From Think Progress
By Amanda

Yesterday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) skipped the Senate’s vote on the economic stimulus package, which fell just one vote short of the 60 needed to end debate.

On the stump, McCain has repeatedly claimed that passing a package was a priority for him. Yet his missed vote yesterday was not an accident due to a late flight or scheduling conflict. It was deliberate. Some evidence:

1. He was already thinking about skipping the vote yesterday afternoon. Yesterday afternoon, hours before the vote, he hinted to reporters that he might not return to the Senate that evening. “I haven’t had a chance to talk about it at all, have not had the opportunity to, even,” McCain said. “We’ve just been too busy, focused on other stuff. I don’t know if I’m doing that.”

2. His plane landed in DC with plenty of time to make the vote. McCain’s plane landed at Dulles Airport at 5:00 p.m., “leaving plenty of time to make the 5:45 p.m. make or break procedural vote.”

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