Can I play with your party line?

I saw an ad for McCain. The ad was about global warming (which has undergone the rhetorical reworking of "climate change"). It boasted that Mr. Too Old To Be Thinking of Running for President pushed his party to face this problem and listed the solutions he has granted a stamp of approval. Of course, these were sharply drawn along his own party line, including suspending the gas tax and more domestic production (e.g. drilling in ANWR along with other presently undisturbed locations). So, really, the bastard hasn't been pushing his party towards anything "new." They've always wanted to fuck up the environment and cut taxes. But, the ad was drawing attention to the point--and more importantly praising--McCain's willingness to break with his party.

Of course, the ad went on to knock Obama for his lack of support for "real" solutions since he doesn't want to cut the gas tax, fund nuclear power, or drill in precious areas of our environment. Shame, shame apparently. But then, at the end of the ad, a statement flashed up that said something to the extent of "Barack Obama: 97% record voting along party line". And that was their big attack on him. To which I say, well, no kidding.

Am I the only one who doesn't follow this line of reasoning? Your only attack on the competition is that he sticks to his proposed and intended ideals? Is there something I'm not getting?

Um, yeah he votes with his party--and that's how I want it to stay. I'm a democrat for a reason: it's not republican. And, McCain doesn't actually split with his party anyway, they just dress it up like that. But why they do that is beyond me. He just ends up appealing to no one. Because he's not liberal, but he doesn't satisfy conservatives at all. And why it would be considered a good thing to make a habit of breaking with your stated party is beyond me. Look, I'm all for being smart and not making every decision based on w.w.t.p.d.? (what would the party do?), but for the most part, you're a member of a particular party for a reason. Hopefully because you believe in what their core values are--and their traditional platforms.

So, Obama, if it's true that you are a 97% constituent for your own party, rock on. The less republican you are, the better.

Excuse me, McCain's ad campaign, but what the flying sack of horse manure are you doing exactly? Really.

Golfing today. Yes, I know my outfit is adorable.