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McConnell's Office Questions Shelby Story, Then Kicks 'Hold' Questions Back To Him
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
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Given all the accusations of Senate Republican obstructionism, we checked in with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell about Sen. Richard Shelby's blanket holds on President Obama's nominees.
A McConnell spokesman at first questioned the legitimacy of the Shelby story, asking if the Alabama senator had confirmed the holds.
When told about Shelby's statement detailing why he's holding the nominees, the spokesman then declined to comment.
"Sen. Shelby's office will comment on his holds," the spokesman said.
The White House is not amused.
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Walter Mitty
February 5, 2010 11:35 AM
The White House need to HAMMER on this. This is the perfect opportunity to show how broken the Senate is. How craven the GOP is. Shelby is having a temper tantrum over earmarks, over his pork projects.
And this is the guy Dodd is bending over backwards for to water down financial reforms legislation? how can you trust this guys motives?
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felix
February 5, 2010 11:57 AM in reply to Walter Mitty
Well, but that wouldn't be very bipartisan, now would it?
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KeithL
February 5, 2010 1:54 PM in reply to Walter Mitty
While I agree with everything you said, I would add a HUGE caveat. It's FAR past time for Weak Reid to just ignore all of the Republican holds. I don't know of a damned one that has any merit, other than obstruction.
For those who think he's impotent (well, you got me there) to Moveon over Republics objections, remember that Weak Reid had no hesitation to roll right over Chris Dodd's attempted hold on FISA. There have been several other progressive Dems who tried to put a hold on one thing or another. Weak Reid essentially, shat on their office rug and told them to behave.
It's long past time for Obama to use his "pulpit" and hammer these Republican asses. It's also time for the Senate to get on with the people's business and tell the petulant Shelby and all his ilk, to pound sand! Like "bipartisanship", as one Republican wag once described it, COMITY is akin to date rape. Only when Republicans do it, it's with their sisters.
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CityGuy
February 5, 2010 12:41 PM
Well, let's see if anyone in the MSM picks up on Shelby's extortion. And no, I'm not holding my breath!
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lapdogs
February 5, 2010 1:23 PM in reply to CityGuy
President Obama needs to hold a Press Conference with THE PRESS / TV Correspondents and make an opening statement asking the "News" Media why they are not doing MORE COVERAGE of all the BLOCKAGE being done by the Republicans.
Then list all of them off incase the republican press "forgot" about each blockage.
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Max Thrax
February 5, 2010 1:49 PM
We all know what should be done. All of us know it won't be done.
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jana47
February 5, 2010 2:23 PM
That's because the GOP has NO LEADERS they proved that when they ran our economic into the ditch and destroyed the lives of millions of still struggling families
But that has not stopped them from playing the games
EXTORATION, EXTORATION, EXTORATION AND THIS IS CRIMINAL AND SHOULD BE HANDLED AS SUCH!
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Owen
February 6, 2010 9:01 AM
McConnell and their leadership doesn't want to talk about it, so Dems should be focusing on it. Don't let Shelby just let it go, make a real issue out of it and use it to change the sleaziest of the Senate rules, focus on Republican earmarks since 2000, and every time they come back criticizing Dem earmarks respond with "we're the one's changing this broken and corrupt system".
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June 12, 2010 5:25 PM
For those who think he's impotent (well, you got me there) to Moveon over Republics objections, remember that Weak Reid had no hesitation to roll right over Chris Dodd's attempted hold on FISA. There have been several other progressive Dems who tried to put a hold on one thing or another. Weak Reid essentially, shat on their office rug and told them to behave.
m65 kamagra
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