Why Did Sen. Markey Vote Present On Syria?

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In the Washington Post, Sean Sullivan and Ed O’Keefe take a closer look at the only non ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote to come out of the Senate Foreign Relations committee on the Syria resolution this week. The nation’s newest Senator and longtime congressman, Ed Markey (D-MA), voted ‘present’ on the resolution, inviting a flurry of reactions from all sides. Markey, who won a special election this summer for the seat opened by John Kerry’s appointment as Secretary of State, released a long statement yesterday explaining his vote. He plans to gather more information from intelligence documents before the full Senate takes up the resolution.

“In staying on the fence, Markey, did two things: 1) Invite swift criticism of his first big vote since joining the Senate in July, and 2) Expose the tough dilemma hundreds of other lawmakers are wrestling with when it comes to Syria.”