
[CHS notes: The fabu Cliff Schecter will join us, along with the scintillating TRex, for a very special edition of this week's Book Salon. Do NOT miss it, Sunday at 5 pm ET/2 pm PT.]
If you've done any reading about Mitch McConnell throughout his 22 years as a U.S. Senator, then what happened to the ethics legislation that initially failed to pass the Senate the other day will come as no surprise to you.
That is unless you are catatonic. Or David Broder. Same difference..
I worked against Senator McConnell in 2002 (for a very poor faux-centrist candidate, sadly), and have researched his career since, for two articles on this Orville Redenbacher-resembling, right-wing loon. I co-wrote a longer piece in the Washington Monthly on Senate Minority Leader McConnell's bare-knuckle partisanship and atavistic outlook in Congress, with co-editor Zachary Roth, and penned an additional article on his role in building a DeLay like machine in Kentucky over the past two decades based on corporate cash and Machiavellian maneuvering. We realized he might be even more dangerous in the minority, as roadblocks to reform are his specialty.
Like Mel Gibson with a fifth of Scotch set loose on a Kibbutz, dangerous. It appears we were right.
Here are some key passages that may be of interest to you. From the piece on McConnell in DC:
That someone with McConnell’s political style stands to assume what is arguably the third-most-powerful elected post in the federal government speaks volumes about the state of the contemporary Republican Party—and about Washington in general. McConnell is a staunch conservative and a master of procedure, but no piece of landmark legislation bears his name. Almost the only issue on which he has a national profile is campaign-finance reform, and on that, he’s known as the man who fought it at every turn. Republican strategist Grover Norquist—who once compared bipartisanship to date-rape and played a key role in creating the system that uses corporate money to maintain Republican control—told us that if he could pick the president, McConnell would be among his top three choices. (Jeb Bush would be another, and Norquist was uncharacteristically coy about the third.)
And from the article on McConnell in Kentucky:
Over the last 20 years, he has inserted himself into almost every significant Kentucky political race from governor to, well, student body president, ensuring that almost all major GOP elected officials in the state owe their success in large part to him.
The point is, the ethics legislation that was scuttled the other day by the GOP was classic McConnell, using a poison pill attachment (slightly different from a Ted Haggard attachment) that he doesn't really care a damn about--the line-item veto--to unravel any coalition that may favor reform. He's done it succesfully for years in blocking real campaign finance reform (it allowed him to water down McCain-Feingold even when it was passed).
McConnell operates on one principle. Power. For him. For his cronies. For it's own sake. And as Zach and I pointed out in that main piece in October, Democrats had best prepare themselves for this, or they will see alot of legislation go down to the threats, smears and parliamentary procedures all willfully employed by Senator Addison Mitchell McConnell.
***Cliff Schecter regularly blogs at http://cliffschecter.blogspot.com/
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Jane! Christy! FDL! Fitz!
JANE!
Hi boys and girls, everyone doing all right out there?
With the good news about Jane, we should all be feeling a little bit better!
Great to have you with us, Cliff.
Thanks RBG! It’s my pleasure.
Nice to hilight career scumbags. The more we see, the more we fight.When is this one up for re-election?
McConnell for prez? Why waste time? I prefer David Duke.
Your take on McConnell certainly fits with what I’ve seen of him. Who, on the Democratic side, do you think has the procedural chops to take him on? Reid is no slouch when it comes to the procedures of the Senate, as Bill Frist can attest, and neither is Durbin or Byrd. Who are the others from the progressive side of the aisle to stand up to McConnell?
Colonel Panders.
His anti-Labor Secretary wife Chao is a sweetie, too.
McConnell may be one of the better justifications for senatorial term limits… Maybe 18 years makes sense. How long does it take to build an effective and unaccountable political machine anyway? I gather from Cliff’s entry that McConnell’s the one who forced the Dem’s to agree to consider a rider on a presidential line budget item veto on unrelated legislation as his price for allowing passage of the ethics bill?
In other news, Gore leans vaguely negative on running: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/200.....climate_dc :(
Reid is quite good on procedure as are Durbin and Byrd. I think you nailed possibly the top three. Dodd has proven pretty good in the past, but I think he might be busy with other things right now.
And never forget Teddy. He’s a master.
McConnell should be listed as (R-Tobacco) from what I’ve read. According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, back in 2000 McConnell told GOP Senators that if they voted to kill a tobacco control bill he arrange that “major tobacco manufacturers would defend and reward them by launching a television ad campaign in the fall supporting their actions.”
