Talk about not the start the new, even larger House majority wanted-with a GOP Senate now too! President Obama somehow managed to win 'the last 5 weeks' after the 'shellacking of November.
http://diaryofarepublicanhater.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-obama-bounce-why-gop-is-so.html
Now the GOP House can't get out of it's own way with the fracas over Scalise who claims he had no idea that that event he spoke to back in 2002 had anything to do with David Duke or White Supremacy.
http://diaryofarepublicanhater.blogspot.com/2014/12/david-duke-calls-steve-scalise-fine.html
Yet, we now have him boasting of being 'David Duke without the baggage' which sort of undercuts the whole 'Gee, I had no idea' narrative.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wh-repeats-scalise-david-duke-without-the-baggage-claim/article/2558203
I think Scalise has just a little baggage now. While Boehner claims that this is all no big deal and that Scalise can maintain his place as the number 3 ranking Republican in the house, 'the Whip' no problem at all.
Well if today is any indication it can't be encouraging for Boehner and the leadership. The start of their new even bigger House majority is being wholly overshadowed by a story of how their only Jewish Congressman-Eric Cantor-being replaced by Scalise who is the David Duke without the baggage. There are many things you can say about Duke but first among the list is he really doesn't like Jews.
"Scalise’s job as House majority whip remains safe – and Speaker John Boehner has publicly backed him — but he may be too toxic for some Republican circles. Top GOP aides and lawmakers question whether he’ll be able to raise funds, especially on trips to New York or Los Angeles. Senior figures within the party doubt that the corporate chieftains and rich donors who bankroll Republican candidates will give him money to keep campaign coffers filled. Others say it will be difficult for him to persuade lawmakers to support the House Republican agenda."
"Rank-and-file GOP lawmakers, meanwhile, found themselves defending Scalise back home, a potentially fatal flaw for someone who wants to serve in leadership. Many of these lawmakers are faced with blistering editorials from hometown newspapers calling for Scalise to step down. Conservative activists like Mark Levin, Erick Erickson and Sarah Palin have all said he should be booted out of GOP leadership."
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/steve-scalise-republicans-113985.html#ixzz3O10ZijDa
http://diaryofarepublicanhater.blogspot.com/2014/12/the-obama-bounce-why-gop-is-so.html
Now the GOP House can't get out of it's own way with the fracas over Scalise who claims he had no idea that that event he spoke to back in 2002 had anything to do with David Duke or White Supremacy.
http://diaryofarepublicanhater.blogspot.com/2014/12/david-duke-calls-steve-scalise-fine.html
Yet, we now have him boasting of being 'David Duke without the baggage' which sort of undercuts the whole 'Gee, I had no idea' narrative.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wh-repeats-scalise-david-duke-without-the-baggage-claim/article/2558203
I think Scalise has just a little baggage now. While Boehner claims that this is all no big deal and that Scalise can maintain his place as the number 3 ranking Republican in the house, 'the Whip' no problem at all.
Well if today is any indication it can't be encouraging for Boehner and the leadership. The start of their new even bigger House majority is being wholly overshadowed by a story of how their only Jewish Congressman-Eric Cantor-being replaced by Scalise who is the David Duke without the baggage. There are many things you can say about Duke but first among the list is he really doesn't like Jews.
"Scalise’s job as House majority whip remains safe – and Speaker John Boehner has publicly backed him — but he may be too toxic for some Republican circles. Top GOP aides and lawmakers question whether he’ll be able to raise funds, especially on trips to New York or Los Angeles. Senior figures within the party doubt that the corporate chieftains and rich donors who bankroll Republican candidates will give him money to keep campaign coffers filled. Others say it will be difficult for him to persuade lawmakers to support the House Republican agenda."
"Rank-and-file GOP lawmakers, meanwhile, found themselves defending Scalise back home, a potentially fatal flaw for someone who wants to serve in leadership. Many of these lawmakers are faced with blistering editorials from hometown newspapers calling for Scalise to step down. Conservative activists like Mark Levin, Erick Erickson and Sarah Palin have all said he should be booted out of GOP leadership."
“As far as him going up to the Northeast, or going out to Los Angeles or San Francisco or Chicago, he’s damaged,” said a GOP lawmaker who asked not to be named. “This thing is still smoking. Nobody is really fanning the flames yet. … The thing that concerns me is that there are people who are still out there digging on this right now.”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/steve-scalise-republicans-113985.html#ixzz3O10ZijDa
Of course, this gives Dems a great opportunity. The GOP is giving them a weapon and of course they're going to use it.
“If Republicans want to keep a white supremacist sympathizer as a top leader and the person in charge of telling their Members how to vote, they will pay the price,” said Jesse Ferguson, a top aide at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Republican donors won’t want to be seen with him and vulnerable Republican members can’t afford to be associated with his agenda."
You have to seriously wonder how long Boehner can maintain his resolve in keeping Scalise. He doesn't want to drop Scalise at least until he gets reelected as House Speaker as he's expected to as Scalise is something of a sop to the Tea Party.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/why-republicans-are-keeping-steve-scalise
Still, if he stays as Whip you more or less give the Dems an attack line every time a bill is put up for a vote. To have a Whip that embarrasses GOP donors is not exactly the kind of handicap you want to impose on yourself especially as the GOP has a new bigger majority. Yet so they are saying they will. As long as Scalise stays on he will be the gift that keeps on giving for the Democrats. It was great to see the Obama Administration having fun with it today.
"White House spokesman Josh Earnest repeated a claim that Rep. Steve Scalise years ago described himself as “David Duke without the baggage” but said whether he should remain on the House GOP leadership team is up to Republicans."
"At the first press briefing of the year, reporters on Monday asked Earnest whether President Obama believes Scalise should remain in the No. 3 House Republican leadership position after news broke over the holidays that he spoke to a group affiliated with white supremacist David Duke in 2002."
"Earnest said it’s up to Republicans to decide whether Scalise should remain as House majority whip but also stressed that the party needs to determine whether he reflects their values."
“Scalise said he was 'David Duke without the baggage,' so it’s up to the Republican conference to decide” whether he should remain in a leadership position, he said.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/why-republicans-are-keeping-steve-scalise
Still, if he stays as Whip you more or less give the Dems an attack line every time a bill is put up for a vote. To have a Whip that embarrasses GOP donors is not exactly the kind of handicap you want to impose on yourself especially as the GOP has a new bigger majority. Yet so they are saying they will. As long as Scalise stays on he will be the gift that keeps on giving for the Democrats. It was great to see the Obama Administration having fun with it today.
"White House spokesman Josh Earnest repeated a claim that Rep. Steve Scalise years ago described himself as “David Duke without the baggage” but said whether he should remain on the House GOP leadership team is up to Republicans."
"At the first press briefing of the year, reporters on Monday asked Earnest whether President Obama believes Scalise should remain in the No. 3 House Republican leadership position after news broke over the holidays that he spoke to a group affiliated with white supremacist David Duke in 2002."
"Earnest said it’s up to Republicans to decide whether Scalise should remain as House majority whip but also stressed that the party needs to determine whether he reflects their values."
“Scalise said he was 'David Duke without the baggage,' so it’s up to the Republican conference to decide” whether he should remain in a leadership position, he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment