Posted on 04/10/2012 6:36:05 AM PDT by Kevin C
U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., said he will not actively campaign in Arkansas for President Barack Obama during the 2012 general election cycle.
Pryor noted his unwillingness to support the Obama, the titular head of the Democratic Party, during the second edition of the The City Wire show, presented by 5News.
“Not very active,” Pryor said when asked about his level of support for Obama. “As much as I may love all of our presidents, ... I just don’t really get involved in those races. My view is, Democrat, Republican, it doesn’t matter, my view is I’m in Washington to try to work with people.
Continuing, Pryor said it is “totally secondary to me,” if Romney wins the White House or if the Republicans gain control of the Senate. He said his job is to seek solutions to the nation’s problems no matter the source — Democrat or Republican — of the solution.
Later in the interview, Pryor explained: “I’m not there to represent a President. I think that is one thing that I think people in Arkansas understand, but nationally people have forgotten this.” (See below the video of the complete interview with Pryor.)
PIPELINE Pryor also reiterated his objection to Obama’s decision [1] in mid-January to refuse construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.
The Keystone pipeline is a 1,661 mile, 36-inch crude oil pipeline beginning at Hardisty, Alberta (Canada), and extend southeast through Saskatchewan, Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska, according to TransCanada, the company pushing the project. The pipeline would use portions of the Keystone Pipeline now in Nebraska and Kansas, and eventually connect at the key terminal of Cushing, Okla., and then extend to the refinery operations in Texas along the Gulf of Mexico.
Citing environmental concerns, Obama rejected the pipeline plan.
Pryor said during The City Wire show that Keystone is more environmentally friendly than shipping the oil to China.
“With all due respect to the environmentalists, I think they are wrong on this,” Pryor said.
PLANES Pryor also said he believes the U.S. Department of Defense and Air Force are wrong to recommend removing the A-10 mission from the Fort Smith-based 188th Fighter Wing.
Overall, the Air Force proposed reductions of 3,900 active-duty, 5,100 Air National Guard and 900 Air Force Reserve positions.
Broad cuts in U.S. defense spending include the removal of the 20 A-10 Thunderbolt fighter plans from the 188th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith. The loss of the fighter mission is scheduled to be replaced with the unmanned Predator drone. The drones and intelligence specialists needed to analyze drone-driven data would not be based in Fort Smith.
“We’re working on that issue around the clock, behind the scenes,” Pryor said, adding that “It makes no sense” to remove the A-10 mission when looking at the decision from a financial perspective.
Yeah, but I’m sure this guy voted for Obamacare.
Pryor voted for Obamacare. That is reason enough to remove him from office.
As of today, it looks like obama is slipping down a bit from his recent high polling numbers (according to Rasmussen at least).
He’s also tied with Romney today nationally (accordign to Rasmussen, again) and a few points ahead of Santorum (nationally).
Day to day battle here...today, it looks like obama “might” be beatable in the right circumstances. Just yesterday he looked stronger; tomorrow? who knows?
It is going to be a long year....
Pryor needs to go the way of Blanche Lincoln at the very next opportunity.
Forget the polls. The refusal of Dem candidates to be linked or appear with Obama during the campaign will be your best indication of what will happen in November. Nelson of FL avoided Obama when he was in FL a few months ago. Obama will be a drag on the Dem ticket in many places. Dem candidates will try to distance themselves from The One.
Forget the polls. The refusal of Dem candidates to be linked or appear with Obama during the campaign will be your best indication of what will happen in November. Nelson of FL avoided Obama when he was in FL a few months ago. Obama will be a drag on the Dem ticket in many places. Dem candidates will try to distance themselves from The One.
Pryor remembers what happened to Blanch Lincoln in 2010.
Pryor is just trying to save his own sorry hide. Just goes to show you that when the going gets tough, democraps will start eating their own. Won’t work, Mark. Give it up.
Well, it is encouraging in that it shows congress members, at least those from conservative states, do not think supporting Obama will help them.
I assume this guy’s term is up in 2012, but it it’s not, that’s even more significant.
Selfish reason or not, I like it.
Ding! Ding! We have a winner.
No. He’s in the 2014 class.
Recall that Blanche Lincoln tried to distance herself from Obama, too. But it didn’t work.
After November, the weak link in the chain will be vote #60 in the Senate.
The House - no problem. We only need a bare majority.
The Senate - on budget votes, where we only need a bare majority, that shouldn’t be a problem either. If we take the White House, we’re sure to pick up control of the Senate, and probably wind up with something like 55 seats.
On legislation, as will be necessary to reform the tax code and the entitlement programs, we will need 60 votes in the Senate. This means getting a few Democrats. Pryor of Arkansas is signaling he can be one. I am thinking Manchin of West Virginia. But, after that, I don’t know. Maybe Angus King of Maine, a centrist independent, if he is elected. I am thinking 58 is a make or break number for moving real reform through the U.S. Senate during 2013-2014. 58 is kind of at the edge of what I think is possible.
Our best pick-up opportunities appear to be: NE, ND, MT, MO, VA, WI, FL, OH and NM, with HI and CT surprise pick-up opportunities, and MI, MN and PA pick-up disappointments. The only seat, at this point, that we’re likely to lose is ME.
Wonder how many votes this “conservative” dem shared with Bernie Sanders?
Not votes. Vote!
Pryor was in the gang of 14 so it was his cloture vote on judicial nominations that allowed a confirmation vote on Alito and Roberts
Pryor didn't actually vote to confirm but he did vote for cloture.
He is up for reelection in 2014,
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