Can someone explain to us the allure of Florida Senator Bob Graham? We can't understand it. He is an avid supporter of the death penalty. Here is some of his voting record on crime and civil rights issues, as disclosed by Project Vote-Smart:

In 1999, Senator Bob Graham voted to pass S 254, the Violent and Repeat Juvenile Offender Act, introduced by Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah). The bill allows U.S. attorneys to prosecute juveniles 14 or older charged with serious violent felonies or serious drug crimes as adults if they certify that there is a substantial Federal interest to warrant the exercise of Federal jurisdiction.

The bill also contains language allowing incarcerated juveniles to interact with adult prisoners where the contact is brief and inadvertent or accidental. (a terrible idea we'll come back to another day). The bill mandates criminal background checks for all gun purchases at gun shows.

After that, he voted to table, or kill, an amendment introduced by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to increase funding for state juvenile court systems [including prosecutors, public defenders, and court staff], establish juvenile drug courts, and increase funding for certain law enforcement programs such as Community Oriented Policing Services [COPS].

In 1999, Graham voted yes on a proposal introduced by Sen. Orin Hatch (R-UT) for a constitutional amendment prohibiting the physical desecration of the U.S. flag. That year he also voted yes on a proposal to declare that erecting religious symbols and praying on public school campuses as part of a memorial service does not violate the First Amendment to the Constitution. Again, the bill was introduced by Orin Hatch.

In 1996 he voted to table or kill a motion by Sen. Daniel Moynihan to send S 735: The Terrorism Prevention Act, back to the joint House-Senate conference committee to have provisions limiting death penalty appeals deleted.

In 1995, Graham voted yes on an amendment to make it easier for law enforcement to do anti-terrorism wiretaps. (S 735: Comprehensive Terrorism Prevention Act). The Amendment was introduced by Joe Lieberman (D-CT).

In 1994, Graham voted to pass HR 3355: The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which included included provisions to build more prisons; hire 100,000 new police officers; allow death sentences for more federal crimes; ban 19 semi-automatic assault weapons; and institute 'three strikes and you're out' provisions, among other components.

In 1995, he voted yes on an amendment to S 1935: Congressional Gift Reform Act that rejected the Racial Justice Act provisions, which would have enabled prisoners appealing death penalty sentences to argue racial discrimination using sentencing statistics as part of their appeal.

In 1994, he voted yes on a proposal to mandate confererees to HR 3355, the Ominibus Crime Control Act to insist that states provide for truth in sentencing by requiring that violent felons serve at least 85% of the prison time imposed.

He did vote against the confirmation of Attorney General Ashcroft and against the impeachment of President Clinton, but that's about all we found favorable. What are we missing?