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Boehner: How Dare Obama Televise The Health Care Debate After I Demanded He Televise The Health Care Debate! (VIDEO)
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH)
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After slamming the Obama administration for "secret deliberations" and going back on his campaign promise to televise the health care debate, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) criticized the President yesterday for televising the bipartisan health care summit on Feb. 25, asking "is this a political event or is this going to be a real conversation?"
Boehner had been a rather vocal supporter of C-SPAN's request to televise the earlier negotiations, writing to the network in January that "House Republicans strongly endorse your proposal and stand ready to work with you to make it a reality."
Well now, it seems, the idea of televising the health care summit has Boehner a bit squeamish.
Last night, Fox News' Greta Van Susteren asked him what he thinks about the fact that it's going to be televised, and added that "the American people are probably delighted that we're getting this televised."
Boehner responded: "I think that's fine, but you know, is this a political event or is this going to be a real conversation?"
Van Susteren didn't let that slide: "Well, except that we've been hammering them about the transparency. The president said, you know, he was going to put everything on C-SPAN, so we can't criticize him now for when he finally does put it on C-SPAN."
Boehner said "well, that's fine," but he doesn't "want to walk into some set-up."
I don't know who's going to be there. I don't know how big the room's going to be. I don't know -- what the set-up is going to be.
Later on in the interview, he added: "I just want to know what I'm getting into before I get there."
Here's the video. The relevant sections starts at the 4:30 mark.
And more from Boehner's January statement!
C-SPAN's role in fostering government transparency is so significant that on several occasions during the last presidential campaign, then-Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) pledged that health care reform negotiations would be broadcast on C-SPAN so the "American people will know what's going on."Unfortunately, the President, Speaker Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Reid now intend to shut out the American people at the most critical hour by skipping a bipartisan conference committee and hammering out a final health care bill in secret.
He also wrote that "hard-working families won't stand for having the future of their health care decided behind closed doors. These secret deliberations are a breeding ground for more of the kickbacks, shady deals and special-interest provisions that have become business as usual in Washington."
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mcrose68
February 10, 2010 1:55 PM
Well. Duh!
He was for it before he was against it.
But he's been entirely consistant in his opposition to anything that Obama wants to do.
No matter what it might mean for the country, good or bad, Republicans must stand strong against Obama, becuase. . .
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dndobson
February 10, 2010 4:34 PM in reply to mcrose68
Because when he called for televising the debate - it was a political event of his making ... and now he is afraid that televising the debate will be a political event of the President's making.
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AhTrini1
February 10, 2010 5:16 PM in reply to mcrose68
This will be President Obama's Waterloo . . . .
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 5:30 AM in reply to AhTrini1
Right: for We the people to see President Obama yet again shred the Republican "ideas" and flat-out lies -- again wipe the floor with them -- will gain the Republicans sympathy for being "victims".
Wake up, grow up, smarten up: this article is about Boehner, not about President Obama or the wholly off-topic vapid slogans parroted by teenaged trolls.
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ivy22
February 10, 2010 5:21 PM in reply to mcrose68
No matter how much he spray tans, he cannot get as deep a tan as Obama's skin tone. Jealousy is terrible thing. Poor guy!
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 5:34 AM in reply to ivy22
Is that really a fake tan? I demand he produce "his" birth certificate.
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munsell10yr
February 11, 2010 5:16 PM in reply to JNagarya
I heard he's really from Loompaland.
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Matt Jones
February 10, 2010 2:03 PM
Rule #1 of realizing you've become a complete RW toolshed: a Fox News interviewer calls you on your bullshit. That's a pretty bad sign for Boner...
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tduff
February 10, 2010 2:06 PM
Did a Fox News person actually do something right?
http://randomthoughtstd.blogspot.com/
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Mr.E.
February 10, 2010 4:32 PM in reply to tduff
Only inadvertently and indirectly. Ever since Obama allegedly "waged war" with Fox and stated the obvious, that they are the spokesmen for the Republican party, Fox tried to draw an unrecognized line between their "hard news" reporting and their bloviaters, er, opinionaters. How do you tell the difference? Basically, if you recognize their names, they are probably in the supposed second column.
But here's Greta ("isn't Todd handsome") Van Sustern - Who? That puts her in the "news" column - saying:
"the American people are probably delighted that we're getting this televised."
"Well, except that we've been hammering them about the transparency."
That's "we're" and "we've," not "you" or "the Republicans." Taken in context, she's clearly referring to the Republicans, not Fox News. That's a pretty significant tell.
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ohyeathatsright
February 10, 2010 4:49 PM in reply to Mr.E.
I think 'we' in that context actually meant Fox News.
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expat46
February 10, 2010 5:04 PM in reply to ohyeathatsright
Fox News = Republicans. 'We' covers both.
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ohyeathatsright
February 10, 2010 5:09 PM in reply to expat46
I guess I feel like Fox News is a little puppy and I'm trying to give them a small treat (one iota of credibility for that statement) for not pissing all over the rug.
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slb
February 10, 2010 11:34 PM in reply to Mr.E.
Yup, I noticed that, too.
But I do think that Van Susteren's show falls within the time designated as "non-news" by Fox. And she's hardly an unknown. Greta Van Susteren was a familiar face to me from CNN (where she was a legal commentator, and oddly enough tended to take the more liberal side of a discussion) long before I had ever heard of Sean Hannity or Glenn Beck.
Then she had a face lift and went over to Fox News, and either they removed some of her brain while doing the face lift, or Fox News implanted a microchip in it.
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lousgirl84
February 11, 2010 8:38 AM in reply to slb
Yup. I remember that too. Co-sign
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DuaneW
February 11, 2010 3:14 PM in reply to slb
"Then she had a face lift and went over to Fox News, and either they removed some of her brain while doing the face lift, or Fox News implanted a microchip in it"
It's called a Big Fat Payment. Some people's "principles" can be bought off for the right price.
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 5:46 AM in reply to Mr.E.
bloviaters, er, opinionaters. How do you tell the difference?
_____
Here's how to tell the differnce:
An opinion has a chance of being true.
A lie is not an opinion because a lie cannot be true.
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 5:43 AM in reply to tduff
That's the truthy part of "fair and balanced". First they start an ugly rumor or smear, then they ask an honest question about its truthiness, which is opportunity to repeat the ugly rumor or smear. And after the rumor or smear is planted yet again in the minds of the attention span-challenged viewer.
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 5:57 AM in reply to JNagarya
. . . they move on to another instance of the same routine.
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Friction
February 10, 2010 2:17 PM
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH listening to this liar talk is enough to make my ears bleed and gut hurt
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big jonny
February 10, 2010 2:22 PM
This is the best study-break-while-eating-lunch reading one could ask for. Boehner wants transparency? Fine, come on over and we'll put it on t.v. Wait, you'll put it on t.v.? How 'bout we just start over from square one and through the entire last year of deliberation out the window? And, how big is the room? Who is going to be there? What are we going to talk about?
Because I don't want it to be a political event. Unless, of course, it is my own political event.
They guy is a hack, through and through. Nothing of substance. Ever. Just deny, attack, denigrate, oppose. He has not alternative plan, no alternative anything. He offers only a stop sign, not a road map.
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ericf
February 10, 2010 2:23 PM
Boehner just admitted why the real nitty-gritty of cutting deals has to be done away from the cameras. Obama's mistake was promising public negotiations, not deciding against them. No one feels free to talk with a camera on them unless they're fools.
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de TOQUEville
February 10, 2010 2:27 PM in reply to ericf
Nice.
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Rick Jones
February 10, 2010 2:45 PM in reply to ericf
Or unless they are telling the truth, have consistently been telling the truth, and want people to know the truth.
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Rick Jones
February 10, 2010 2:58 PM in reply to Rick Jones
Or unless the are lying, have consistently been lying, and want people to believe the lies.
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PASC
February 10, 2010 8:25 PM in reply to ericf
Or unless they really know their shit.
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Rick
February 10, 2010 8:50 PM in reply to ericf
Yeah, keeping the public informed is such a naive concept!
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 6:02 AM in reply to ericf
You mean it's about Republicans not being able to make "back room deals"? They'd better get used to that, becasue REPUBLICAN Scott Brown said he's going to Washington to put a stop to the "back room deals".
He'll of course begin with those closest to him: the Republican.
Now, about Senator Shelby (R-Welfare State Alabama) who on TeeVee is one of the loudest and most constant opponents of "pork" and "earmarks" . . .
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de TOQUEville
February 10, 2010 2:24 PM
'Van Susteren didn't let that slide: "Well, except that we've been hammering them about the transparency." '
If Greta is supposed to be pointing out Boehner's hypocrisy here, wouldn't it have made more sense to phrase it as, "except that YOU'VE been hammering them..."??
The mask slips. What a shill.
Between his glowing orange skin and her crypt-keeper face lift, I don't know what the f--- I'm looking at here.
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de TOQUEville
February 10, 2010 2:29 PM in reply to de TOQUEville
Yeah yeah, I know she's supposed to be on the 'opinion' side of the famous FOX news-vs.-opinion divide, but jeez, can she turn down the blatant shillery a little? It's embarrassing. Almost at Chris Wallace levels.
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zonk
February 10, 2010 3:02 PM in reply to de TOQUEville
Heh.
Don't you just hate it when everyone didn't get the latest and greatest copy of the talking points?
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 6:08 AM in reply to de TOQUEville
She coulda said "both Republicans and FOX" . . . or more accurately, "both of us -- Republicans and FOX".
