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RNC not waiting to accuse Hagan of flip-flop

The RNC can read Sen. Kay Hagan’s mind, at least that’s the impression you’d get from a web ad targeting the Greensboro Democrat.

The ad, a copy of which is posted below, features images of Sen. John Kerry delivering his “I voted for it before I voted against it” line from the 2004 campaign. It then goes on to accuse Hagan of plotting a similar flip-flop on the health care bill.

In the U.S. Senate, at least 60 senators need to vote to start debate on a bill or it goes pretty much nowhere. The RNC says that Hagan is plotting to vote to start debate but against the final version of the bill.

Well, they’re at least half right.

“Senator Hagan will vote to proceed with the debate,” a Hagan spokeswoman wrote in an e-mail late yesterday.

However, she’s not made her intentions known as to the final bill. In fairness to the RNC, it’s perfectly possible that Hagan will vote against the final package.

But if you consider her recent history, Hagan would be more flip-flopping if she didn’t vote to proceed. That’s because when she had the opportunity to vote on a predecessor of the current health care bill in committee, she voted for it.

Update: When asked about the ad, Hagan Spokeswoman Stephanie Allen said, “As Senator Hagan has been very clear about her support of health care reform, it looks like the RNC's attempts to read the tea leaves have failed again.”

Here’s the ad in question, complete with pictures of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, President Barack Obama and a “call Kay Hagan” phone number: