[Crossposted at my hopefully-to-be-CPAC Blogger-credentialed blog, Athens Runaway.]

Here we go again!

According to a rumor reborn from the ashes, US Senator George Voinovich (R-OH) was reportedly called by the President about the possibility of changing his vote on health care reform.

Astute readers will remember that RedState’s very own Erick Erickson set the blogosphere ablaze with the insinuation that Sen. Voinovich would be meeting with President Obama about the possibility of Voinovich changing his “no” vote on Obamacare to a “yes” vote.  In the words of Erickson—who is not prone to seeing conspiracies and shadows where none exist—”So George Voinovich is going to meet Obama tomrrow. There’s 1 RINO who’d give 2 arms & a testicle to screw conservatives for Kennedy legacy”

That rumor ended up being just that—a rumor—but let’s be perfectly honest here.  If Voinovich wasn’t such a wobbly Republican, we wouldn’t have to worry about this kind of thing every time he meets with the President.  However, Confucius say that “if if’s and but’s were candy and nuts, what a world that’d be.”

So, in our imperfect world—the world where Voinovich did start crying in front of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee over how he feared UN Ambassador John Bolton was going to destroy the world… or something—we as conservatives do have to worry about this kind of thing happened.

Yes, George may be a principled person, and I’m sure he is, but let’s face it: moral fiber only goes so far when you have no spine.

According to CQ Politics, in 2009, Voinovich did Obama’s bidding 78% of time, and only felt like belonging to the Republican Party 58% of time.

In other words, the only Senators more liberal than Voinovich are the Maine Sisters: Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe.  Not exactly a statistic that’s inspiring to people who doubt his sincerity on something.

With all of that out of the way, I don’t believe the rumors.  Why?  Because even though you can tell that Voinovich is a product of the Ohio RINO Party because he’s inconsistent and spineless, ever since he announced that he wasn’t going to be running for re-election, he’s actually (gasp!) gravitated back towards being more of a Republican.  That’s right folks, it used to be worse.

Also, all my tingling Journalism Senses tell me that unnamed sources and third-hand rumors aren’t enough to kick up a sh!tstorm about, especially in serious matters like these.

But then again, what could it hurt if lots of people called his office at (202)-224-3353 and reminded him why he was elected—to stand up for the Republican values of Ohioans, not to batter with psuedosocialists and sell America down the river.

And just think.  In 2011, when Rob Portman wins Voinovich’s seat, we’ll have someone we know is a principled conservative in there, as opposed to someone who we’re assured is just principled.