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ohyeathatsright
February 10, 2010 2:24 PM
I'm sure it sucks when all your party has to offer in a discussion is tired, discredited talking points. Americans will tune in and expect to hear something substantial. We'll see what the echo chambers do after the fact.
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AndrewT
February 10, 2010 3:00 PM in reply to ohyeathatsright
The echo chamber will spin it and edit it into whatever they want, confident that most of their listeners are too partisan and intellectually lazy to watch it for themselves. "We report, we decide"
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 6:09 AM in reply to AndrewT
"We confabulate, you swallow".
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conniptionfit
February 11, 2010 10:09 AM in reply to JNagarya
LOL
And here I thought "confabulate" was spelled "ejaculate"!
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Marinus van der Lubbe
February 10, 2010 2:28 PM
He doesnt want to walk into another verbal buzzsaw where they look like middleschooolers with attitudes. Boehner is a poor spokesman...some carnival somewhere is missing him.
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Bill Bowman
February 10, 2010 2:29 PM
"Later on in the interview, he added: 'I just want to know what I'm getting into before I get there.' "
Of course he does. After he and his colleagues got their asses handed to them in that televised to-and-fro with the President, he wants to make sure it doesn't happen again.
I guess you can't blame a coward for acting like a coward.
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Rick Jones
February 10, 2010 2:43 PM in reply to Bill Bowman
And that televised to-and-fro was a Republican-organized event. Surely Boner knew what he was getting into then. He just misunderestimated the President.
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slb
February 10, 2010 11:37 PM in reply to Rick Jones
I think they made the mistake of falling for their own propaganda. The Republicans have tried to paint Obama as somebody who cannot think on his feet, and they found out the reality is very different from that.
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Overreach THIS!
February 10, 2010 3:44 PM in reply to Bill Bowman
It's a bit worse for Boehner in this context. He has to discuss the particular aspects of a bill he knows nothing about in an an endeavor he knows nothing about, with one of the brightest and most dedicated people our country has ever produced. It's not like Marsha Blackburn spewing some four-and-a-half-minute snark and pretending that it's a question for the President to answer. He needs to talk about this in detail. His exposure is not only of being a shill for insurance companies and a dishonest negotiator, but worse of being completely unprepared, incompetent, and a rank idiot. How can he say yes to cameras, when you think of it?
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 6:14 AM in reply to Bill Bowman
He realizes that he and his failure of a party have put themselves between a rock and a hard place.
Or: he already walked into a trap that wouldn't exist if he and his party-of-stupid hadn't provided all the elements from which the trap is constructed.
All President Obama is basically doing is saying, "Look -- your shoelace is untied."
And Boehner's "How dare you!" pseudo-victimized/insulted reaction is to deny that his fly is open.
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dougom
February 10, 2010 2:39 PM
I am not a big fan of how this debate has gone, but right now Obama has got them flip-flopping so often and so hard that it's a miracle they aren't all too dizzy to walk around unaided. If this phenomenal display of blatant, open hypocrisy doesn't sink in with the American people, I don't know what it would take.
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masanf
February 10, 2010 3:06 PM in reply to dougom
Give me a break. Obama promised to put the debate on C-Span and he didn't but it is the Boehner who is hypocritical? The Party of the Cornhusker Kickback, the Louisiana Purchase and the union-only exemption can't label anyone hypocritical. Even David Corn admits this thing is a scam.
And it is fucking hilarious that so many Obamabots still subscribe to the ridiculous "Obama is so fucking brilliant that not accomplishing anything puts them right where he wants them" 3-dimensional chess bullshit.
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hey norm
February 10, 2010 3:43 PM in reply to masanf
First most of the debate has been held in the open, republicans participated, and then chose to vote no. Hundreds of republican sponsored amendments were included.
Second...not accomplish anything? The actions of this administration reversed a precipitous loss of jobs that started in December of 2007. Obama also increased troops twice in Afghanistan after that theater was ignored for 7 years by the previous admin. They have stopped torture. They are moving towards closing gitmo. Passed a credit card customers bill of rights. Increased stem cell research. Cut the hugely wasteful f22 raptor program along with a bunch of other crap that bush couldn't get cut. Appointed the first Hispanic sc justice. Covered 4 million kids wh didn't have insurance.
Did nothing? Interesting definition of nothing.
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FlownOver
February 10, 2010 3:52 PM in reply to masanf
No "3-dimensional chess bullshit" involved here – more like a game of tic-tac-toe played against a turnip.
Boehner either has the guts to show up or he doesn't. Either he has to try to support his positions or he chickens out in public. Whatever he chooses, he's toast – with orange marmalade, apparently.
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tiowally
February 10, 2010 5:06 PM in reply to FlownOver
A turnip? I think if your going to characterize Agent Orange as a root vegetable it would have to be a carrot.
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 6:28 AM in reply to tiowally
I STILL demand to see his "real" birth certificate. Especially if he's going to continue to be a shape-shifting vegetable.
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nova voter
February 10, 2010 4:18 PM in reply to masanf
there you go, sounding panicky again.
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Forrest
February 10, 2010 8:51 PM in reply to masanf
Which is it masanf? Are Obama's radical actions destroying our country and taking away our freedom? Or is he doing absolutely nothing?
Can you Obama haters please get on the same page? Is he a do nothing, or a doing everything to ruin our country?
Alternatively, you could all stop freaking out, chill with the hyperbolic slurs, and give the guy an honest chance to turn his administration around from a frankly mediocre first year. That would be reasonable, though, so that might be asking too much.
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marineB
February 10, 2010 8:57 PM in reply to masanf
First of all, David Corn did not admit any such thing! (I know what you're referencing) Excuse me but you are doing exactly what Boehner and all the other Republicans do, tell absolute untruths (being kind) or turn around facts to suit your agenda.
The reason they are going back and forth on this invitation is they are afraid. They all thought they would get President Obama in front of them and humiliate him. They couldn't believe it when he answered every question (last week) they had with complete knowledge of the subject matter as though each one was the only subject he had to be an expert on. They don't have half the knowledge the President has between all of them. They were flawed. Flabbergasted. Can you explain why Fox News who was originally planning on braodcasting the entire event of the President meeting with the Republicans, suddenly stopped showing it. Well, let's see if anyone can figure this out!
I am so tired of this bull.
What a disgrace! People are dying because they can't afford health insurance and these guys are trying to make political points. Did anyone see the story last night on Keith about the young boy dying because the insurance company says the medication is too exxpensive? I'll say it again, AN ABSOLUTE DISGRACE.
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 6:41 AM in reply to marineB
They were flawed.
_____
flayed.
flay. 1. To strip off the skin or surface of.
Colloquial: To skin alive.
In the exact political context: To strip of lies and bullshit and expose as phonies and hypocrites.
So they demanded that Congress health care debates be put on TeeVee. Some were, but not all could be, so they lie that NONE were, and LIE that the President is repsonsible for the workings of Congress, therefore responsible because not ALL were on TeeVee.
They required that the Republican Caucus be on TeeVee -- but it didn't work out as they expected: they got their asses whipped by the black guy.
Now they are for putting on a public show of being enthusiastically willing to meet with the President at his invitation for the summit -- but terrified that it will be . . . umm . . . er . . . put on TeeVee.
I hope when the summit is held that the President ensures there are plenty of "R"-branded piss-pots to go around, because the last thing I want is for Republpicans to pee on the White House rug/s -- especially while on TeeVee.
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 6:23 AM in reply to masanf
Give me a break. Obama promised to put the debate on C-Span and he didn't
_____
Catch up with reality. At the Republican Caucus retreat to which he was invioted, and which invitation he accepted, Prsident Obama was confronted with that ACCUSATION. In reasponse he pointed to realities of which the DISHONEST ACCUSER was aware when he made the ACCUSATION.
You should have paid attention and you too would have the very same Congress 101 knowledge about how Congress conducts its business:
1. President Obama is not in Congress, therefore has NO SAY over whether anything in that SEPARATE branch is or isn't shown on C-SPAN.
2. Much legislation -- in this instance health insurance reform -- is worked on by more than one committee and or subcommittee AT THE SAME TIME.
3. 2. means that one CANNOT put ALL of those committee and or sub-committee deliberations -- which are occurring SIMULTANEOUSLY -- on TeeVee AT THE SAME TIME.
Is that basic reality too complicated for you chest-thumping knuckle-dragging thumb-suckers to grasp?
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zonk
February 10, 2010 3:05 PM
Dear John -
How about if you just come prepared with actual ideas -- as opposed to simplistic talking points; real numbers -- as opposed to whatever Heritage gives; and objective studies -- as opposed to transcripts of Limbaugh's last show?
Hugs and Kisses,
America
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lapdogs
February 10, 2010 4:35 PM in reply to zonk
Along with knowing what the hell you suggested should be in the Health Care Legislation vs saying It Is Not In There (see Rachel tear him down)
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NotFooledByDistractions
February 10, 2010 3:26 PM
Who on the republican side do you think will be actively involved in the discussion? All I've seen from the right are non-stop bumpersticker slogans and Frank Luntz talking points. Is there anyone on the right that's actually conversant on the bill and it's contents? (This is a serious question, I don't see any one republican that stands out as being informed on the actual contents of the bill.)
I sure hope they stock up on Depends because they're going to need them.
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714Day
February 10, 2010 6:03 PM in reply to NotFooledByDistractions
Don't you recall all of the GOP complaints that the bill is too long to read?
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 6:46 AM in reply to 714Day
Yep.
Along with their complaints that Democrats never read the bills before Democrats vote on them.
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Kuyleh
February 11, 2010 12:09 AM in reply to NotFooledByDistractions
Michelle will be up there going on about how it's Socialism. I fully expect death panels to be mentioned somewhere. Snowe will probably complain that they either A) didn't wait longer for her to make her mind up or B) changed everything before she had time to think about it.
Although, those may happen afterward.
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 6:48 AM in reply to Kuyleh
Who is invited to the summit? Senators only? Representatives? Only the heads of the two houses?
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DP1
February 10, 2010 3:28 PM
How the eff does this guy get elected? He talks out of both sides of his mouth and looks like he spends his entire day in a tanning bed.
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 6:51 AM in reply to DP1
Because there is a faction of fools in his state who demand they be represented by someone who understands them from actual experience of their reality: foolishness.
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georgecs
February 10, 2010 3:33 PM
Democrats need to pound them with this, repeating over and over until they get sick of saying it, "What are they trying to hide?"
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 6:54 AM in reply to georgecs
Or:
"If you've got nothing to hide, then you shouldn't worry about being busted."
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twirling fartknocker
February 10, 2010 3:49 PM
Obama wants to nail them on how much of their plan is already in the latest legislation. That's why progressives are so unhappy with it, it's a total compromise plan already, completely private sector. But repugs can't (honestly) act like it's all alien to them, the bills out there now, so Obama is going to club them over the head with the truth point by point.
I think it's a winning strategy to keep going like this until November. He'll either get them to admit a bit of truth and sign on to Dem legislation or simply expose them as lying hypocrites -- neither of which is on the current campaign roadmap for repugs
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 7:03 AM in reply to twirling fartknocker
They've never had a plan -- unless you mean the blank spaces between lines, sentences, words, and characters. This is the complete "Republican Health Care Insurance Reform Plan".
It's title reads:
"Republican Health Care Insurance Reform Plan".
Side two of that page -- the title page -- is, as proper, in keeping with standard style manual form, blank.
Following that is one page. There is nothing on it other than, centered at top or bottom margin,
"This is Page 2".
Nor have their "ideas" been worth a shit, as the only "reason" for them has been to delay, delay, and delay, or to make them so deranged that when wisely excluded they can whine about their "ideas" not being accepted.
So call their bluff: have them put their "ideas" on the table -- on TeeVee -- then show how the motes from them which aren't anti-majority and out-and-out insane are in the bill. And how the rest of them are a stinking pile of Republicanshit.
Then ask:
"So why do you oppose even your own ideas?"
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ottis
February 10, 2010 4:04 PM
Boehner your pants are on the ground.
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Cal Gal
February 10, 2010 8:42 PM in reply to ottis
and on fire.
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MarinCat
February 10, 2010 4:26 PM
REPUKLICANS: You want transparency?
YOUR CAN'T HANDLE TRANSPARENCY!
I swear, to be a modern repuklican, one must have devolved out the hypocrisy gene.
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Brezzydee
February 10, 2010 4:28 PM
What make me mad is that just about all of the healthcare battle have been on C-Span and the other cable channels. All of the committee info and negotiations. All of the Senate and House floor posturing from the Senators and Congressmen/women. And all the townhalls and teaparty masses. The bills have been online for months and websites for downloads. So anyone who say they don't know what is in these bills are lieing or just did not read the bills. That is Dems and Repubs.
President Obama is in the Whitehouse, not the Senate or Congress. He can't tell them what to do but he can ask. Dem's just need to get off their asses and pass the damn bill. They can tweak and change, or pass amendments to some of it later.They need a win for the American people.
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lapdogs
February 10, 2010 4:31 PM
This clown keeps on giving when it comes to being a HYPOCRITE!!
Time to do a study and find out how many brain cells get burnt to a crisp away once you get into one of those Suntan Beds.
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HusseinTenaX
February 10, 2010 4:35 PM
Well duh.
Look Cheney and Newt Gringrich are out there bashing Obama for having Abdulmutallab Mirandized. I can guarantee you that if Obama hadn't had his warnings read they'd be out there on the Sunday shows bashing Obama for not doing it.
If he announced he was trying all detainees in military tribunals, Cheney would be out there complaining that there had been better results in civil courts in terror trials - which is true.
If he could walk on water they would say he can't swim.
We should all know this by now - this is how the rightwing rolls!
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Duck Stab
February 10, 2010 4:57 PM in reply to HusseinTenaX
Exactamundo. Their entire gameplan is simple; oppose Obama no matter what.
No ideas, no solutions, just say NO!
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jeffgee
February 10, 2010 6:01 PM in reply to Duck Stab
Toddlers rolling on the floor, kicking and screaming the word they just learned, No!
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3star2nr
February 10, 2010 8:16 PM in reply to Duck Stab
sad thing is Obama is listening to that dumb fuck Rahm emanuel and caving to these idiot conservatives. look how swell the health care bill turned out wit conservative help!
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 7:12 AM in reply to 3star2nr
He is NOT caving -- which you'd realize if you didn't use your Obama-bashing as excuse to not pay attention, for not knowing what's going on so you can -- exactly as do all wingnuts -- make up shit and sling it.
Wake up, grow up, and smarten up. Or STFU.
Morning's news: 71 per cent consider Palin unqualified for President.
52 per cent of Republicans think she's unqualified.
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JNagarya
February 12, 2010 6:51 AM in reply to 3star2nr
Addendum --
NY Times
Poll Finds Edge for Obama Over G.O.P. Among the Public
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and MEGAN THEE-BRENAN
Published: February 11, 2010
WASHINGTON — At a time of deepening political disaffection and intensified distress about the economy, President Obama enjoys an edge over Republicans in the battle for public support, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.
While the president is showing signs of vulnerability on his handling of the economy — a majority of respondents say he has yet to offer a clear plan for creating jobs — Americans blame former President George W. Bush, Wall Street and Congress much more than they do Mr. Obama for the nation’s economic problems and the budget deficit, the poll found.
They credit Mr. Obama more than Republicans with making an effort at bipartisanship, and they back the White House’s policies on a variety of disputed issues, including allowing gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military and repealing the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.
_________________________
Washington Post
75% back letting gays serve openly
By Ed O'Keefe and Jennifer Agiesta
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 12, 2010
Three-quarters of Americans say that they support openly gay people serving in the U.S. military, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, a finding that could lend momentum to the Obama administration's effort to dismantle the policy known as "don't ask, don't tell."
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 7:27 AM in reply to HusseinTenaX
And if he swam, they'd demand he must be able to walk on water.
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Overreach THIS!
February 10, 2010 4:37 PM
The following was interesting, irrespective of the present discussion: somewhere I think around the 2 minute mark they're discussing the jobs bill, and Boehner, to my astonishment, is saying it might do some good. My God, I thought. What does this do to the strategy of filibustering absolutely everything till November?
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 7:18 AM in reply to Overreach THIS!
He'll say the opposite tomorrow.
This is how it works:
After being sworn in, Scott Brown was asked about his "cut taxes" views. He said he wasnts a tax cut "across the board" -- then less than a minute later said he's for "targeted" tax cuts.
That should please two constituencies --
1. Those for across the board tax cuts, and against targeted tax cuts; and,
2. Those against across the board tax cuts, and for targeted tax cuts.
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Overreach THIS!
February 11, 2010 6:41 PM in reply to JNagarya
For anyone missing any of the deception here, the exciting-sounding "across the board" means tax breaks to include the very rich to make sure they don't pay their reasonable share. And targeted is, as you say, the exact opposite.
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JNagarya
February 12, 2010 6:26 AM in reply to Overreach THIS!
Yes. (I was being snarky -- almost, even, satirical.)
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Overreach THIS!
February 12, 2010 1:37 PM in reply to JNagarya
Oh, I got it. I just wanted to make sure everybody caught the sophistry inside the claptrap.
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Ohio Republican
February 10, 2010 4:46 PM
How bad is it when Fox can't spin it anymore?
Here's the new GOP plan for full employment within the year ( http://tiny.cc/GOPplan )
Anyone else think its time to de-Bo(eh)ne Ohio?
Don't hate me because I'm Republican
Hate me because I'm Right
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Andreams
February 10, 2010 4:48 PM
Could we please find a lock for his tanning bed?
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Silence
February 10, 2010 4:50 PM
The progressive movement has been exposed for what is truly is....evolutionary communism.
It's time to slink back into the shadows, my subversive friends.
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Duck Stab
February 10, 2010 4:56 PM in reply to Silence
Another parody troll fail. You had a good run here, but now it's just tiresome and lame.
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Silence
February 10, 2010 5:03 PM in reply to Duck Stab
The storm is picking up speed and the 2010 elections are right around the corner.
Whacha gonna do, whacha gonna do when they come for you?
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expat46
February 10, 2010 5:19 PM in reply to Silence
Silence, if you think the Republicans can just say NO from now until November and that will be a winning strategy to take back the House and Senate then your in for a big surprise.
Besides, I thought you teabaggers were supposedly independent minded and not gonna get fooled by the Republicans again.
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Silence
February 10, 2010 8:55 PM in reply to expat46
Only the TEA party knows.
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 7:25 AM in reply to Silence
Yeah, the "TEA party" has a modicum of inteligence:
"Keep the gov't's hands off my Medicare!"
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farnsworth
February 10, 2010 5:47 PM in reply to Silence
Stupid? Yes.
Liar? Yes.
Silence remains consistent.
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 7:23 AM in reply to Silence
When the Republicans come for us? That's fascism you're talking about there.
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 7:21 AM in reply to Silence
Have you anything, like, you know, EVIDENCE for that unfounded solution?
I thought not.
Stop being a hypocrite: STFU.
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Jackster
February 10, 2010 4:59 PM
Boehner said "well, that's fine," but he doesn't "want to walk into some set-up."
God I love that, like a deer in the headlights of a 18 wheeler.
Bring it!
Does he want it to be a real conversation or political theater?
Will all of his distortions of the facts be as easily accepted by wing nuts when "The American People" actually heard what was said.
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Cal Gal
February 10, 2010 8:46 PM in reply to Jackster
Of course they're expert and political theater, and given what the Big O did to them in a "real conversation," I think they'll stick with the former, which has been working for them, and not the latter, which made them look like the posturing know-nothing no-everythings they are.
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JNagarya
February 12, 2010 6:29 AM in reply to Cal Gal
I like that: "know-nothing no-everythings"!
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Jackster
February 10, 2010 5:03 PM
The only real problem with medicare and the rest of the social agenda is that it allowed the inbred trolls to be fed, and we know what happens then, they breed.
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HusseinTenaX
February 10, 2010 5:11 PM
I think I know why Boehner is turning himself orange in the tanning bed - he's so jealous of Obama he can't stand it.
All you have to do is watch his face when Obama is speaking - he just hates him because he's so jealous he could bite himself in frustration.
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CVille Dem
February 10, 2010 5:26 PM in reply to HusseinTenaX
Exactly! He is covering up the green, but it is turning out to be the color of puke!
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Weitberg
February 10, 2010 5:17 PM
Boehner likes to know what he's walking into - things like Eric Cantor's lake house and giant pools of bronze paint.
TheWeekinRebuke.com
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Scott in PacNW
February 10, 2010 5:17 PM
Shrill & whiney. If I was the DNC communication guy, that's how I'd frame it.
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Cy Guy
February 10, 2010 5:30 PM
Headline December 2010:
Congressional Repulicans have finally agreed that the HCR negotiating should be oval and have conceded to Democratic request that it be constructed of sustainably grown bamboo, provided that it is grown in the U S. Site selection for where to plant the bamboo will commence within the next few months with the potential to construct the table by the end of the decade.
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Wa101
February 10, 2010 5:36 PM
Wow, you really don't know when you're played do you? The bill was debated and written behind closed doors, the back room deals where done behind closed doors. Now that the bill is done Obama wants to televise his scolding of the republicans. It's a political stunt.
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Cal Gal
February 10, 2010 8:48 PM in reply to Wa101
So what? Live by the political stunt, die by the political stunt. Whatever it is, I'm for it if it helps make the American people realize that health care reform is GOOD for this country.
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Silence
February 10, 2010 9:08 PM in reply to Cal Gal
The American people have grown quite tired and weary of the games in DC.
At this point, it doesn't matter what these buffoons do. The people have made up their minds. The TEA party, a party that isn't even a party, now has a 75% approval rating. November will yield many, many pink slips.
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 7:50 AM in reply to Silence
Who elected you to speak for "the American people" -- about which you know nothing, which is why your repeat bloviators confabgulations and slogans.
Do the math: it isn't possible for the tea party illiterates to have a 75 per cent approval rating*: 45 per cent admit not knowing anything about them.
_____
*Unless you limit "the American people" to the statistically insignificant total of illiterate morons who admit to being dupes of and members in the phony "tea party" movement.
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 7:36 AM in reply to Wa101
Uh -- "back room deals"?
Tell us about Senator Shelby (R Welfare Queen-AL):
ON TeeVee he's always bawling out "liberal" Democrats about their alleged "pork" and "earmarks" -- while at the same time, in the BACK ROOM, he's making DEALS for PORK and EARMARKS for Welfare State Alabama.
Putting a "hold" of unprecedented scope on the President's nominees -- including those concerning national security, which according to the Republicans are "weak on terror" -- in effort to EXTORT "BACK ROOM DEAL" PORK/EARMARKS for HIS state.
Do yourself a favor, before doing the same for all the rest of us: know the fuck what you're talking about before opening your mouth and advertising your stupidity.
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hoppycalif2
February 10, 2010 5:50 PM
I'm on Beener's side - first we have to settle on whether this will be with a table, what shape table, how many chairs around the table, what the seating arrangement is, what color the table will be, will the chairs be upholstered and, if so, with what, what will the carpet be made of, what color will that carpet be, what style, and, this is just the preliminaries, afterwhich we must decide on the size and shape of the room, and transportation arrangements for which ones of the participants, etc.
So, let's tentatively schedule this for February 25, 2012.
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Duck Stab
February 10, 2010 9:04 PM in reply to hoppycalif2
And refreshments! For gawd's sake, don't forget the drinks and snacks.
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Silence
February 10, 2010 9:28 PM in reply to Duck Stab
Perhaps, Michelle will have $400 lobster appetizer platters flown in from the Waldorf Astoria.
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Nutter
February 10, 2010 10:49 PM in reply to Silence
You....do know that was a spam hate mail, right? Really, people. You guys think they can be in many places at once and do completely contradictory things at the exact same time. Who do you think Obama is? God?
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Silence
February 11, 2010 7:00 AM in reply to Nutter
In politics, perception is truth. Remember? Repeat the lie enough and it becomes the truth?
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 7:42 AM in reply to Silence
In REPUBLICAN politics shallow, vapid APPEARANCE is truth -- to the interminably terminally stupid.
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bogglesthemind
February 11, 2010 5:31 PM in reply to Silence
Dude, Silence Is Golden. You really should practice.
'Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.'
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tiowally
February 10, 2010 9:28 PM in reply to hoppycalif2
My understanding is that he has contracted professional North Korean negotiators to work out the many details.
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JNagarya
February 11, 2010 7:39 AM in reply to hoppycalif2
I get to choose the wallpaper!
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tommyo
February 10, 2010 5:59 PM
"After slamming the Obama administration for "secret deliberations" and going back on his campaign promise to televise the health care debate, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) criticized the President yesterday for televising the bipartisan health care summit.."
The worst part is that Obama and his team of appeasers will STILL pursue a bipartisin bill with these people, selling out their supporters at every turn to obtain..........nothing.
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HusseinTenaX
February 10, 2010 6:40 PM in reply to tommyo
No no no no no - Obama only has to be more bipartisan than the GOP which is to say - not really, and he has scored a huge political point on them.
This is classic Barackarate.
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JNagarya
February 12, 2010 6:36 AM in reply to HusseinTenaX
Dig it --
NY Times
Poll Finds Edge for Obama Over G.O.P. Among the Public
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and MEGAN THEE-BRENAN
Published: February 11, 2010
WASHINGTON — At a time of deepening political disaffection and intensified distress about the economy, President Obama enjoys an edge over Republicans in the battle for public support, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.
While the president is showing signs of vulnerability on his handling of the economy — a majority of respondents say he has yet to offer a clear plan for creating jobs — Americans blame former President George W. Bush, Wall Street and Congress much more than they do Mr. Obama for the nation’s economic problems and the budget deficit, the poll found.
They credit Mr. Obama more than Republicans with making an effort at bipartisanship, and they back the White House’s policies on a variety of disputed issues, including allowing gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military and repealing the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.
_________________________
Washington Post
75% back letting gays serve openly
By Ed O'Keefe and Jennifer Agiesta
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 12, 2010
Three-quarters of Americans say that they support openly gay people serving in the U.S. military, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, a finding that could lend momentum to the Obama administration's effort to dismantle the policy known as "don't ask, don't tell."
_____
Those are the three-quarters we all know will be voting for Palin -- to go the fuck away.
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pakaal
February 10, 2010 7:35 PM
This is all about the fact that Obama just raked a hundred-plus GOP members over the coals, they don't want a repeat of last time. Who can blame 'em?
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Frank
February 10, 2010 8:15 PM
A republican orgy of hipocracy
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slb
February 10, 2010 11:52 PM in reply to Frank
Government by horses?
Oh! You mean like the horse the Emperor Caligula appointed to the Roman Senate?
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Bolshevik in Jesustan
February 10, 2010 9:42 PM
Just another example that they are so hell-bent on stopping anything the "illegitamate n*gger president" wants that they'll torpedo their own initiatives. Their message hasn't changed; they just (as Olbermann put it) turned it up to eleven. In so doing, people are starting to realize the inherent racism and childishness therein contained.
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yntheworld
February 11, 2010 10:58 AM
Look out for Boehner and Cantor. I am old enough to remember the vacuum cleaner sales teams that ripped through the neighborhoods when I was a kid. These flashy guys had very similar sales tactics: barge in, talk fast, pat the kids on the head, know everything, throw dirt on the floor, save the day by cleaning it up, get a signature, close the door, gloat at their cunning and prowress, then go home and tell everyone how dirty her house was.
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ShadowfaxinUT
February 11, 2010 10:43 PM
This is an attempt at advance damage control IMHO. Given the way the President eviscerated the Repubs at their retreat, I think the Carotene Congressman feels a need to cover his orange fanny. He wants to be able to whine that he was "set up" after he makes a fool of himself trying to hold his own with Obama.
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Tosh
March 9, 2010 4:41 PM
fox news is just for republicans
kamagra m65 jacket
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