Here’s the story from Politico. The accompanying youtube videos can be found at the bottom. What do you believe is happening, are Republicans holding Democrats accountable or are they simply attacking freshman Congressman?
Peril awaits any first-term lawmaker who ventures to the House floor unprepared for a duel, but Ohio Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy had a particularly rough go of it the other day.
Kilroy took the floor to support an amendment to a popular public-service bill — only to face an ambush from Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.), who hit her hard for her vote on an unrelated American International Group measure.
It wasn’t an accident.
Foxx is part of a team of Republican members that House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) has put together to create embarrassing, YouTube-worthy moments for vulnerable Democratic freshmen.
Cantor’s floor staff has created a photo album to help identify the 42 most vulnerable Democrats. The aides send daily e-mails to the members of the attack team and alert lawmakers when these targeted members are speaking on the floor. They even draft quick scripts to help focus the questioning.
The tactic seems to be working.
Democrats have begun pulling their vulnerable members from the floor as soon as the attacks begin. And even if the targeted Democrat doesn’t take the bait, video of the episode inevitably finds its way to the Web as evidence of either ineptitude or cowardice.
The Foxx-Kilroy smackdown was so rough that Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) tapped Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.), a ferocious debater, to play the part of Foxx during a subsequent exercise with his freshmen on floor procedure.
Team Cantor says it’s just holding Democrats accountable.
“This is about accountability and being the party of honest opposition,” says Cantor spokesman Brad Dayspring. “Members speaking on the floor have an obligation to talk straight with the American people, and if Democrats are going to run this place, they have a responsibility to know what it is they are talking about before they try to pass it.”
The floor can be a scary place for first-term lawmakers in both parties. Voices quiver as they read awkwardly from scripts drafted by their staff. Many are flustered by the rules, particularly those requiring lawmakers to avoid a direct dialogue with colleagues on the other side of the aisle by instead addressing whoever sits in the speaker’s chair.
Nervousness — and a lack of familiarity with the rules — make it tougher for new members to deflect political attacks when they find themselves in the cross hairs.
“The freshmen will all take some time getting their sea legs,” Kilroy told POLITICO last week.
Since January, Republicans have been trying to capitalize on that uncertainty.
The strategy took root during a briefing Cantor organized earlier this year with former Rep. Bob Walker (R-Pa.), whose mastery of floor procedure frustrated Democrats again and again during the GOP’s last stint in the minority.
As it evolved, Cantor and his floor team recruited members, like Foxx, to request time to speak when vulnerable Democrats, like Kilroy, offer amendments or bills. The goal is to put these Democrats on the spot to answer tough political questions on sensitive topics. Under the rules of the House, the targeted members are forced to answer the questions or risk embarrassment in front of C-SPAN viewers and YouTube surfers.
The group of attackers includes members such as Foxx, freshman Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah and talkative Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert — lawmakers who enjoy mixing it up in public.
Of course, these attacks don’t always work out. Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly, a veteran of party politics, quickly turned a Chaffetz challenge against his attacker. The Utah freshman also appeared flustered when Kilroy left the floor recently as he launched another line of questioning about her AIG vote.
Democrats are now hip to the scam and rarely take the bait. A top aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) quickly ushers most junior members out of the chamber whenever Republicans launch an attack — even if the member is controlling debate.
But the guerrilla tactics — which are just about all the Republicans have — are sure to continue as long as Democratic leaders, in a time-honored bid to help junior members look productive, keep encouraging them to offer amendments and bills.
To this point, the Foxx-Kilroy episode remains the textbook attack.
Foxx reserved time to question Kilroy as the Ohio Democrat was trumpeting her amendment to a recently approved public service bill. Foxx, whose mountain drawl belies her ferociousness as an inquisitor, asked the freshman “why she didn’t serve her constituents” by backing a GOP bill that would grant Treasury the authority to recoup millions in recently paid bonuses to top AIG executives.
The bill was a Republican alternative to legislation offered by Democrats during the AIG bonus scandal, and most freshman Democrats voted against it. But details like those don’t count for much during these made-for-C-SPAN encounters.
The attack caught Kilroy off guard. She stammered as she struggled to regain her rhetorical footing while Foxx kept pressing her into ever-more-awkward responses. Since Foxx controlled the time, she could cut Kilroy off any time she started to gain some momentum. Finally, time expired and Kilroy escaped the interrogation.
But the Columbus paper ran a story on the incident. And the next morning, Democratic leaders gave Kilroy a chance to insulate herself from the attack by offering a resolution to decry the AIG bonuses.
Hoyer backed that up by immediately scheduling a long-planned briefing for freshmen on floor tactics.
The majority leader plans to hold a follow-up briefing for freshmen shortly after members return from the two-week spring recess, a senior leadership aide said. The focus of this next meeting will be on teaching these freshmen to hit back when Republicans put them on the spot — citing Rep. Barney Frank, the sharp-tongued Massachusetts Democrat who regularly embarrasses any lawmaker who questions him on the floor.
“It’s not just getting them off the floor,” the aide said. “It’s teaching them to hammer back.”
Foxx said she’s surprised that her encounter with Kilroy has gotten so much attention.
“As just a country woman from western North Carolina, I’m surprised they’ve paid so much attention to me,” Foxx said.
“I just thought she should be held accountable for her vote,” Foxx said.
Asked if she felt this attack strategy was effective in any way, Kilroy said, “Does rudeness ever work?”
© 2009 Capitol News Company, LLC
There are reasons for all decisions assuming that one gave thought before making the decision. When asked why the decision it should be a simple matter of stating the reasons. If one didn’t give any thought to the decision, then they’re left without an explanation. I would hope that all decisions made in congress were done with forethought, but sadly as the bailouts flow forth, that isn’t always the case!
When it comes to AIG, everyone that voted for the stimulus bill with the provision in it, thanks to Chris Dodd and the administration, that allowed AIG executives to get bonus tax payer money should have to explain why they voted for it (Republican or Democrat)
I bet they would be hard pressed to come up with a good reason. Why, because THEY DIDN’T READ IT! If they had someone, anyone, who read it fully, which is their job, would have noticed it. It’s sad that things like this are snuck into a bill, nobody even reads it, someone hits the panic button, then people scurry to vote for it, then scurry even faster to the nearest microphone, cell phone, journalist, tourist, hot dog vendor, twitter account, to yell about how mad they are AIG execs got bonus money because of an amendment that they ‘reviewed’ and voted for. Very sad…
IF I’m not mistaken the stimulus passed with the following votes for:
House:
Democrats – 244
Republicans – 0
Senate:
Democrats – 58
Republicans – 3
So 302 Democrats and 3 Republicans should all have to answer why they voted for the stimulus bill containing an amendment to secure AIG bonus money.
Absolutely, hello, they should have to answer without coaching or rehearsal. If they were so willing to cast such a hasty vote on such a vast spending bill, they should be willing to defend any challenge to that vote.
I say let both sides take the gloves off now. There is much that should be brought to light. If these folks can’t think on their feet, then maybe they’re just not up to their taxpayer-funded jobs.
@hello
The two RINOs from Maine are known to be Democrats in disguise, but Specter should pay for that vote with his career. If the RNC gives that traitor one thin dime for his re-election campaign, then they are still lost. I don’t care if it’s a Democrat who wins the seat….the Republicans must learn their lessons, and those lessons might hurt. Two election cycles of loss are deserved. The time for trying to out-democrat the democrats has to be finished if the Republican party is to regain its position.
The stimulus scares me. Then again, what led up to the stimulus was scary.
When no one is willing to take responsibility–not government and not big business–it’s us who suffer, not them.
I agree Pinko that no one is willing to take responsibility… the SEC for taking a nap for years, Barny Frank for getting Fannie and Freddie to up the percentage of mortgage loans to low income-high risk borrowers, Bush for wanting that percentage raised, Chris Dodd for putting a specific amendment at the request of the Obama Adim to protect the AIG bonus money, or the pure greed of everyone involved.
