Unringing The Bell - Talking With Minority Leader McConnell
By California Yankee Posted in Congress — Comments (8) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
Unringing a bell is just one of the analogies Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell used to describe the Democrats' latest Iraq retreat efforts in a conference call with some bloggers yesterday.
In his opening remarks Senator McConnell said the Democrats are looking for a Goldilocks resolution that's hot enough for their antiwar base, but cool enough so they can continue to claim that they support the troops. Their problem is that none of the Democrats' resolutions is "just right." McConnell suggested, I think correctly, that the Democrats "slow bleed" strategy is driven by 2008 Democratic presidential politics.
Senator McConnell stated several times that the only way for the Democrats to end the war is to cut off funds for the war.
Read on...
Asked whether the Democrats' resolutions to "slow bleed" the country's war efforts would wind up in the Supreme Court, the Minority Leader said non binding wouldn't result in litigation.
There was a short discussion about comprehensive immigration reform. Minority Leader McConnell confirmed the issue was being worked on. He said most Republicans are willing to go along with comprehensive reform if there are serious efforts to control the border and there is no amnesty. McConnell believes the recent efforts at the border have resulted in a reduction of illegal immigration, but said the border isn't secure. He also said a guest worker program shouldn't be tied to a path to citizenship. Asked if are any specific redline issues that would stop reform legislation, such as citizenship for guest workers, or social security for illegal aliens, the Senator said he doesn't yet know what would cause a filibuster stopping immigration reform.
There was also a discussion about the possibility of Senator Lieberman switching to the GOP. Regarding the idea that a Lieberman switch wouldn't flip control of the Senate because of the Senate organizing resolution, the Minority Leader made it clear that it was simply a matter of arithmetic. Control of the Senate flows from the numbers. McConnell does not think Lieberman will switch.
Asked whether the Democrats could push socialized medicine through the Senate, Senator McConnell said the American people would not stand for it and there would be a vigorous effort made to defeat it.
John Hawkins, Bruce "McQ" McQuain, and Dan Riehl were also on the conference call and have posted about it.
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Unringing The Bell - Talking With Minority Leader McConnell 8 Comments (0 topical, 8 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
I wonder if we're missing the forest for the trees here.
"I'm kind of old-fashioned. I like to engage my brain before my mouth." Donald Rumsfeld
but for the time being, I'm content with him being our LBJ in the Senate, not the WH. If the unspeakable happens and the Dems win the WH in 08 though, a 2012 run might be right. he'd also be great on the bottom of the ticket.
You guys would be nuts to have McConnell anywhere else than the leader of your party in the Senate. It's an almost impossible job to keep a bunch of ego inflated, home state poll obsessed, and attention seeking Senators on-message and working together. McConnell seems to be very good at it so far. If the Democrats do take the White House in 2008 while keeping both houses, you are really going to need and appreciate the guy, I think.
You have a handful of plausible winners already running. If you get McConnell to resign leadership to make a run for President, who takes over? Lott? Or maybe Cornyn or Kyl? Good luck there.
but I agree 125%. Or more. Very, very well said.
Compared to the job of CatHerding™ (Senate ML), finding a POTUS is a piece of cake.
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Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled, or hanged. — J. Michael Waller
Sadly, he's one of only a few Republicans in either House of Congress who do.
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Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested, exiled, or hanged. — J. Michael Waller
Nice work, CY.