The DeMint-McConnell Feud: A History (very good lengthy article)

nationalreview.com ^ | 12/3/13 | Jonathan Strong

[cotton1706]

As he was ascending to the pinnacle of power in the Senate Republican conference almost exactly seven years ago, Mitch McConnell planted the seeds of a feud that could conceivably end his career this May.

Democrats, capitalizing on the public’s weariness with the Iraq War and outrage at the GOP’s Abramoff-era corruption, had taken control of both houses of Congress. And McConnell had been unanimously elected minority leader.

As they are today, Republicans were searching for a way to reconnect with the public. McConnell, for example, canceled an annual lobbyist-funded retreat at the tony Greenbrier resort in West Virginia in favor of a modest get-together at the Library of Congress.

Advertisement

A young freshman senator had another idea — a war on earmarks. And on an unseasonably warm day in early December of 2006, Senate Republicans elected Jim DeMint the head of the Steering Committee, the GOP’s informal conservative caucus.

DeMint told Congressional Quarterly that McConnell had encouraged him to run for the spot.

[cotton1706]

"A week later, DeMint went to McConnell hat in hand. “Mitch, you kicked my butt,” he said, according to his book. But McConnell’s response enraged him, deepening their rift: “Jim, you can’t change the Senate,” McConnell said.

“Something happens to me when someone says, ‘You can’t,’” DeMint wrote, adding that the lesson from the episode was that “if the people in the Senate wouldn’t change their minds, then I should try to change the people in the Senate.”

[Arm_Bears]

I think the copious application of hemp and/or lead could go a long way toward changing the Senate.

[KC Burke]

Link that might work better:

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/365279/demint-mcconnell-feud-history-jonathan-strong

[BuckeyeTexan]

FUMM!

I hope he gets his @ss handed to him in his primary.

[Paine in the Neck]

I think the copious application of hemp...

I think there's copious use of hemp there right now - but I get what you mean ;^]

[skinkinthegrass]

"A week later, DeMint went to McConnell hat in hand.
“Mitch, you kicked my butt,” he said, according to his book.
But McConnell’s response enraged him, deepening their
rift: “Jim, you can’t change the Senate,” McConnell said. Just keep diggin' that (political) Grave, Mitch

Retire these Jack@$ Gutle$$ Old Party B@$@$D$; don't
show them any respect for their previous actions / deeds.
BOOT ' EM ALL OUT!

Support Matt Bevins, Defeat Sen. *itch "Mumbles" McConnell. *(D.C.-GOP / E)
Support JD Winteregg, Defeat (SotH) Rep. John *HIC! / HIC!* Boehmer. *(D.C.-GOP / E)

Support Linda Vega or Dwayne Stovall, Defeat John Cornyn *(D.C.-GOP / E)
Support Joe Carr, Defeat Lamar Alexander *(D.C.-GOP / E)
Support Lee Bright, Defeat Lindsey Graham *(D.C.-GOP / E)
Support Chris McDaniel, Defeat Thad Cochran *(D.C.-GOP / E)
Support Dr. Milton Wolf, Defeat Pat Roberts *(D.C.-GOP / E)

*District of Criminals-Gutle$$ Old Party / E$tabli$hment

[Arm_Bears]

Nyuck-nyuck-nyuck.

[VRWC For Truth]

The Rat enabler is a goner.

[SharpRightTurn]

Conservatives can expect few victories until McConnell is ousted and replaced with a conservative (not Cornyn or other Establishment fellow traveler).

Everyone should dream of Mike Lee as the new Senate Majority Leader in January 2015.

[Graewoulf]

DeMint for President!

[parisa]

I think Mike Lee is the best of the best.