo ! Sen McCaskill for honesty.
I enjoy your Twitter presence. Keep up the good work
Posted by: Ted Baker | March 11, 2009, 1:56 pm 1:56 pm
George, When do we get to hear about your phone calls and stategy you Paul Bigala, James Carville and Emanuel ” White house Heavy ” are planning …. Come on you want truth to be out right. You frickin’ Slep-rock!
Posted by: CL | March 11, 2009, 3:02 pm 3:02 pm
I’ll tell you George why she voted aganinest it Is because she catching hell from back home 1st she for it then she againest it Come election day you’ll see what it cost her
Posted by: David | March 11, 2009, 3:45 pm 3:45 pm
Sen McCaskill should be applauded for standing up to her own party. Republicans who crossed over to vote for the excess spending spree should be hammered by all who truly seek to limit the growth of our out of control federal government.
Posted by: South_Texan | March 11, 2009, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
we need to thank people like George for this spending I think he is on the Obama staff:Lower tax revenue and massive government spending on the bank bailout pushed the federal deficit to $765 billion in the first five months of the budget year, well on its way to hitting the Obama administration’s projection of a record annual imbalance of $1.75 trillion.
The Treasury Department also said Wednesday that the February deficit reached $192.8 billion. That’s a record for the month and up 10 percent from a year ago, but below analysts’ expectations of $205.7 billion.
With seven months left in the current budget year, which ends Sept. 30, the deficit already has shattered last year’s record annual gap of $454.8 billion.
Posted by: david | March 11, 2009, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
How biased not to mention that McCaskill simply voted no, knowing the bill would pass. Harry Reid provided her ‘cover’ so she could address her midwestern constitutents as a cost-cutting politician. If her vote would have made the difference, you can bet she would have voted yes. What a politician!
Posted by: Dave form San Diego | March 11, 2009, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
Wow Im shocked…McGaskill was one of the biggest koolaid supporters around. She does have more gonads that Bam Bam .
Posted by: jimbo | March 11, 2009, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm
South texas YOUR right any one that voted for this bill should be voted out I thought Obama was president but evryday it look like Nancy Pelosi is running the show When is this guy going to syand up to her
Posted by: David | March 11, 2009, 3:51 pm 3:51 pm
Dave form San Diego YOUR so right it wasn’t a week ago she was on the floor supporting the bill
Posted by: david | March 11, 2009, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm
I no longer pay any attention to what either side calls an “earmark” or “pork”. I’ve been listening to this discussion long enough to realize that when a congressman or senator speaks on this issue it’s always “wasteful” spending as long as it’s not in their district or state. THEN it’s Job Creation. Which, frankly, I think is OK right now. Not forever, but right now.
Posted by: RRRR | March 11, 2009, 3:56 pm 3:56 pm
Debt buried us. Debt will dig us out. IN DEBT WE TRUST!
Posted by: Geo | March 11, 2009, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
If this lady is so straight then why does she lies Below was taken off her twitter Even senator BY says it this year What a joke We can’t let these Politician get a way with these kinds of lies She is trieng to cover for the dem
“This was last year’s budget, not the President’s. We will start working on his budget, next fiscal year’s budget soon.”
about 20 hours ago from web
Posted by: David | March 11, 2009, 4:02 pm 4:02 pm
Claire’s an Obot through and through, she knew it would pass without her vote.
Posted by: Grover | March 11, 2009, 4:09 pm 4:09 pm
We need to spend some of this money on lowering poverty rates.
The Borgen Project has some good info on the cost of addressing global poverty.
$30 billion: Annual shortfall to end world hunger.
$550 billion: U.S. Defense budget
Posted by: Abel Tsegga | March 11, 2009, 5:45 pm 5:45 pm
The story is quite newsworthy as sen. McCaskill has been known as a leading hawk in supporting BO throughout the presidential primary and general election. She is wise enough to know that her constitutes in MO strongly resent this bill and the Dem. party does not have dominate influence in the political scene of MO. Now she decides to speak out and vote against this bill in the hope she could win reelection to the senate without too much difficulty.It is predictable that as time goes on, more and more Dem. lawmakers from the inland states would show their displeasure toward the stimulus bill with too much spending and debts.
