Gaming the vote on Iraq funding

From a NY Times analysis of the latest Bush ad against Senator Splunge:

ACCURACY Mr. Kerry did vote against an $87 billion supplemental financing bill for military and reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. That bill included provisions for new body armor, special pay increases and expanded health care benefits for mobilized National Guardsmen and Reservists. Mr. Kerry, who has criticized the Bush administration for inadequate body armor supplies, said he voted against the appropriation because he did not support the president's military and reconstruction plans. But he supported a failed amendment that would have paid for the supplement by repealing tax cuts for the wealthy. Mr. Kerry has indicated that he might have voted differently had his vote been decisive. The bill passed the Senate 87 to 12. Mr. Kerry's staff said he had voted for numerous bills to raise pay and expand benefits for military families.

Doesn’t the highlighted statement confirm that Kerry was merely playing politics with the critical issue of funding for troops and Iraq’s rebuilding? He’s in high dudgeon now about the war, but back then the troops were just pawns for his political maneuvering.

Update: Chris Lawrence expands on my original thought here, but mis-spells my name. Oh well.