Beyond the Dome

All of the presidential candidates have received their share of political attacks launched from the Senate floor. Today, however, Barack Obama used a Senate floor speech to attack John McCain, his fellow senator and the man he's likely to face off with in the presidential election in November.

Both Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton returned to the Senate this morning for votes on the supplemental spending bill for the war in Iraq. In doing so, they got bragging rights by voting for an expansion of educational benefits for veterans that was approved by a surprisingly wide margin -- 75 to 22.

But McCain has opposed the proposal by Democratic Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia, calling it too costly. So in a speech this morning, Obama brought his campaign criticisms of McCain to the Senate floor (it starts about halfway into the video clip):

(Click on photo for video)

"I respect Senator John McCain's service to our country. He is one of those heroes of which I speak. But I can't understand why he would line up behind the president in opposition to this GI bill. I can't believe why he believes it is too generous to our veterans. I could not disagree with him and the president more on this issue. There are many issues that lend themselves to partisan posturing, but giving our veterans the chance to go to college should not be one of them."

That broadside brought a quick, and angry, response from McCain on the campaign trail. (He kept his campaign schedule in California, a move that spared him the need to fly all the way back to Washington to vote against the popular Webb bill.)

"It is typical, but no less offensive that Senator Obama uses the Senate floor to take cheap shots at an opponent and easy advantage of an issue he has less than zero understanding of," McCain's statement began. And it never let up from there:

"Both Senator Webb and I are united in our deep appreciation for the men and women who risk their lives so that the rest of us may be secure in our freedom. And I take a backseat to no one in my affection, respect and devotion to veterans. And I will not accept from Senator Obama, who did not feel it was his responsibility to serve our country in uniform, any lectures on my regard for those who did.

"Perhaps, if Senator Obama would take the time and trouble to understand this issue he would learn to debate an honest disagreement respectfully. But, as he always does, he prefers impugning the motives of his opponent, and exploiting a thoughtful difference of opinion to advance his own ambitions. If that is how he would behave as President, the country would regret his election."

Oh yes -- and Clinton gave a floor speech too. But she didn't single out any of the critics of the Webb bill by name. McCain left her alone.