Sen. Richard G. Lugar, R-Ind., leaves office Thursday, bringing to an end a career in public office that includes six terms in the Senate, a stint as mayor of Indianapolis and legislative accords such as the Nunn-Lugar program to draw down the number of nuclear weapons.

But as the veteran packs his bags, his office wants everyone to know that he has a near-perfect voting attendance record and is 10th on the “all-time Senate voting list.”

Lugar “achieved a voting attendance record of 98.27 percent over his 36-year Senate career,” a statement from his office trumpeted. The accompanying fact sheet laid out other milestones in the Hoosier’s career, such as the fact that Lugar will retire “in a three-way tie for 17th most senior senator in the history of the body,” along with Sens. Claiborne Pell, D-R.I., and Pete V. Domenici, R-N.M. Also, in case anyone was wondering, “Lugar was the 1,705th senator sworn into the Senate.”

Helping defuse loose nukes is one thing. But being the 1,705th senator sworn in —that’s riveting.