Blub - I have a link to my articles on McConnell for the Washington Monthly in the entry. If you read them, you will see this is definitely McConnell’s work. Attaching items that peel off support from things he doesn’t like, well, that’s almost his calling card (things he doesn’t like usually being things that stop corporations from giving him money).
Cliff at 12 — Yes, but Teddy learned from Byrd, who may have written mot of it when he was Majority Leader. And, what he didn’t write, he has studied the history of for years and years. The man is a walking encylopedia of Senate procedural maneuvers. (And one of my Senators.)
Thanks so much, Cliff, for doing a piece for us.
So then, are we prepared to say Mitch is an expert at linguistic analysis?
“Everything that we have so far seen to be true of language points to the fact that it is the most significant and colossal work that the human spirit has evolved — nothing short of a finished form of expression for all communicable experience. This form may be endlessly varied by the individual without thereby losing its distinctive contours; and it is constantly reshaping itself as is all art. Language is the most massive and inclusive art we know, a mountainous and anonymous work of unconscious generations.”
All true on McConnell and tobacco. Tobacco, casino interests, auto interests and healthcare. The have been slipping bills in his pocket forever (with the exception of casinos, they are all big in KY).
Welcome, Cliff. Important post and topic!
Main $tream Media-ocrity loves M.McC. Bleech.
Free $peech if ya got the green stuff. Kinda like habeus corpus for gooper voters only.
btw, I went to college with McConnell’s daughter (who is an absolute sweetheart and wonderful human being) and I got to eat several meals with him when he came up on Parents’ Weekend or some other occasion. Got into a huge debate with him one year about the efficacy of the United Nations and how denegrating it wasn’t exactly the best of ideas considering we were ramping up for the first Gulf War and all…and that the UN membership had our backs in that effort. Was kind of fun to watch the man have to admit that I was correct, both factually and tactically. *g* But don’t ever expect something like that on the record — he’s very, very smooth, very poised, and very intent on getting exactly what he wants when he wants it.
My pleasure Christy.
You are correct. I might not have given Byrd his due there. Certainly I should have included him as a “master.” I didn’t know Teddy trained at his knee though, that is interesting.
As for Byrd and history, as a fellow historian type, he knows his stuff. He can go off for hours on Roman Senate procedure, so you can only imagine what he knows about ours.
One last thing, am I screwing something up here - ie why are my comments not numbering?
Cliff- any thoughts about how his wife might be a player in all this?
Ok now I get it, it was just my read/green color blindness getting in the way of the numbers for 12 and 14…oops….:)
McConnell reminds of George Will.
Hey Cliff!!
Love your cable network brawling with the Rethug empty vessels.
What do you think about Ben Chandler taking on McConnell?
In Webster’s (I just looked this up) the entry for “hacktacular” has a picture of McConnell as illustration. Just thought you’d want to know.
Keep up the good fight and never back down because these bastards started the fight. We are now obliged to finish the fight and we sho’ do luv those brass knuckles of yours.
Matthews wonders on “Hardball” if our prez is a dictator.
Cliff Schecter @ 21
They’re looking fine on my end.
One little tech hint: If you want to reply to a specific comment, you can hit “quote this comment” under the item you want to discuss, and that person’s comment will appear in the “Leave a Reply” box at the bottom of the page. Put your cursor at the end of the quoted material (after the “/blockquote” HTML tag), type in your response, and hit “submit comment.” That will make it clear who you are referring to in your answers.
Glad to have you with us!
What?! McConnell acting like a sleazebag? Hold the presses. Oh wait, sorry, just business as usual.
McConnell inaugurated his Senate career with what has been considered the first modern negative media campaign.
He was involved in pushing the case that led to the infamous Supreme Court declaration that “Money equals free speech” opening up our political system to the massive corruption that followed.
On a positive note, he is an unctuous, hypocritical snake in the grass but that’s on his good days. The rest of the time he just does what he can to destroy the country.
Hey Valley Girl - His wife is a huge player. She is the one whose father had the connections to the Chinese gov (her dad was a roomie in college of one of the big honchos) that made him change all his positions from Helmsian anti-Communism to embracing free trade with no restrictions with China, as well as other special corporate deals that sell out our workers as well as theirs.
He has a McConnell center at the U. of Louisville and guess where the kids go for 6 weeks? China of course. Remember how they went after Clinton for raising Chinese money…well guess who raised money from the same folks…McConnell…You can link him in many ways to Chinese interests and this is not being racist here, just factual, the trail runs through his wife.
punaise @ 9
McConnell Rethugsus
Oklahoma kiddo @ 26
Tweety’s always been a bit slow to catch on.
Sally @ 10
Chao and Elizabeth Dole. I’d hate to be stuck in the middle of these two.
