Posted on 03/04/2009 11:55:34 AM PST by presidio9
After a day of uncertainty, Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas said Tuesday he would vote to confirm Gov. Kathleen Sebelius for secretary of health and human services.
“The president won the election and has nominated a Kansan to the Cabinet,” Brownback said in a statement. “Despite our profound policy differences, I will support my fellow Kansan.”
Brownback joined Sen. Pat Roberts, who also made his intentions known Tuesday.
Earlier Tuesday, Brownback had deferred. “He doesn’t plan to say anything either way at this point,” said a spokesman.
Some questioned how Brownback would decide, considering how abortion opponents — who have long seen Sebelius as unacceptable — are a major part of his base.
Brownback’s position had been a concern to the White House. Two sources have told The Kansas City Star that President Barack Obama himself called Brownback last week to gauge his reaction. The president wanted to be sure that Brownback wouldn’t work to derail the nomination, a top Democrat said.
Unlike Roberts, Brownback was not at the White House ceremony Monday and seemed to be wavering.
“He’s between a rock and a hard place,” Kansas State University political scientist Joe Aistrup said before Brownback issued his Tuesday statement.
Ron Thornburgh, the four-term secretary of state running against Brownback next year for the GOP nomination for governor, had ripped Brownback for “backpedaling” from a joint statement issued Saturday with Roberts that said:
“We are hopeful Governor Sebelius will be a voice for Kansas and rural America at the department. We look forward to working with her on issues important to the state…”
Thornburgh called the weekend statement tantamount to an endorsement: “I’m stunned that Sam would endorse her because she’s an individual who goes against everything he has said he believes in
(Excerpt) Read more at kansascity.com ...
Brownback has shown that he cannot be trusted. You support him if you like, not me. He is just another Republican Senator Douche.
And you are just another fool who does not know how to win.
In fact, I wonder if you WANT to win?
You demand that everyone do exactly what you want, or risk your wrath.
Where, in the political world, has any other political movement advanced by eating its own?
Absolutely correct! Makes me sick!
How many times did we see/hear statements like this from the Dems supporting Bush nominees despite “policy” differences???
Or from many republicans - and he won 2 elections!
IIRC, he has spoken at several of the Marches for Life and he continues to have a 100% rating from the National Right to Life.
After he votes for this monster, I sincerely hope he will no longer be welcome at the Marches and the NRTL knocks down his rating.
After he votes for this monster, I sincerely hope he will no longer be welcome at the Marches and the NRTL knocks down his rating.
I'm saddened by this because I thought we had a reliable, principled ally in Sam Brownback. If you can't trust Brownback who can you trust?
Some pro-lifer...
This is why I emailed Chairman Steele a number of times telling him to set up a traditionally Conservative agenda for the GOP and stand by it. No waffling. RINOs need to be REMOVED from office . . . City, County, State, Federal.
The Republican Party MUST have a set of beliefs they will not depart from. Even if their mother or wife is a liberal/DemocRat.
Quit being so “righteously polite.” It’s ‘okay’ to stand firm on principle.
VOTE THE BUMS OUT!!
do you similarly defend the supposed prolife Catholic Doug Kmiec? we aren’t supposed to question his prolife commitment either? he’s on the list of Catholics supporting Sebelius, as well. He has also been so far up Obama’s butt he is coming out of his mouth, hoping for the ambassadorship to the Vatican.
Where, in the political world, has any other political movement advanced by eating its own?
Where/Who has advanced by KILLING INNOCENTS?
Think about that one for a minute.
He poised as holier than thou on the abortion issue during his primary run at POTUS yet he bails the first time local politics entered the ring. Since, IIRC, he isn’t running for re-election he has no excuse to ditch his principals.
Tiller finances political campaigns, all over the country.
It was the radicals on the prolife side, who refused to “play politics” with this issue, who allowed Tiller to become this strong. Kansas law is MUCH weaker than any other state in the Union. Why? Because people like YOU would not compromise!
Now, we have girls coming in from New York and California to get abortions in Kansas!
This issue MUST be fought like EVERY other political issue.
Get what you can, then come back and fight for more.
The “All or Nothing” approach has left us with virtually NOTHING!
And, it is the FAULT of the radicals on the PROLIFE SIDE, that our laws in Kansas are so bad.
Want proof? Right to Life of Kansas and the American Life Lobby OPPOSED Parental Consent laws in Kansas.
Why? Because Parental Consent was supported by Kansans for Life and the National Right to Life Committee, and the Prolife radicals did not want KFL to have a legislative victory.
So, because of the PRIDE of RTLK (much like your pride now) we saw RTLK on the SAME SIDE with George Tiller!
Those who refuse to “play politics”, with the abortion issue, actually made GEORGE TILLER possible!
“The Polling Company found that 3.4% said abortion was the most important issue affecting their vote, and 70% of these said they voted for pro-life candidates. This yielded a 2% advantage for pro-life candidates among these voters.”
http://www.nrlc.org/news/2006/NRL11/Increment.html
Anyone who understands the “prolife increment” understands this issue better than you seem to, at this point.
I was actually being generous. To get up to 20%, you have to ask the question properly.
In the poll I just listed, 36% say that it “affected” their vote. Even in this case, the overwhelming majority don't seem to give a rip!
I think the 36% level is inflated. Some people feel guilty saying that they do not care about abortion.
However, I have seen polls which asked what the 2 most important issues are. In those polls, where several issues are listed, abortion rates about 20%.
Brownback has a 100% prolife voting record, and that record will stand.
The successful prolife groups will not penalize Brownback over this.
You know . . . I do not intend to debate you or continue to defend myself and my beliefs. This (for the time being) is a free country and I am still allowed to an opinion -just as you and the other freepers.
You may be right . . . you may be wrong. I may be right or I may be wrong. If we ALL knew just how to play this political abortion game and win, we would all do it. BUT we have different opinions on just how to get there.
Duncan Hunter!
Total BS. The majority of our nation opposes abortion on demand. I'm sure the numbers are significantly higher in Kansas. Meanwhile, the vast majority opposes Partial Birth Infanitcide, something hike 80% think it should be illegal. Sebelius is one of the strongest champions of PBA.
Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. You don't have to live in a state to campaign for its candidates. Hillary Clinton actually got elected Senator from NY without ever having lived there.
I'm guessing that abortion isn't high on your list of political issues. I guarantee you your in the minority here.
At one time the vast majority of voters in this country were neither pro-slavory or abolitionst. Abortion is this nation's Holocaust, and I for one would rather see eight years of Obama over a Republican who was not consistently pro-life.
Did you realize that Lincoln did NOT free “All of the Slaves” but ONLY those slaves in the Rebel states?
Do you have any clue how many “copperheads” or Northerners with Southern sympathies Lincoln used, to get his agenda accomplished?
Do you realize how many slave owners Lincoln actually worked with, when he had no choice to do otherwise?
You do the best you can, with what you got at the moment.
Play with the hand you are DEALT, do not whine for a better hand all the time.
Brownback is the best shot we've got.
Pride is a deadly sin.
You suffer from pride.
It is not the role of elections to affirm your personal beliefs, it is the purpose of elections to advance policy.
You do not have to like him.
However, YOU are a proabort if you would support Obama or Sebelius over Brownback.
Yes, that is what I said:
Your past statement puts YOU in the proabortion camp!
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