The Deciding Vote

John Kerry is running a television ad in which he claims to have "cast the decisive vote on a bill that created 20 million new jobs."

First, like the now discredited "game winning RBI" statistic, Kerry's vote was no more significant than any other. In fact, Kerry didn't even cast the last vote that day. Still, the ad would have us imagine the following scenario:

The vote stands at 50-49, and the Senate sits breathless and silent as Kerry strides, grim-faced, to the well. The room darkens, a soft spot comes up on the junior senator from Massachussetts, the shadow of his chin completely eclipsing the entire Republican caucas, which has voted in lock-step against creating a single new job. And Kerry bodly annnounces, "I vote in favor of 20 million new jobs for my fellow Americans."

The reality? The bill in question was controversial indeed, and Kerry has no explanation for how its passage could have created new jobs. It was Bill Clinton's first term TAX INCREASE ON THE MIDDLE CLASS, and it swept the Republicans into control of the House in the next mid-term election.