MUST READ: When It Matters The Most, He Seldom Bucks His Own Party, Says Democratic National Committee

WASHINGTON, May 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- According to an Arizona Republic analysis of McCain's voting record since 1999, despite his carefully cultivated "maverick" image, in the close votes where it mattered most, John McCain rarely ever bucked his own party. As one expert noted, McCain "is a conservative who votes conservative on most issues" who "by no means" is a "a liberal or even a moderate." In fact, McCain's voting record is only slightly less conservative than most Republicans throughout his career, and "near the far edge of the right while running for president."

The following are excerpts of today's report:

In tight Senate votes, McCain not a maverick

When it matters the most, he seldom bucks his own party

Ronald J. Hansen

The Arizona Republic

May 7, 2008

"Over the years, Sen. John McCain has publicly condemned Republican Party leaders and occasionally voted against the GOP on selected issues. But an Arizona Republic analysis of his Senate votes on the most divided issues in the past decade shows that McCain almost never thwarted his party's objectives...

"The voting pattern seems at odds with the popular narrative that McCain's maverick tendencies make him an unreliable conservative. 'He is a conservative who votes conservative on most issues,' said Keith Poole, a political scientist at the University of California-San Diego. 'By no means is he a liberal or even a moderate.' Poole, who compiles a widely respected analysis of all Senate votes, ranks McCain as slightly less conservative than most Republicans throughout his career and near the far edge of the right while running for president.

"During the 10 years The Republic examined, McCain crossed over to vote with Democrats 19 times in 82 close votes. He did so just once in the four years he was running for president: 1999, 2000, 2007 and 2008. All 12 of the close votes he missed happened in those years, too.

"A Washington Post analysis notes McCain voted with the GOP this term 88.3 percent of the time, the same as Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., whose conservative credentials are seldom questioned. McCain ranked ahead of 29 other Republicans, including Arizona's Jon Kyl, who holds the No. 2 spot in party leadership. Congressional Quarterly gave McCain a 90 percent score for 'party unity' voting last year and said he supported the president's position on legislation 95 percent of the time. During the Bush years, McCain's poorest totals from CQ were 67 percent party-unity voting in 2001 and 77 percent support for the Bush agenda in 2005.

For the full story, click here: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0507mccainvotes0507.html

Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, www.democrats.org.

This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.