John McCain, the frontleader for the GOP presidential nomination, made a huge mistake yesterday.  His mistake is compounded by the fact that earlier in the campaign he admitted the economy was not his strong suit.  Then, yesterday, he missed the US Senate’s roll call vote on the economic stimulus package. 

True, his vote would not have made a difference.  The vote failed, 58-41.  This means that McCain was the only senator not in the chamber for the vote.

The question now is who will capitalize on this huge mistake by McCain.  This is the eighth roll call vote McCain has failed to vote on this year.  In a year where his record will be scrutinized, he has not made on senate roll call vote.

Having a record – and he admittedly still has a record – is important to the voters.  Hillary Clinton has called to task Barack Obama over missed votes while an Illinois state senator.

So, who will capitalize on this McCain mistake? 

Will the democrats keep it in their pocket until the general?  And then, when the economy is in a full blown recession point out that the GOP nominee – if it is indeed McCain – didn’t care to take a stand on a bill that would have helped millions of Americans?

Or, will this gaff not wait that long to become real news?  Will McCain’s challengers for the GOP nomination point out that he not only admits the economy is not his strong suit?  Will one of them – Mitt Romney who admits a good economic background through private business experience or Mike Huckabee who ran a state government for ten plus year or Ron Paul who has his own ideas on how to put our economy right, then, point out he didn’t vote aye or nay on this bill?  Will this non-vote be the downfall of the GOP frontrunner?