Cliff Schecter @ 17
You forgot big coal.
Cliff Schecter @ 29
Cliff- thanks for the response. Sounds like Chao would be worth her own special post here at FDL.
How about McConnell/Lott in ‘08? Or the other way around?
I believe the term Hagel used the other day was “Monarch”
Oklahoma kiddo @ 26
Kevin J @ 25
Thanks for the tech hint peterr. I am a bit slow with these things. Thanks for the tv compliment Kevin. I really enjoy hitting hard on those shows. I don’t know why more of our folks don’t do it. I just think about what they’re doing to this country, and the urge to be nice is suddenly gone. I took some time off from them because my wife and I had a baby (although she gets credit for doing much more of the work). But I should be going back on soon.
As for Chandler, once they got the majority my guess was that he wouldn’t run for governor, and he chose not to, and that he would wait until 2010, when Bunning’s seat, whether he runs or not, will be easy pickings for him.
With that said, with the right candidate, McConnell can be beaten. I think we should make him the George Allen of this cycle.
Is there anyway that McConnell could be defeated in 2008? KY appears to be a mess of corruption and we won an important House seat there. It’d be delicious revenge to defeat the Minority Leader during the 08 election. Is that possible?
let’s say a supreme being grants you the choice of un-electing either McConnell or Lieberman. tough call.
Blub @ 11
Kind regards Blub-a blub blub
I’m sorry I must respectfully disagree about term limits for Senators and pols in general.
The thought of losing our California Senators
is too much..It’s unthinkable. We need the experience and strength of our Demo Senators
to battle this wave of Pub Senators.
I have other thoughts..I did not know Jane was sick and I am so sorry and pray for her quick and full recovery.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 35
You can’t backstab if you are standing in front, although the only two people I know who might be able to are Mitch McConnell and Joseph Lieberman.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 35
I would love that ticket. But McConnell and Lott are legislative operators. Much as Phil Gramm and Dick Lugar found out, certain people aren’t meant to run for president.
How well does McConnell get along with Lott? I’m trying to remember: Wasn’t McConnell part of the group that helped push Lott out of the leadership a couple years back (after his “Strom shoulda won” birthday remarks)?
Joe Conason had a great piece on the 5th about Dems not having any need to play nice. I totally agree with that as I know you do.
I agree that Dem commentators (when they are on which isn’t often) nedd to hit hard and hit often.
It also makes for great teevee.
Stopping by long enough to say “JANE!!!”
I’m working on a some stuff that’s getting close to deadline - Monday morning, so……..
I showed up at Eagle River Community College last night for the first session of a class I teach there in the spring semester (now). The aide who’s supposed to help me lug stuff around until my arm is out of its sling is huge, helpful and resourceful. Only problem is, he’s got his right arm in a sling just like mine, and has to go in for the same rotator cuff op I had in December around the end of January. What a pair we made, moving AV carts and a piano around the halls.
later.
I’d love to see McConnell become Russ’ pet project. Imagine the fine Senator from WI bird dogging every move that Mitch makes.
We need a good name for Mitch. Contest?
Hi Cliff!
Thanks for being here. I too want to thank you for your teevee work, we need more strong voices like yours.
It seems like what’s needed is some sort of unexpected ju jitsu moves against McConnell, something that would throw him off balance, or back him into an unexpected corner.
I’m not good at the martial arts, but it seems there ought to be creative folks out there who can brainstorm.
Initially on reading this I had a sort of fantasy about a flash mob showing up at a public speaking event of his to make a big unexpected splash with the press — folks loudly decrying his obstruction of Congress doing the work of the PEOPLE, not the corporations. But I guess that could backfire…
Nonetheless, seems like he ought to be forced somehow to acknowledge the primacy of the PEOPLE.
Anybody smarter than myself have any ideas?
Jacob M @ 38
Absolutely. He is just not that well liked. His position on Iraq, ie pro-escalation, will make him less popular.
He is never above 53-54% in the polls, and often falls below, in terms of job approval. If we started a concerted effort right now, considering that leaders of parties always become less popular because they seem more divisive (see Daschle, Reid, Frist, etc.), he can definitely be beaten.
Jeebus, Cliffy: You keep turning up like a bad penny. (Like I don’t spend WAAAYY too many hours every day reading blogs–like yours!)
Jacob M @ 38
Kentucky produces a surprising number of progressive candidates. Good as they are, they usually don’t survive in statewide races because of a solid bloc of yahoos.
Jacob M @ 38
I was wondering that myself. Kentucky has a democratic majority in its state House of Representatives, which says to me that it’s possible, but I don’t have a clue about the local KY situation.
Kevin J @ 44
Conason, today at salon.com:
Peterr @ 42
Actually, if I remember correctly, I think McConnell stuck with Lott..I could be mistaken though.
Funny I just did a search for McConnell this week. I guess it was when he started talking about a filibuster. From what I understand, his first love is money. Christy, you know how you hate to ask for money? They say McConnell loves to make calls asking for money. That’s one of the primary sources of his power. His campaign donations to his fellow Republicans have bought loyalty. Well shoot, I didn’t think it was his sparkling personality or bloodless, undertaker looks. The man is as hard and cold as a stone. Might have been torquemada in another life.
mandrake @ 31
It was nice, however, to see Tweety push that GOP creep against the wall, demanding to know what the limits on The Decider actually are — and to hear him ask, “What do we have now, a dictator, a Mussolini?”
So Tweety can recognize fascism when he sees it. Who woulda thunk it?
He seems genuinely terrified of war against Iran.
Ed*ard Teller @ 45
Eeeww, ET. Didn’t know that’s what you had. I had the triple whammy about a year and a half ago, bone spur, calcific tendonitis and once in they found the tear in the cuff. I was stupidly driving in a week, but lots of PT and about a year to really stop feeling the pain. Take care of yourself and DON”T overdo it!
Barbara in DC @ 48
I will take that as a compliment Barbara. Thanks for reading my posts. Like a rash, I’m tough to get rid of…
Peterr @ 42
I suspect Lott has a lot of scores to settle - this could get interestin’
Peterr @ 43
I want to say you are right about this. Seems I recall the same thing. But does politics make for odd bedfellows? ;)
Lott’s pretty unpredictable and, by all indications, has it in for shrub for purely personal-vendetta-inspired reasons. He’s not in McConnell’s bag or anybody elses, and can probably be counted on for one more quick knife thrust into shrub’s back at an extremely inopportune moment for the WH. In them meantime, he’ll play the party line.
Peterr @ 50
The local situation is much like Ohio’s was last cycle. The governor is mired in corruption and one of the most unpopular in the country. He as handpicked by McConnell (Ernie Fletcher, former Congressman).
After many years of trying, we finally knocked Ann Northrup out of the House seat from Louisville (with a progressive no less, John Yarmuth). And we would have taken the state senate back a few years back, if not for a few party switchers (the Repubs have a 2-3 seate advantage).
In other words, progressives, if economically populist, can win there.
Boudica @ 53
It’s all about money. He realized in our system money = power, much like DeLay. It is how he took over the state party and won the loyalty of his fellow Senators. He bought it.
Cliff Schecter @ 61
So might there be a similar illegal trail leading to Mitch that took down the Hammer?
Mc Connell and Elaine Chao…
a marriage made in unholy hell.
Matthews on “Hardball” seems to against attacking Iran. Am I wrong on this?
punaise @ 52
This was also a great piece by Conason. It seems that Obama is going to try the Broderella approach to detoxifying our politics. It will only work in my view if Obama truly understands that the Democratic Party already represents the centrist view and campaigns hard on that.
We don’t need to go to them-they need to come to us. In the House, at least, the frst 42 hours showed that many of them did. That’s a pretty good start. But, of course McConnell will do his level best to subvert the bipartisanship already happening in the House.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 64
no, you are not wrong… Matthews has had a whole headful of mad for awhile now.
RevDeb @ 61
Yes, if people are willing to dig and make the case. I am not sure if it is as obvious as what DeLay did, but McConnell is most certainly pay to play, and has been caught a few times voting for something right after he got a contribution (and there is the tobacco ad controversy referred to earlier, when he promised people tobacco support).
Christy is the lawyer, but if they could get one person to turn, who knows what they would find.
Cliff Schecter @ 61
So, Cliff, why couldn’t Chandler win on ‘08?
Oklahoma kiddo @ 64
I am also against it!
RevDeb @ #56,
Same thing, different order. I tore the tendon last summer mountain climbing. In November, the imaging showed bone spurs, arthritis and other yucky stuff. I’m in far less pain after the op than before.
The driving thing is uncool, though. When I work - 3 X 10 to 14 hr days a week - I have to drive over 100 miles. Yesterday in Anchorage, where they’ve had lotsa snow, somebody pulled out from behind a 5 ft-high berm 30 feet in front of me on an icy road. I reacted so fast, I didn’t realize I was torquing my left arm until it was over. Ouch! My physical therapist had to spend an extra 1/2 hour with me this morning to get me to relax that bump back out of the system.
Meanwhile, back to song writing….
OT. Listening to Chris Matthew’s reporting from earlier today on Libby.. I’m wondering.. could Turdblossem be the “secret witness” who’s supposed to contradict Bigtime?
