Glad I Didn't Say That . . . (UPDATED!)

I'm no fan of Rick Boucher's vote against the coal industry by supporting the liberal cap and tax scheme. Nor am I a fan of his recent vote to tax Virginia businesses to pay for unemployment in the rest of the country. But here's one attack that I'm glad I didn't use against him.

Most recently, the NRCC targeted Boucher's record of missed votes in his two committees, saying he's missed 61 percent of recorded votes from Sept. 16, 2008, to Sept. 16, 2009. That's fifth overall in Congress and second among Democrats.

"It's unfortunate that Rick Boucher's two signature accomplishments this year consist of selling out Southwest Virginians by spearheading Obama's energy tax and missing more committee votes than nearly every other member of Congress," said NRCC spokesman Andy Sere.

In a Tuesday interview, Boucher said he's missed 90 of 157 recorded votes in 2009 but argued there are good reasons. His mother, Dorothy Buck Boucher, suffered an illness and died in January, and during that time he was by her bedside in Abingdon. In addition, both of his committees meet at roughly the same time, he said. Third, he spent much of this year in backroom negotiations with Waxman on cap and trade.

Andy Sere is going after Boucher because he missed votes while he was along his mother's deathbed?!?!

Glad I'm NOT ANDY SERE.

Update: Actually, I've been provided a transcript of Andy Sere's comments and it seems I got it wrong. Andy was actually praising Boucher for his voting record. Here's the transcript:

It's . . . fortunate that Rick Boucher's . . . signature accomplishments this year consist of . . . more committee votes than nearly every other member of Congress," said NRCC spokesman Andy Sere.

Sorry Andy! That will teach me for not checking the facts first.