RALEIGH – Today on the campaign trail, John McCain promised to help law enforcement officials combat crime, help retrain displaced workers, and end the long lines at the Veterans Administration facilities.

But as is so often the case with John McCain, his rhetoric just doesn’t match his record. Just last night when he had the opportunity to vote on those very issues in the Senate, John McCain once again put his campaign ahead of North Carolina’s families for his own political gain.

Yesterday, after voting to extend Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthy, John McCain headed out to a $1,000 a plate fundraiser in Philadelphia. McCain ducked out long enough to miss important votes on amendments that fund many of the priorities he talks about on the campaign stump.

McCain chose a fundraiser over making North Carolina’s communities safer by increasing funding for the COPS program, helping families struggling to deal with skyrocketing home heating costs, helping get manufacturing workers the job training they need, finding the cause of autism, and giving veterans in North Carolina the care they deserve. [2008 Senate Amendments to S.Con.Res.70, # 4164, 4154, 4155, 4254, 4194]

But playing hooky is nothing new to John McCain. Just last month, McCain was the only senator to miss a critical vote to give tax rebates to America’s seniors and veterans because of his campaign. [AP, 2/6/08; Politico.com, 2/6/08; 2008 Senate Vote #8]

"John McCain’s values are not North Carolina’s values" said NCDP Chair Jerry Meek. "Yesterday when he had the opportunity to help working families, veterans, and communities in North Carolina deal with the challenges facing them every day, McCain chose to raise campaign cash instead.”

“That’s not the kind of leadership North Carolinians want, and that’s why they will reject McCain in November,” Meek said. “After seven years of a president who puts his own interests ahead of North Carolina’s families, voters have had enough."

McCain Heads To Philadelphia for Top Dollar Fundraiser. “Republican John McCain is arriving in Philadelphia right about now after voting for those tax bills in the senate today. Last night McCain was in New Hampshire starting his national fund raising tour. Tonight, he plans to attend a $1,000 a person event at a hotel on Rittenhouse Square. We will have a one on one interview with McCain on ‘Eyewitness News’ at 6:00 o'clock.” [KYW (Philadelphia), 4 pm news, 3/13/08]

• “Republican presidential candidate John McCain is in Philadelphia raising money today. Tickets to his fund-raiser at the Rittenhouse hotel are $1,000 a plate. [WCAU (Philadelphia), 4 pm news, 3/13/08]

McCain Skips Budget Votes. Senate vote logs show his last roll call vote at 2:33 pm, and then he doesn’t show up for another roll call vote until 9:38 pm. [2008 Senate Vote #54, 73]

McCain Skips Vote to Make Our Communities Safer. McCain skips vote on amendment “To increase 2009 funding for the COPS program...” [2008 Senate Amendment 4164 to S.Con.Res.70, agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote; Thomas.loc.gov]

McCain Skips LIHEAP Vote. McCain skips vote on amendment “To reduce the energy burden of low-income families, and individuals with disabilities by increasing funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)...” [2008 Senate Amendment 4154 to S.Con.Res.70, agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote; Thomas.loc.gov]

McCain Skips Vote to Train Workers. McCain skips vote on amendment “To improve the training of manufacturing workers.” [2008 Senate Amendment 4155 to S.Con.Res.70, agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote; Thomas.loc.gov]

McCain Skips Vote to Fund Autism Research. McCain skips vote on amendment “To increase funding for the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health Resources and Services Administration for autism research, education, and early detection with an offset.” [2008 Senate Amendment 4254 to S.Con.Res.70, agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote; Thomas.loc.gov]

McCain Skips Vote to Help Veterans Get Veterans the Care They Need. McCain skips vote on amendment “To provide the Veterans Benefits Administration with additional resources to more effectively meet their increasing workload and to better address the unacceptably large claims backlog.” [2008 Senate Amendment 4194 to S.Con.Res.70, agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote; Thomas.loc.g