As you’ll remember, ‘man up’ or ‘put on your man-pants’ were a key theme of the 2010 race, mainly from female candidates endorsed and driven by Sarah Palin. Interestingly, both lost. But let’s recognize the purpose of this speech by Mitch McConnell. It has a utility for McConnell himself and one for the Republicans generally. It has nothing to do with policy or strategy or really anything best expressed in words or text. It’s about defining the result of the 2010 midterm and seeking to make him seem weak and helpless, pity and scorn. This is the Mitch McConnell version of ‘Man Up!’ And remember, McConnell has a lot to prove himself. His own handpicked protege, Trey Grayson, got roughed up and knocked off by Rand Paul. And unlike John Boehner, whose team is coming into the majority, McConnell’s team actually underperformed in the Senate. In fact, the Dems came really close to holding on to 55 seats in the Senate, which would have been a huge humiliation for McConnell. Read More
Republican pollster says Tuesday was bad news for President Obama and … Mitt Romney?
I carved out some time to attend President Obama’s White House press conference yesterday and Mitch McConnell’s Heritage Foundation speech today.
The rhetoric of the two men could hardly have been more different. Set aside the policy divide and their different speaking styles. Forget about who won the election and who lost. Those account for some of the differences, but there was in their rhetoric a reflection of the fundamentally different political approaches not just of these two men, but of the parties they lead.
We mashed the two speeches together into one short reel. Worth taking a look.
John Boehner calls Tuesday’s election: “the most historic election in over 60 or 70 years.”
Let’s see — 1980, 1964, 1966, 1994, 1946, 1948, 2008? They all pale.
I’m hearing from Republican friends on the Hill that Boehner lacks Newt’s manic enthusiasm and is going to be much more considered about how they roll out their changes than in 1994. And that squares with what I know about Boehner. But it would seem, at least for now, that the moment has truly gotten the best of him.
ABC News is reporting that sources close to Nancy Pelosi say that far from resigning from Congress, she’s leaning toward staying in Congress and running the position of Minority Leader.
Though hundreds of thousands of votes remain to be counted, Sen. Patty Murray (D) of Washington has now opened up a substantial lead of almost 50,000 votes, making it all but statistically impossible for Dino Rossi overcome her lead. Since about half of the remaining votes come from King County, where Murray won overwhelmingly, Rossi would need to take roughly 2/3 of the vote in the rest of the state to win. To date, his margin outside of King County is 53%. The Seattle Times has now called the race for Murray. The Associated Press has also called the race for Murray.
This marks the third straight statewide defeat for Rossi, who ran for governor in 2004 and 2008.
Rossi has now conceded.
Mitch McConnell to John King on President Obama: “I’m on (his) speed dial now.”
With the speech today and this, I just realized that McConnell doesn’t realize he’s not Senate Majority leader.
For all the trash-talk and political gamesmanship, there’s more going on here. This guy is burned that John Boehner is in charge in January but he’s not.
Things are getting hot in the counting of ballots in Bridgeport, CT, where the outcome of the Connecticut governor’s race may be decided. One highlight, a bag of as yet undiscovered ballots that turned up Thursday evening. The New Haven Independent is all over the story.
After seeing his party swept out of the House majority, Rep. Chris Van Hollen will not return as chairman of the DCCC, the committee charged with getting Democrats elected to the House.