I think that any public officials who received campaign money from any TARP recipient of bailout money should have their voting record and relationships with those banks looked at very carefully (again, Republican or Democrat).
Something this big doesn’t happen because of 1 mistake, several ‘mistakes’ were made over a very long period of time that caused all of this to happen. This amount of ‘mistakes’ is no mistake!
O.K. so which is it? We are or are not headed for socialism? On one hand the treasurey dept says that they have little or no control over large entities that are NOT a financial institution, i.e., they can’t necessarily force them to do specific things like banks. Having said that, when the administration even talks about nationalizing the banks, you hear hysteria about socialism! He forces the resignation of GM president and the Republicans don’t know what do! Personally, I think the govt should take control, stop wasting our tax payer dollars playing nicey nice while they hand out my money with little or no control as to how its spent by these “too large to fail” entities. Seems like class warfare to me. On one hand you put the screws to the auto industry and yet play dead when it comes to controlling banks and AIG.
Does anyone remember what got us out of the great depression? Most would say WWII. What was WWII, it was a HUGE spending package that created new industry and put people to work.
Gerry Connoly did great! This lie that the energy increase will cost every American family 3,100.00 is totally bogus. Unless of course, you have an immediate family of 100 people. I was listening to CSPAN when this subject was debated.
There seems to be a lot of continuity between the approach of Bush’s economic team and Obama’s economic team. I don’t know if that should give me comfort or give me pause. At a certain point you just have to ask yourself if you trust your leaders. With the Republicans now out of power, they should be working to regain our trust, not trying to spin and lie as Elena pointed out.
Republicans have coasted for a long time making people really angry and afraid. Angry and afraid enough to vote against their own economic interest. That seems to be coming to an end now. But if only 20 percent of the public is still dutifully becoming angry when told to be angry, and afraid when told to be afraid, why do the Republicans keep trying this tactic?
At a certain point, they have to start limiting themselves to saying things that are true. This $3,100 thing is just a lie. They have to know that it doesn’t look good when you lie. So if someone hands you a lie that might well make people angry or afraid, you should NOT run with it. You should NOT say it on C-Span so that it’s on tape. It destroys your credibility and it hurts the trust you’re supposed to be building as a party.
And yeah, Connolly did great.
ShellyB… from you “Republicans have coasted for a long time making people really angry and afraid. Angry and afraid enough to vote against their own economic interest. ”
What do you call: “A failure to act, and act now, will turn crisis into a catastrophe.” — President Obama, Feb. 4.
“What do you call: “A failure to act, and act now, will turn crisis into a catastrophe.” — President Obama, Feb. 4.”
It’s called “a master plan to seize the moment and use the current economic crisis to remake the country in some fundamental ways.”
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/obama/2009/03/16/obama-like-bush-uses-crisis-to-expand-presidential-power.html
My opinion of the guerilla tactics – they’re interesting to those people who are political strategists, political commentators, and comedians. Most of the general public probably find the gotchas rude and boorish. Sure AIG bonuses should have been scrutinized – so should Bush’s war spending. It’s too early for Republicans to screech “big spending” and “the world is coming to an end” when they’re the ones who sank us into this deficit and supported the general relaxation of banking oversight. Deregulation, a push for privatized social security (what a fiasco that would have been), and a useless, misdirected war – those issues remain in the minds of voters. Gotcha youtube videos aren’t enough to win elections – oops, perhaps they helped Jim Webb. Some new ideas, a more moderate approach, and less partisanship might be more the answer.
For all intents and purposes, there IS no real Republican Party anymore. So many of them seem to be so fearful of not being invited to White House happy hours that they have lost all sense of identity and mission. And the Democrats are doing everything possible to bankrupt us.
There is plenty of blame to go all around on both sides of the aisle, and also with the current commander-in-chief, who fought for loans for unqualified low-income borrowers during his “community organizer” days, and who sat in the Senate believing, like a good Democrat, that everything was just A-OK with Fannie and Freddy, just as Barney Frank told him.
Elena, you said “This lie that the energy increase will cost every American family 3,100.00 is totally bogus” and I can somewhat agree. But what company would keep manufacturing in the country if their energy expense is going to go up 40%.