McConnell has played his hand well. I understand that his first two elections were really tight, but he won overwhelmingly last time out. Yes indeedy, it’s amazing the things money can buy.
More specifically, Chris Matthews (and hopefully the rest of the country) clearly thinks John Fund is an idiot. And why on earth is Sharpton the other pundit?
OldCoastie @ 67
Kevin J @ 67
I think Chandler most defninitely could win in 2008, I just don’t think he’ll run when he is in the majority in the House and knows he can walk into Bunning’s seat in 2010. He won’t want to risk it (he is much like you may remember Al Gore being in 2000–very careful).
My 81 yr old mother, retired from SBA, and 3rd generation Louisvillian could give us so much dirt on this asshat. Of course, it’s just gossip and heresay.
Jus’ sayin’
Oh, before I forget:
Screw a whole busload of Mitch McConnells.
http://www.npr.org/templates/s.....Id=6827981
Boudica @ 71
Absolutely true. He actually had two very close elecitons. One decent win, and then last time the Dem was horrible. I should know, I worked for her.
Looking at Matthews:
This whole Libby defense (too busy with other things) reminds me of the Nixon defense years ago during Watergate (third rate burglary).
Kentucky Woman @ 73
I’ve heard all that gossip and hearsay too. But someone has to step forward.
What gossip? I feel like I’m late to the party. :-(
Cliff Schecter @ 81
What about his jilted ex-wife or one of his 4 daughters?
Ed*ard Teller @ 70
good to hear the surgery is an improvement… they keep looking at one of mine and making surgery sounds. I resist because it is still tolerable at this point, but it a decision I’ll have to make one of these days.
Cliff Schecter @ 68
Up until now he has said they contribute to him because they like the way he votes. Cool as a cucumber, just like the rest of his ilk - up is down, black is white and on and on. But that was then, and this is now, new majority, more investigations, so who really knows?
KY Woman at 82 — One of those daughters is a friend of mine from college. Let’s leave the kids out of the nastiness, shall we?
dharmarific @ 79
There is his wife and daughters, who won’t talk to the press, but supposedly have almost no relationship with him. And then there are the darker rumors, which involve men and in some cases boys.
But in all these cases, let me be clear, I have NO proof.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 83
Sorry about that Christy. Was just trying to answer a question…Won’t discuss again.
Your word is gold, lady. Consider that topic finished. :)
Thanks Cliff and great articles!
By the way, Christy, I had a comment about today’s White House press briefing but I did not wish to intrude on this thread which seems to be perking along.
IIRC back in the day when McConnell ran for County Judge of Jefferson County (chief executive of the county in which Louisville is located), he began life as a reformer. How funny is that?
Ok folks, I will be checking in, but now I gotta go watch Keith. Seriously, I have really enjoyed this. Please, if you can, come around on Sunday for the Book Salon.
And again, I will be checking in for the next hour or so, but gotta get my Olbermann fix…
dharmarific @ 87
My pleasure and thank you for reading them!
Ed*ard Teller @ 71
My sis who lives in Fairbanks tells me the fishing in Alaska is unbelievable. She does a lot of ice fishing, etc. Is this true? I am a very, very avid fisherman type.
Cliff Schecter @ 91
You and almost everyone else here. Threads go quiet at FDL during Keith’s show except during commercials.
It seems to be that most of the information about McConnell, is very controlled. At least when I did my look up, most of the stuff seemed to be official vanilla bio stuff. I confess, I was looking for something more. But even the bio is pretty lean.
Cliff Schecter @ 90
You and a bunch of other folks. I’m just guessing, but I’ll be you could probably track the commercial breaks on KO by watching the web traffic here.
Thanks for coming!
Olbermann in our living room now.
Hugh @ 76
Thanks for that. I was remembering hearing some informed speculation after the election last year that Lott might run against McConnell for Minority Leader. I guess part of him choosing not to might have been to repay an old favor.
I want no compromise with the Bush administration on Iraq. I want out of Iraq. I want funding cut off for the war. I want the Democrats to push the Israeli government to settle with the Palestinians.
kiddo - I’m biting my tongue and letting Pelosi do her magic… I’m watching carefully but choosing to trust that she knows what she’s doing.
Lets see. We, the U.S. can do space military research and testing. But China cannot?
well, when you’re the shrub, that’s the way the world works…
I haven’t had a chance to read all the comments, so I’m sorry if this was asked before, but my question is: does this mean that we will have visable evidence that the Republiscams are more effective “loyal opposition” than we are? Why have Dems been telling us for years how impotent they were, when they could have been using tactics similar to McConnell and