Republicans Make Mitch McConnell Lead, Right When He Least Wants To

yahoo.com ^ | 2/13/14 | Phillip Bump

[cotton1706]

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell did not want to have to vote to advance the debt ceiling bill, not with a primary looming and not with the issue being unpopular with conservatives. But his caucus, it seems, didn't give him any choice.

On Wednesday afternoon, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz threw the latest of his never-ending supply of wrenches into what was expected to be a fairly rote approval of a debt ceiling increase that had already emerged from House Republicans. Cruz's filibuster of the bill meant that some Republicans on the Senate side would have to join the Democratic majority in voting for cloture, allowing the expected party-line approval of the measure to move on to the president. As The Wire reported, few Republican senators were particularly eager to be the ones to take that vote. After all, the party had spent two-and-a-half years intentionally conflating the debt limit with the idea of increased debt spending and insisting that it could force concessions from President Obama any time the limit needed to be lifted. Last October proved that the strategy wouldn't work, but the messaging has not yet caught up to the reality.

[cotton1706]

The headline was so great, I just had to post.

[dfwgator]

Washington Republicans don’t want to lead, they want the perks, with none of the responsibility.

[mongo141]

Good for Senator Cruz, keep up the good work.

[tennmountainman]

Cruz has the GOP RINO’s “you know what” in a vice grip.

[Paine in the Neck]

Mitch is a little uneasy being out in the front lines where people can see what he's up to.

"

[VerySadAmerican]

Basically, what they did, including McCain and Ayotte, was turn around and give the conservatives the finger.

[867V309]

After all, the party had spent two-and-a-half years intentionally conflating the debt limit with the idea of increased debt spending and insisting that it could force concessions from President Obama any time the limit needed to be lifted.

Bammy knew the the GOPe was on his side so there was no reason to concede anything.

[skinkinthegrass]

"leading McConnell to the right"*chuckling/lol*
Isn't that like attempting to putting (minty-tasting)
toothpaste back in the tube? ..*politically speaking*
"ani't gonna happen."

[JohnG45]

Cruz has the GOP RINO’s “you know what” in a vice grip.

Couldn't be. The GOP RINOs never had any "you know whats" to begin with. But, I do understand your point.

[COBOL2Java]

Republicans Make Mitch McConnell Lead...

Good job Ted!

[VerySadAmerican]

After looking at the headline again I must say it wasn’t republicans who forced McConnell to “lead”. It was one conservative named Ted.

[KarlInOhio]

Normally when the Judas goat leads his victims to the slaughter a special gate is opened for him to escape, but this time Cruz tied it shut and McConnell has to go along for the chopping the the primary.

[VRWC For Truth]

Primary the turd-le.

[arthurus]

He is leading, all right, but he is a Democrat leader leading Republicans to do what the Democrat honchos desire.

[houeto]

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz threw the latest of his never-ending supply of wrenches...

I LOVE IT!