Just look at energy alone, 50% of our electricity comes from coal burning plants (which by the way – coal – we produce 90% of domestically). Honestly, what do you think is going to happen when those electric companies, who get their power from coal burning plants, have to bid on a limited number of Co2 credits?
Who does that extra expense get passed on to? The consumer, power companies are still somewhat ‘regulated’ as far as what kind of profit they can make no matter what anyone tells you. That expense is going to be passed directly to the consumer thus directly affecting manufacturing in general and lower income families the most. Look it up if you don’t believe me…
I just googled “$3,100 Cantor talking point script for idiot Congress members” and came up with countless pages that disprove it. Here is the top one:
http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/03/31/3100-lie/
We all know Cantor is all about political sniping, zero about leadership, and zero percent about representing the people of Virginia. But I can’t believe these mindless drones are out there reading his script without doing any fact checking. Like I said above, just because a lie makes people mad at your opponent, it doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to lie.
ShellyB, have you taken a look at the facts about coal burning plants and what it would cost if they were forced to bid on C02 credits? Seriously… While I don’t think Cantor’s figures are accurate take a look at it instead of focusing only on Cantor’s numbers. The actual numbers would open your eyes instead of just glazing them over with the other rhetoric of ‘his figures don’t add up’. Energy will without a doubt go up and up dramatically (depending on a number of variables, location, provider, infrastructure…), for everyone.
What a nasty bitch that ‘Gentlewoman’ Foxx is. Rude! She is also a bully. I hope Republicans are not proud of that kind of behavior. Gentleman Broun is not a bit better. Gerry Connolly was probably a lot better prepared to deal with Jackasses than that lady was. Look who he has had to practice one.
I would rather have the open, gloves-off approach than the underhanded destruction of character that the Democrats have engaged in over the past few years. For example, look what has happened to Ted Stevens–career over, and now that he’s safely out of office, Eric Holder denies that any of the withheld evidence was politically motivated–just “oops, our bad, Mr. Stevens, but thanks for yet another Democratic seat.” And the media is complicit in the continued assault on Sarah Palin, in an effort to completely destroy her–anyone watch the interview this morning with her ex-boyfriend? What a hit piece.
I say bring it on, uncover these hypocrites for what they are. If they can’t come up with answers on the spot, then they have something to hide.
Hello,
Have you pondered the impact of global warming? The reality is that if we can build a nuclear bomb in ten years, we can sure as hell figure out a better energy policy created from renewables and new technology!
Emma,
What the do democrats have to do with Ted Stevens? Stevens was prosecuted under a Bush administration! I agree, as much as I did not like Ted Stevens and his childish tantrums over his bridge to nowhere, he deserved to be treated fairly.
I can’t figure out Ted Stevens in this conversation either. I am also not sure where Sarah Palin’s daughter’s boyfriend fits in either.
I will say that family is probably better off with that little POS gone. That was obvious during the election. Too bad they had to tolerate him during that time for the sake of politics. I was sure hoping that the daughter would show that POS the door as soon as she could.
On the other hand, what else is the media going to talk to him about, Emma? Do you really see him being able to discuss anything above his waist? He just didn’t strike me as an ‘above the waist’ kinda guy. The daughter came to her senses and gave him the boot, it appears. I am glad the family is enlightened enough to support the daughter as a single mother rather than forcing a marriage to a total slob.
Elena, federal prosecutors had until February 9, 2009, to turn over 33 documents to Stevens’ defense team, and refused to do so. Yes, the case was brought under the Bush administration, but federal prosecutors under Obama deliberately withheld evidence, and in a hearing could give no compelling reason for doing so.
Elena, a federal judge has dismissed the corruption conviction against Senator Stevens. I had not seen the news this am. Who knows. I don’t have a dog in this fight.
That they are focusing on him at all, Moon-howler, has “hit piece” written all over it. Who cares anymore, if only to keep anti-Palin sentiment alive in an effort to destroy her future chances?
I don’t care at all about Sarah Palin or the moron who impregnated her daughter. But I submit that keeping these dumb@ss stories alive is no different a tactic than the Republican “gotcha” tactics.
Emma, are you saying you support the bullying tactics shown here on these videos? Just checking.
And Stevens would like a new election, now that his charges have been dismissed. What are the odds that will be allowed to happen? He may not be “innocent,” but he is no guiltier than the rest of the criminals who warm seats on Capitol Hill.
Moon-howler, I’m saying that they are no different than the underhanded character assassination attempts by Democrats and their complicit media–“America’s sweetheart” Katie Couric and the fawning WashPost come to mind.
Equally corrupt on both sides, but at least the Republicans are bringing their stupidity–and the dissembling of the Democrats–out into the light of day.
“the rules, particularly those requiring lawmakers to avoid a direct dialogue with colleagues on the other side of the aisle by instead addressing whoever sits in the speaker’s chair.”
Well how the heck are they supposed to have bi-partisan agreements if they aren’t allowed to talk to each other?
What a stupid, self-defeating, power-mongering system.
Elena, yes, I have pondered the affects of global warming and I do think that there are several options out there to improve our energy policy. However, Obama’s plan is dead wrong and I seriously doubt that it will pass. It’s just flat out the wrong way to go, not everyone can afford the significant rise in energy costs that cap and trade would result in. Not to mentions all of the companies, plants and manufacturing jobs which will quickly be moved out of the U.S. to places with lower energy costs.
By the way, do you know what Obama plans on doing with all of the money generated from cap and trade? It’s going to fund his other policies, when it should go directly back into funding green and new energy technologies.
Emma,
President Obama did not even take office until January 20. When was Holder confirmed? February 2nd. It is simply unfair and ureasonable to hold the Obama administration accountable for the Stevens fiasco. @Emma
Part of the problem is you guys are discussing things as if they are facts and they are just propaganda. The cap and trade “cost” discussed in this video is fiction designed for political purposes, and it was the BUSH justice department who took Ted Stevens to trial, and then botched that trial. It seems to me that Republicans and Democrats can’t even talk to each other because they each have a separate reality. What’s the use in arguing?
Oh, and Sarah Palin is keeping herself in the news. She issues a press release as often as possible about any subject from North Korean missile launches to her daughters’ ex-boyfriend going on Tyra Banks. How can you blame Democrats for Sarah Palin’s press releases getting out into the press?
You think Democrats “leaked” Sarah Palin’s press releases????
JustinT, if the “cost” of cap and trade is all fiction then please explain or show a study to me on how the cost per kilowatt hour will not dramatically go up when a power company HAS to pay millions more to produce that kilowatt hour? Who in the world do you think is going to be burdened with that additional cost?
Okay, so it’s a supposition you have based on a fiction created by House Republicans who found some college institute study, then multiplied the finding by 100 and ran out to the right wing media corp with this 3,100 figure. Although the media effort was a fiction, it has given you a supposition, and on this you base your opinion? Why?
If you read my earlier posts you would have noticed that I don’t think the $3,100 figure is accurate. JustinT, what I have said isn’t based on what anyone has told me, media or Republicans or otherwise. It’s fact, you still haven’t answered my question as to who do you think will be burdened with the additional costs of producing energy due to cap and trade? Why no response?
Justin,
You have encapsulated how I feel, it’s like there are two realities, and have been for many years.@JustinT
Elena, since you feel the same way as JustinT do you know who will have to pay the additional energy costs of cap and trade?
Hello,
If the Republicans had been honest about the results of their little “research” field trip, we wouldn’t be talking about this at all. That’s my problem.
If they’d come back and said, “We found a study that estimates a cost of $31” no one would have listened. So they multiplied by 100 knowing that, sure, someone would probably uncover the lie, but by then the propaganda would have been catapulted through Fox News and Right Wing Radio to the point where it’s just as good as if it was true.
Based on my values, $31 over the course of a year is not a lot to pay to modernize our national energy policy and our protect our environment. Maybe you have different values. But all this sounds to me like partisan politics 101, where you latch on to any “factoid,” whether true or false, and try to score political points, and you lose track of how you really feel in the process.