Posted by: austin | March 11, 2009, 6:16 pm 6:16 pm
This Missouri republican is eating crow. McCaskill said no, while Kit Bond comes out as #3 on the Pork list behind Byrd of WV, the King of Pork, and Shelby of Alabama. Well, Bond is retiring, and Shelby probably will, but he just doesn’t know it.
What’s wrong with the Constitutional process of expenditures passing through examination by budget and appropriation committes? Obama says just now that he’ll approve earmarks “with a legitimate public purpose”. Who is to decide what earmerks are legitimate. You are allowed just one guess.
Posted by: Tom Beebe | March 11, 2009, 7:08 pm 7:08 pm
No Earmarks Obama signs Earmark Laden Imperfect Bill.
I love it.
This guy is a master clown show!
And the goofballs (Kool-Aid Obamabots) in the audience love it!
I’m glad I’m long dead. What a country of ——- morons America has become…
Posted by: Sam Adams | March 11, 2009, 8:17 pm 8:17 pm
I thought Obama was smart.
Its called a veto. You can go back and re-draft stuff you know, Mr. President.
Did you not learn that Community Organizing with ACORN?
Inexperience is showing badly, Hillary is very happy right about now. She knows Obama is one blunder after another
Tax Cheats
Lobbyists
Earmarks
Blagojevich
Rezko
Wright
Stimulus, Omnibus, bail this out, bail that out
We need to spend, spend, spend
Obama needs to be impeached immediately
Posted by: Paul Revere | March 11, 2009, 8:20 pm 8:20 pm
Very impressive George!! You could see she felt unconfortable knowing this bill had earmarks and good for her that she followed her heart!
Posted by: Chris | March 11, 2009, 11:19 pm 11:19 pm
I could care less if you are a democrat , republican or independent . If you don’t like this country , you are free to leave . With 300m people here , do you really think we will miss you ? NO I pay my taxes and I am one of the little people . I wonder how many of you that make over $250k have cheated on yours ? Everyone should stop pointing fingers as to who caused this mess and find a way to fix the problems . Tighten up your boot laces , it will be a long hard climb back to the top .
Posted by: Terry Williams | March 12, 2009, 12:07 pm 12:07 pm
I am truly astonished by the inability of so many to simply state an opinion about whatever subject matter is on their mind without the use of elementary school name calling and assinine labels for the person at the opposite end of their spectrum. This country is in a quagmire and the truth is that no one actually knows if they have solution right now. This is really a crap shoot. It is going to be trial and error and we are going to have to give President Obama and the powers that be the opportunity to resolve the issues of the economy before you load up the dart gun.
Posted by: Linda | March 12, 2009, 1:31 pm 1:31 pm
By the way, George, great job on Sunday morning. No one in my family plans anything (including brunch) until after 11:00am CST!
Posted by: Linda | March 12, 2009, 1:34 pm 1:34 pm
Madoff for Secretary of the Treasury; obviously he kneew what he was doing, how to get the assistance he needed.
What’s wrong with the Constitutional process of expenditures passing through examination by budget and appropriation committes? Obama says just now that he’ll approve earmarks “with a legitimate public purpose”. Who is to decide what earmerks are legitimate. You are allowed just one guess.
Posted by: Tom Beebe | March 12, 2009, 1:40 pm 1:40 pm
$0.61/pack to pay for the SCHIP program!
Mike_C wrote,
wrong its a $1.00 a pack and the next tax that all of us will pay is $1.00 per gallon of gasoline, so if you drive to work, tough luck.
Posted by: Lizzie | March 12, 2009, 2:46 pm 2:46 pm
Do these clowns even know what a “marginal” tax rate is?
