The GOP wants you to know that John Kerry is more liberal than Hillary Clinton, Paul Wellstone and Teddy Kennedy!
No doubt you've heard the claim. In fact, you've probably heard numbers: in 2003 the National Journal ranked Kerry and Edwards as the first and fourth most liberal senators, respectively.
But what does it mean? Where does it come from? And should we believe it?
Guided by contributing editor and CNN commentator William Schneider, the authoritative and nonpartisan National Journal -- often touted as the bible of Beltway wonks -- has been using a complicated, computerized process to rank "conservative" and "liberal" members of congress since 1981. The weekly magazine looks at votes cast in three areas to assess its score: economic, social and foreign policy. The results are published in its annual Almanac of American Politics.
But what you won't hear from those busy decrying the Johns as dangerously "out of touch," are a few key qualifications.
First, Kerry ranked as the most liberal member of the senate in 2003 for the first time in more than a decade. The aberration can be attributed in part to his absence from Washington while on the campaign trail. He missed 37 of the 62 votes tallied in the survey, and recorded no votes in the categories of "social" or "foreign policy." So he's ranked exclusively on his economic policy, and, no doubt, his efforts to out-liberal Bush's flirtiation with protectionism.
Looking back at the Senators' rankings over the past five years, it's clear that both Kerry and Edwards are certainly left of center, but far from the party's fringe.
2003: Kerry - 1st (96.5) Edwards - 4th (94.5)
2002: Kerry - 9th (87.3) Edwards - 31st (63.0)
2001: Kerry - 11th (87.7) Edwards - 35th (68.2)
2000: Kerry - 20th (77) Edwards - 19th (80.8)
1999: Kerry - 16th (80.8) Edwards - 31st (72.2)
Average: Kerry - 12th (85.9) Edwards - 24th (75.7)
(I'd link to this, but it was actually the product of real library research. Sorry.)
So the next time your hippie liberal friends start celebrating the Dem's certifiably progressive ticket -- more liberal than Dennis Kucinich, for Christ sake! -- remind them that the recent rankings paint only a limited, and not terribly accurate, picture.
Posted by Mr. Miara at July 19, 2004 12:46 PM