McCain Curses Out Colleague —Again

Why vote on Iraq if you could be campaigning in New York?

(NEWSER) - John McCain missed his 42nd straight Senate roll call yesterday, marking a whopping five weeks in a row that he hasn't showed up to be counted. If he misses the next three votes, he will have been AWOL for 50% of the votes in the 110th Congress, the Washington Post notes. More»

(NEWSER) - John Ensign, a Republican senator from Nevada said to be considering a presidential run in 2012, admitted today that he had an extramarital affair with a campaign staffer, reports Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post. "It's absolutely the worst thing I've ever done in my life," he said at a press conference. "I'm very sorry." His wife, Darlene, backed her husband and said their "marriage has become stronger" in a statement. More»

GOP colleagues 'stunned,' angered by senator's party switch

(NEWSER) - Newly minted Democrat Arlen Specter said he will not blindly toe the party line, Politico reports. “I will not be an automatic 60th vote,” the veteran Pennsylvania senator said, pointing out recent opposition to a unionization bill. “If the Democratic Party asks too much, I will not vote with them.” More»

But for some Republicans, Mac's just a pain

(NEWSER) - Too bad John McCain couldn’t get this story written before the election: the New York Times reports that, back in the Senate, McCain is reverting from his dour, orthodox campaign persona to his maverick and frequently bipartisan ways. He’s been hanging out with President Obama, and he told off Republicans trying to delay Hillary Clinton’s confirmation as secretary of state. “He's an activist legislator. He's not an obstructionist,” says Maine Republican Susan Collins. More»

GOP senators wait for race to be decided

(NEWSER) - Senate Republicans will wait until Alaska announces a victor in the still-tight race for Ted Stevens' seat before voting on whether he will be allowed to keep it. The last batch of ballots in the race is expected to be counted today, as the longest-serving conservative senator—who trails by 1,022 votes—turns 85, reports the Anchorage Daily News. GOP senators have been split on when to vote on ousting the convicted felon. More»