In 2006 - not 2007- which was the first time the Senate voted for an immigration plan, they got somewhere in the area of 70 votes. Even in 2007, when reform got 45 votes, CIR had more; it was just that many senators literally switched their votes in the last second when they realized it was going to be a losing effort and they didn't want to get the stigma for that.

McCain is trying to create a bandwagon effect so that reform is seen as inevitable and countervailing forces don't become effective.