I guess Eric Cantor thinks his integrity is worth sacrificing to try to give his party an “issue.” But that doesn’t have to be the way the rest of us conduct ourselves. We do have a choice in the matter. I think that’s why we are voting out the Republicans. We’re just sick of the B.S.
Good for you JustinT, $31 isn’t much for you but for millions of other people who can’t even pay their electricity bill now it is a problem. Also, do you really think that manufacturing (what little there is these days) will stay in the U.S. with higher energy costs?
I love it when people rush to cheer a tax break to 97% of Americans (breaks down to $13 a pay check on average) but then don’t see any issues with paying additional energy cost due to a back-door tax hike.
How did you feel when the price of fuel doubled in the wake of our disastrous occupation of Iraq? That was a nice back-door tax. Two oil men in the white house for 8 years made oil the most profitable business in history. Did you enjoy paying $4 at the pump to subsidize Exxon and Haliburton?
My point is you could break down the ways in which we pay to have a functioning government a thousand million ways. We need to have a functioning government, and ideally it should make our lives better not worse. That should be your focus, rather than which Eric Cantor propaganda ploy is best going to undermine the Obama administration.
you still haven’t answered my question about manufacturing in the U.S. and what affect cap and trade will have on it… Sure, you may pay a higher price that YOU can afford (lots of people can’t). But try looking at a large plant with hundreds of workers manufacturing a product. Do you honestly think that the plant owner will keep his operation in U.S. once they have to pay a significant amount more in higher energy costs? Also, do you think that those additional energy costs will attract new companies to the U.S.?
If we do cap and trade the only way to do it is if everyone else gets on board. And don’t kid yourself, not many countries like the idea. There are other ways to go about it, cap and trade is not the solution, it will only cause an undesired ripple effect to an already struggling economy.
As if gas isn’t going to get back up to $4/gallon in the near future. Give us a break..
Hello, loss of manufacturing jobs during the past 8 years has been a big concern and your point is well taken. I suggest you talk to Eric Cantor and talk him into using your theories instead of lying by a factor of 100. We have a number of problems keeping manufactures in the U.S. For 8 years we were giving corporations tax breaks to locate in other countries, and more tax breaks to ship jobs overseas, and more tax breaks to pretend to operate from a P.O. boxes in the Caribbean. But if we stop offering all these tax breaks, will they abandon the U.S. and build their factories in other countries that provide tax incentives and cheap labor? I don’t really know the answer.
Hopefully our policy makers are dealing with real information, and saving the Eric Cantor propaganda lies for the average citizen (or anyone who will listen).
I can’t just blow off Sarah Palin’s daughter as a human being. I felt the kid was dragged out before the entire world. She actually is to be admired.
As for Stevens, I could care less about him. If there wasn’t some guilt, he wouldn’t be where he is now.
As for what’s going on in congress….Typical bullying. I wouldn’t care if Democrats or Republicans were doing it. It needs to stop. I don’t know anything about either woman and didn’t read the lead in first. I wanted to punch the foxx bitch in the face.
Stevens probably is a crook, but no doubt the prosectors overstepped their bounds on that one, and it’s totally their fault the case is getting tossed out. That said, there’s probably a lot of other senators and congressmen just as guilty as he probably is, on both sides of the aisle.
I also admire Palin’s daughter. I liked the boyfriend too. They did a great job considering what was thrust upon them. I also like the way their story is shaping up to help Americans understand that preaching “abstinence” instead of teaching about contraception just ends up with higher teen pregnancy rates, more kids who have their 20’s stolen from them, and more abortions. Did you see when the boyfriend admitted they practiced safe sex “most of the time?” He was just so darling. His honesty and courage. God bless those kids.
No doubt about that summation Gainesville. Murtha is being investigated right now. We’ll see what happens.@Gainesville Resident
You have GOT to see the presentation on MSNBC about this Cantor ploy, showing the two Republicans he brainwashed reading his script. It cuts from one to the other and it’s just word for word from Cantor’s lying script:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#30096585