Answering Earl's question No. 3

3. In the Senate you have one of the poorest attendance records, and you often simply vote present on thorny issues, why?

Because when Obama's had a long-held plan to coast to the White House on personality, emotion, and the "audacity of hope" alone, a paper trail of votes that shows his real positions on the issues would counter his wanton image as the great uniter, and give plenty o' ammunition to his opponents.