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Senate Republicans are circling their wagons around Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) — a significant strategic shift to protect their presumptive presidential nominee and leave President Bush more isolated.
They opted to avoid a showdown with Democrats on Wednesday over an intelligence bill dealing with torture. By punting the issue to the White House, the GOP helped shield McCain from claims he and his party condone waterboarding, which simulates drowning, and other harsh interrogation methods.
Instead of blocking passage of the bill using procedural maneuvers, Republicans let it come to a vote. It cleared along party lines, 51-45, and now goes to President Bush, who has promised a veto.
Republican aides and Democratic senators say this deflects blame onto Bush and helps McCain and vulnerable Republican lawmakers avoid a snare on the campaign trail.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), sponsor of language that would ban waterboarding by the CIA, told The Hill she was surprised that Republicans failed to put up a fight or strike her provision from the bill. Political considerations clearly played a role in the GOP strategy, she said.
“They didn’t want a clear, recorded vote that spoke to the issue,” Feinstein commented. “In this way, they can say, ‘I’m against waterboarding’ and still vote for the bill. I don’t agree with that.”
Now that McCain is the presumptive nominee, said GOP aides, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will increasingly coordinate strategy with McCain on high-profile bills.
Deferring to McCain on votes follows his recent endorsement by the Senate and House GOP leadership. McCain’s principal rival for the nomination, former Gov. Mitt. Romney (Mass.), endorsed him Thursday.
Tom Malinowski, Washington advocacy director for the group Human Rights Watch, said of the interrogation strategy, “The message the Republicans sent to the president is that if you want the right to waterboard prisoners, we’re not going to stick our necks out for you.”
Pulling back from a showdown also suggests that McCain, who has repeatedly broken with his party over the issue of detainee treatment, may be more intent heading into the election on rallying Republicans than on burnishing his independent credentials.
McCain’s vote against the underlying bill has sparked criticism from Democrats, who say it shows that he is pandering to the conservative base and flip-flopping on one of his signature issues.
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