CAFTA Aftermath

Pundits and advocates are now surveying the CAFTA carnage, and it's not pretty. Tales of brutal arm-twisting and last-minute favors -- especially in the 47-minute period when the House had to suspend debate as GOP leaders "convinced" waverers -- abound.A curious story about the vote also popped up today: Rep. Charles Taylor, Republican member of the North Carolina delegation that resoundingly voted against CAFTA, was recorded as a "no vote." But according to a statement put out by his office today, he was actually a "nay": I voted NO on the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) in the vote last night. I informed the Majority Leader and the Appropriations Chairman I was voting no, as I had informed my constituents I was voting no. Rep. Howard Coble and I voted "no" together. Due to an error, my "no" vote did not record on the voting machine. The Clerk's computer logs verified that I had attempted to vote, but it did not show my "nay". I am re-inserting my "No" vote in the record. But even with my NO vote re-inserted, the bill still passed.Sounds like more than your usual post-vote pack-pedaling, I believe him. (UPDATE: After Josh's converstation with Rep. Coble, I may have to change my mind.)We also mis-tallied a vote from the Southern delegation, failing to give credit to Rep. Charles W. Boustany Jr. (R-VA), who was the 11th Southern Republican to oppose the deal.