I suspect not. It sounds as if they really think that earning a penny more than $250K will subject all their income to a 3% higher rate—when the reality is that only the income over that threshold is affected.
Posted by: Wil Burns | March 12, 2009, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm
What we are witnessing may be the greatest destruction of financial wealth that the world has ever seen
– paper losses measured in the trillions of dollars. Corporate wealth. Oil wealth. Real estate wealth. Bank wealth. Private-equity wealth. Hedge fund wealth. Pension wealth.
I’m reminded of all those idiots who “wanted to have a beer with Bush.”
THIS is what happened when you elect a moron Republican instead of a smart Democrat.
Posted by: Wil Burns | March 12, 2009, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
What we are witnessing may be the greatest destruction of financial wealth that the world has ever seen
– paper losses measured in the trillions of dollars. Corporate wealth. Oil wealth. Real estate wealth. Bank wealth. Private-equity wealth. Hedge fund wealth. Pension wealth.
I’m reminded of all those idiots who “wanted to have a beer with Bush.”
THIS is what happened when you elect a moron Republican instead of a smart Democrat.
———————————–
Wil Burns,
Gee Will… I rather look at it as this what happens when we let STUPID Democrats have ANY power. Democrats like Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Larry Summers, Bill Clinton & Jimmy Carter!
Don’t continue to so openly display your own stupidty by just tossing out liberal talking point #1.
There is Blame , plenty of it on BOTH sides of the aisle!
Posted by: Mike_C | March 13, 2009, 10:04 am 10:04 am
Holy Cow, Batman! A politician doing the right thing for a change!!!!!!
Posted by: Global Fraud! | March 13, 2009, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm
Claire McCaskill is thinking about her future in Congress when she votes against Obama’s plan. Missouri is a conservative state. She lost her first run for the Senate, she barely won the second time around. There was a great deal of anger among moderate and conservative women when McCaskill backed Obama instead of Hillary. She knows she’s going to have to work hard to get re-elected in Missouri. She’s doing what’s best for her political future.
Posted by: JB in St. Louis | March 13, 2009, 4:21 pm 4:21 pm
As a conservative from Missouri I was plesantly suprised when I saw that Sen
McCaskill voted against the Ominbus bill. Having voted against her, and disagreeing with her on many issues I’m pleased to give her credit when it’s due. Sen McCaskill stood on priciple and voted for fiscal restraint. Thank you. It’s to bad I can’t say as much for Sen Bond who sold his vote and sold out his supporters. It will be good to see him retire. Perhaps he will pull the knife out our back when he leaves office.
Posted by: Philip V. | March 13, 2009, 11:37 pm 11:37 pm
Just did my taxes; how about youall? Do you really love all the great things done for you by Washington ?? Is it worth it? emailme tbeebe6535atyahoodotcom
Posted by: Tom Beebe | March 14, 2009, 1:36 pm 1:36 pm
Hey Mike C, ya know ignorance is bliss isn’t it!
Why should anybody care if the number of millionaires falls…? it probably caused by the fact of the housing bubble that they created!
Taxing the Rich…. “NEWSFLASH” the rich were the ones who endorsed Obama for president! What are you saying that the rich folks are un-informed, is that it?
As far as the cigarette tax is concerned, all people have to do is quit smoking considering it is not healthy!
The Rightwing is going to have to come up with something totally new, because the old phrases of fear and scare are not working!
I will put it into a five word sentence; NOBODY CARES ABOUT THE RICH!!!
Get a clue!!!
Posted by: Republicans are Clueless | March 14, 2009, 2:54 pm 2:54 pm
Having read many of the comments I am still concerned that a few individuals still don’t get it. The do nothings and Rush ditto heads live in a world which does not and cannot be allowed to exist. People its change or accept the end of earth as we have known it. I feel Humanity is doomed if we can’t pull together. Disastrous events are about to spin beyond anyone’s control. HAVE A NICE DAY
Posted by: jim | March 15, 2009, 8:05 pm 8:05 pm