TPMDC Tom DeLay
Barack Obama
A History Of Republicans Slamming Judges (VIDEO)
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) conducts a news conference along with fellow GOP members on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on November 30, 2011.
If the week of April 2, 2012, goes down in political history, it'll be for the fact that Republicans suddenly rediscovered their reverence for the third branch of government.
What brought about the change of heart? President Obama's comments on Monday and Tuesday in which he opined that an adverse Supreme Court ruling on his health care law would represent an extraordinary act of judicial overreach.
On Tuesday, in an extraordinarily unusual step, three Republican appointees to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals went toe-to-toe with the president in the political sphere. On Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell advised Obama to "back off." The courts' authority is to be respected, regardless of outcome, he said.
This is a rich new twist for the GOP, which has made decades of sport out of attacking an out-of-control judiciary for legislating from the bench. You literally only have to look back to this GOP presidential primary to find examples of Republicans questioning the courts' legitimacy and even threatening to neuter them using powers reserved for the other two branches of government.
Here's a brief digest:
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Barack Obama, HCR/SCOTUS, Health Care, Individual Mandate, Jim DeMint, John Cornyn, John McCain, Michele Bachmann, Mitch McConnell, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Supreme Court, Tom DeLay
Hurricane Irene
Why Republicans Might Demand Hurricane Relief Be Paid For With More Program Cuts
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA)
When a massive tornado obliterated the town of Joplin, Missouri earlier this year, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) told reporters that if the disaster ultimately required the government to step in and provide aid, it would have to be offset by cutting spending on other federal programs.
"If there is support for a supplemental, it would be accompanied by support for having pay-fors to that supplemental," he said, using the anodyne language of budget policy.
Three months later, when a modest earthquake struck the town of Mineral, Virginia in his own district, and caused minor, but widespread damage along the eastern seaboard, Cantor upheld the standard. Congress, he said, "will find the monies" to help victims, but that "those monies will be offset with appropriate savings or cost-cutting elsewhere."
Now, in the wake of Hurricane Irene -- a much costlier natural disaster -- Cantor may make the same demand, which could touch off a bitter fight on Capitol Hill.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Earthquake, Eric Cantor, Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Katrina, Republicans, Tom DeLay
Texas
FLASHBACK: Texas Dems Fled State In 2003 To Block GOP Re-Redistricting Plan
Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX)
As you've probably heard, Wisconsin state Democratic senators are playing hooky to create legislative gridlock and block governor Scott Walker's attempt to roll back public worker rights.
Republican Senate majority leader Scott Fitzgerald countered by dispatching the Sergeant at Arms and the state police to round up Democrats-on-the-lam and herd them back to the Capitol.
Except they're nowhere to be found -- and many of them have reportedly crossed state lines, leaving Fitzgerald powerless.
If you feel like you've seen this all before, it's because you have.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Republicans, Scott Walker, Texas, Tom DeLay, Wisconsin
Tom DeLay
DeLay's Legal Team Files Motion Asking For Retrial
Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX)
It's not like former Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) to give up without a fight, and he's not about to start now.
DeLay's attorneys filed a motion Wednesday asking for a retrial for the hard-charging former Republican House leader, the Houston Chronicle reports. DeLay was convicted in November of money laundering and conspiracy and received a sentence of three years in prison plus 10 years probation.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Republican National Committee, Republicans, Texans for a Republican Majority, Texas, Tom DeLay
MO-SEN
Blunt Defeats Carnahan In Missouri Senate Race
Missouri Sec. of State Robin Carnahan (D) and Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO)
The Missouri Senate delegation will remain divided in 2011, as tonight Republican Rep. Roy Blunt defeated Democrat Robin Carnahan to fill the seat being vacated by Sen. Kit Bond.
In a normal year, Carnahan would have stood a very good chance of defeating Blunt, whose stock is low in Missouri after years of getting cozy in Washington and after his son Matt's disastrous single term as governor.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: 2010 elections, John Boehner, MO-SEN, Robin Carnahan, Roy Blunt, Senate '10, Tom DeLay
Roundup
TPMDC Sunday Roundup
DeLay: Dem Leadership Practicing 'Arrogance' In Writing Health Care Legislation
Appearing on State of the Union, former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) accused Democrats of "arrogance" in their management of the health care bill. "I think what they're doing wrong is because of arrogance," said DeLay. He elaborated: "They have huge majorities . . . and you would think you could pass anything and pass it quickly with those kinds of majorities. Why is it? Why can't they? It's because they're going back in rooms and then telling the members, take it or leave it. You can't do that. It's obvious."
Dem Rep. Baird: 'We Don't Have A Dance Partner' In GOP
Appearing on State of the Union, Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA), who is retiring this year, criticized Republicans for not participating in a bipartisan manner in the legislative process. "Tom DeLay was on Dancing with the Stars," Baird quipped, who then explained: "We don't have a dance partner. We don't have someone on the other side who is seriously willing to say, 'If you do these things, you will have our support.' And the reason is they see it as such a potent political weapon."
Topics: Brian Baird, Budget Reconciliation, Evan Bayh, Health Care, Kathleen Sebelius, Mitch McConnell, Mitt Romney, Roundup, Tom DeLay
Sunday Shows
The Sunday Show Line-Ups
Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services
Here are the line-ups for the Sunday talk shows this weekend:
• ABC, This Week: Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
• CBS, Face The Nation: Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN), Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
• CNN, State Of The Union: Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX), Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA).
• Fox News Sunday: Former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA).
• NBC, Meet The Press: Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), former Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN).
