Beyond the Dome

No, the three presidential candidates weren't around today when the Senate passed the farm bill. But Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton were there in spirit, cheering on the 81 senators who voted for it.

And John McCain was there in spirit, siding with . . . well . . . the 15 senators who voted against it.

The three all put out statements explaining their positions, but there are subtle differences in the way the three senators handled the public relations end of it. In each case, though, the political overtones were clear.

McCain, the 21-year veteran of the Senate, inserted a lengthy statement into the Congressional Record explaining why he voted against such a popular bill - and promptly released it to the public through his Senate press office. McCain is a longtime critic of farm subsidies, and he said the bill continues them at a time when food prices are rising.

He also charged that the legislation was full of "pork barrel spending," and threw in a list of spending projects he objected to - a classic McCain manuever from years of fights against spending bills.

"I recognize that in the days ahead, attempts will be made to use my opposition to this bill for another's political gain, but I have always worked to do my best for America and that is why I must oppose this conference report," McCain said in his statement. "And, the American people deserve to know the truth about this farm bill: It's a bloated piece of legislation that will do more harm than good for most farmers and consumers."

It's not like McCain has nothing to gain from his stand, of course - it will provide more evidence of the fiscal conservativism that has become such a central part of his campaign narrative. Still, he was right about Obama and Clinton. They both pounced on him for his opposition.

Obama, the first-term senator who is just sort of passing through the Senate, issued his statement through his campaign. "By opposing the bill, President Bush and John McCain are saying no to America's farmers and ranchers, no to energy independence, no to the environment, and no to millions of hungry people," Obama said. (Bush has threatened to veto the measure.)

Meanwhile, Clinton - the seven-year Senate veteran who has kept an active Capitol Hill operation even while on the campaign trail - issued statements through both her Senate office and her campaign.

Clinton the presidential candidate blasted McCain for his opposition - and just to make sure no one missed her point, she put out two statements, not just one (the second one is here). Clinton the senator never mentioned McCain.

That statement just talked about how wonderful the farm bill is.