Two GOP Senators Join McCain, Vote Against Gen. Dempsey’s Nomination

When the Senate Armed Services Committee voted Tuesday to send the nominations of Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey and Vice Chairman Adm. James Winnefeld, it did so via a voice vote.

That means there was no official record of the yays and nays. But, sometimes, politicians really want to make a statement. Under SASC rules, they can request the official record reflect their vote, as three did on Tuesday. And when they do, Intercepts will tell you.

That’s what happened Tuesday, with a committee source telling Defense News that “after the votes, one or more senators asked to be recorded as having voted no on one or more nominations.”

So it’s no surprise McCain, according to the SASC source, was one of three senators who requested the record reflect their opposition to Dempsey.

McCain was joined by GOP Sens. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia and Roy Blunt of Missouri. McCain and Chambliss are old friends, and often have campaigned for one another. Blunt is a member of the GOP’s Senate leadership, which always is eager to take a swipe at President Obama.

To further drive home concerns he made during Dempsey and Winnefeld’s joint confirmation hearing, McCain also voted against the vice chairman’s nomination, according to the panel source.

Message received. Expected McCain to continue being a public thorn in the side of the nation’s top military officers.

John T. Bennett

John T. Bennett

Bennett is the Editor of Defense News' CongressWatch channel. He has a Masters degree in Global Security Studies from Johns Hopkins University.
John T. Bennett
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