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Brian Baird, Chris Van Hollen, Evan Bayh, Harold Ford, Kathleen Sebelius, Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell, Mitt Romney, Orrin Hatch, Sunday Shows, Tom DeLay
George W. Bush
Bush, Liz Cheney To Speak At Hunters Convention
Announcement for the George W. Bush speech at the Safari Club International Annual Hunters' Convention.
After staring down terrorists for eight years, former President George W. Bush is taking on a new challenge: a speaking gig at the Safari Club International Annual Hunters' Convention in Reno, Nevada.
But wait, there's more! In addition to listening to Bush speak, conference attendees will also be able to attend a variety of hunting-related seminars such as: "Proper Boots -- Proper Care," "Through the Eyes of a Young Hunter," "Wild Game & Wine Pairing," and "Shotgun Chokes: How they Work," just to name a few.
Bush will deliver the keynote address on Saturday, January 23, the final night of the four-day convention. Though it's unclear what he'll talk about (WMD's in Iraq, maybe?), the convention's Web site boasts: "His intellect and humor will make this a night to remember and share for years and years." The former leader of the free world will be joined by such top-notch acts as comedian Frank Caliendo, Three Dog Night, the Bellamy Brothers, a country music group, Dennis Miller, and a Beach Boys cover band, "Papa Doo Run Run."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: Dick Cheney, George W. Bush, Liz Cheney, Tom DeLay
Tom DeLay
DeLay Offers Official 'Dancing' Farewell With A Texas Two-Step
Tom Delay on Dancing with the Stars
Tom DeLay promised he'd be back after dropping out of Dancing with the Stars last month.
Last night, he delivered, performing a Texas two-step on the finale.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Dancing with the Stars, Tom DeLay
Barack Obama
TPMDC Morning Roundup
Poll: Obama's Approval Rating Going Back Up
The new AP/GfK poll finds that President Obama has a 56% approval rating, up from 50% in September -- and the first time that his approval rating has increased in the AP/GfK surveys. Disapproval is at 39%, down from 49% last month.
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will meet at 10:45 a.m. ET with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. At 1:30 p.m. ET, he will deliver remarks and award the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. At 3:30 p.m. ET, he will meet with his national security team on Afghanistan and Pakistan. At 8 p.m. ET, the President and First Lady will host an event for local middle students, to star gaze and conduct hands-on experiments with astronomers.
Topics: Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Jon Corzine, NJ-GOV, Sarah Palin, Tom DeLay
Tom DeLay
DeLay's Moment Of Truth: Will He Be Booted Tonight?
Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay
"What's a little pain when you can party?" Tom DeLay told the judges who cooed over his dual foot fracture last night on ABC's Dancing with the Stars.
Clad in a bedazzled shirt featuring an elephant, DeLay tried his hardest to push through the pain, but still he and partner Cheryl Burke (in a sparkling dress with a donkey applique) only managed to earn 15 out of 30 possible points from the judges.
DeLay's daughter Dani told supporters in an email right before the show that he was planning a "sassy" Samba that was a political spoof choreographed by Cheryl. It wasn't quite sassy, as they "danced" around the stage to the tune of "Why can't we be friends."
As we noted last week, injuries have hurt DeLay with the judges, and he revealed last night he now has stress fractures in both feet.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: Dancing with the Stars, Republicans, Tom DeLay
Tom DeLay
Flashback: Tom DeLay's Long Involvement With Dancing With The Stars
Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) has made big news with the announcement that he'll be on the upcoming season of Dancing In The Stars. But believe it or not, this is not his first encounter with the show.
Back in 2006, months after he'd resigned from Congress, DeLay sent out an e-mail to his supporter list, calling on them to vote in that current season of Dancing for country singer Sara Evans, who is a vocal supporter of the Republican Party, and whose husband was a GOP fundraiser and had been an unsuccessful candidate for Congress. DeLay framed this cause as part of the culture war -- targeting that nasty liberal contestant Jerry Springer:
Sara Evans has been a strong supporter of the Republican Party and represents good American values in the media. From singing at the 2004 Republican Convention to appearing with candidates in the last several election cycles, we have always been able to count on Sara for her support of the things we all believe in ... One of her opponents on the show is ultra liberal talk show host Jerry Springer. We need to send a message to Hollywood and the media that smut has no place on television by supporting good people like Sara Evans.
Ultimately, DeLay's plan didn't work out. Evans ended up quitting the show due to a messy divorce, citing frequent adultery by her husband. Springer lasted for seven weeks on the show -- longer than Evans, it turned out -- and was eventually eliminated through the natural means of the contest.
Now that DeLay himself is a contestant, who knows what kind of mayhem he could get into?
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (4)Topics: Tom DeLay
Barack Obama
TPMDC Morning Roundup
Public Option May Be Dropped
The Obama administration appears to be getting closer to dropping the public option as a proposal, shifting to a co-op plan with a better chance of passing. "The president is going to continue to try to persuade everyone of the great value of having a true public plan," an unnamed Democrat close to the White House told the New York Times. "But at the end of the day, I believe he recognizes that there are other, arguably less effective, ways to achieve greater coverage, more choice, better quality and lower cost in our system."
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will deliver remarks at the VFW National Convention in Phoenix, at 2 p.m. ET. He and the First Lady will depart from Phoenix at 3:20 p.m. ET, and arrive back at the White House at 7:35 p.m. ET.
Topics: Barack Obama, Budget, Cap-and-Trade, Climate Change, Environment, Health Care, Joe Biden, Public Option, Tom DeLay
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