A profile in courage:
Once the tally board lit up 218-213, however, Cao was free to put his congressional voting card in electronic key slot and cast an “aye” vote for the bill his party has dubbed “Pelosi’s healthcare bill.”
[snip]
As soon as the House started the final vote for the day, Cao voted and dashed out the side of the chamber, plugging his ears in jest when reporters approached to find out what happened.
According to a written statement released later that night, Cao explained that Obama had promised to help out the lawmaker’s district still devastated from Hurricane Katrina.
Or, you know, not so much courage.
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8 Comments
1. rbj:So Dear Liar was holding rebuilding of the district hostage for a vote? Imagine if W had done that.
Nov 8, 2009 - 12:29 pm 2. David Thomson:Cao perhaps cynically did what’s best for him. He is in a very blue district—and may very well have guaranteed his reelection. It would not even surprise me if he switched over to the Democrats. Forget him. Focus your energies instead on the purple and red state politicians. They are running very scared!
Nov 8, 2009 - 1:57 pm 3. MarkD:I’m sure that most of the purple or red state politicians who are in jeopardy of losing their seats have golden parachutes worked out in the way of lucrative jobs either with private sector donor companies or new goverment agency appointments (many of which were created by this bill) or cushy ambassodorships or other equally shifty payoffs.
Nov 8, 2009 - 5:32 pm 4. Will Collier:Cao, who has a pretty remarkable personal story, has next to no chance of holding that seat, and he should know as much. It’s a majority-black district, and he slipped in thanks to “Cold Cash” Jefferson being on the ballot and minimal turnout on an odd election day (he won a run-off). Too bad he cast such a quixotic vote in the vain hope of holding on. He’ll lose by 20 points to whomever the NOLA machine disgorges in 2010, and his vote yesterday will change neither a jot nor a tittle of that outcome. Such are the wages of electoral vanity…
Nov 8, 2009 - 6:37 pm 5. David Thomson:“…has next to no chance of holding that seat, and he should know as much.”
Kao has no chance if he remains a Republican. However, the high likelihood is that he will switch over to the Democrats. I would be very surprised if that doesn’t occur within the next three to six months. Why should he stay with the GOP? He seems more like a Democrat anyway.
The so-called golden parachutes probably promised to the red and purple state Democrats are of zilch value if this bill does not also pass the U.S. Senate. They have placed their bets on a dubious proposition. The odds are against them.
Nov 8, 2009 - 7:02 pm 6. David Thomson:I should also mention that Cao is a fool if he decides to remain a Republican. Black voters tend to vote for those of their own color. A Vietnamese-American would be their second choice if everything else was equal. The Jefferson situation presented Cao with an unique opportunity. That won’t be the case in 2010.
Nov 8, 2009 - 7:21 pm 7. Joe towler:I thought prostitution was illegal. I think we need to come up with an new term. Congressman seems so inappropriate. How about house of ill represent?
Nov 8, 2009 - 8:07 pm 8. McGehee:It’s been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I think it’s just prostitution by other means.
Nov 10, 2009 - 6:45 amSorry, comments for this entry are closed at this time.