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Mitch McConnell Tag

We knew this day was coming, although we'd hoped that somewhere in his heart, President Obama might find the decency to pass legislation that would create thousands of jobs, reinvigorate communities and small towns, likely decrease the instances of exploding trains, and pump much needed cash into our fledgling economy. Alas... Some have speculated that because the pipeline would've run through red states, President Obama would never be willing to reward those states with economic bounty. But we've been assured that the bipartisan, union-backed bill was vetoed because the President takes his job very seriously. Gregory Korte reports at USA Today:
"The presidential power to veto legislation is one I take seriously," Obama said in his veto message. "But I also take seriously my responsibility to the American people. And because this act of Congress conflicts with established executive branch procedures and cuts short thorough consideration of issues that could bear on our national interest — including our security, safety, and environment — it has earned my veto."
Suddenly, the President is concerned about "well established executive branch procedures" *cough* executive immigration overreach *cough*. But I digress...

Let's face it, Alison Grimes hasn't been helped by any of her recent missteps regarding whether she voted for Obama. She repeated the refusal to answer the question on local TV again:
U.S. Senate Candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes continues to refuse to say who she voted for in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections. On Friday, Grimes sat down with WYMT’s Steve Hensley for a taping of an episode of “Issues & Answers: The Mountain Edition.” Here is an excerpt from the interview: Steve Hensley: “You've also said in the past that you voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2008 presidential primary so what's the difference?” Secretary Grimes: “In 2008 I was not Secretary of State and what happened at that convention is all on record so nothing that wasn't already fully disclosed was offered up. It's a matter of principle as I told Bill Goodman, I'm the chief elections official. It is a constitutional right provided in Kentucky's constitution for all Kentuckians to cast their ballot in privacy.” Hensley: “If President Obama offered to campaign for you in Kentucky, would you accept?” Grimes: “Well, I've said I speak for myself, Senator McConnell doesn't understand that. He and his henchmen have spent about 50 million dollars trying to put Barack Obama on the ballot this year. He's not, I am.”

James O'Keefe and the crew at Veritas Action Fund are in search of a supporter of Alison Grimes supporter who actually believes her campaign position that she's not anti-coal industry. The other day O'Keefe released a video in which various assorted Democratic operatives and Grimes supporters used the "L" word in describing her position. Today O'Keefe has released another video in which a financial backer using the "F" word as to what Grimes will do to the coal industry if elected. Language Warning Here's a partial transcript posted by O'Keefe:

Democratic operative Kathy Groob tweeted a handful of racist tweets about Senator McConnell's wife. Outrage ensued and Groob apologized and then deleted her Twitter account. Fox News reports:

A Democratic operative deleted her Twitter account Monday following a series of what some called racist remarks about Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s wife, Elaine Chao.

Chao, former U.S. Labor Secretary under President George W. Bush, is Asian.

Kathy Groob, who describes herself as an “advocate for women in politics,” sent a series of tweets related to Chao at a political event Saturday.

According to WKMS, Groob sent the tweets in response to comments McConnell made at the event, in which he referred to his wife as "the only Kentucky woman who served in a president’s cabinet."

Following widespread criticism from her own party, Groob later apologized for her “poor choice of words” and deleted her Twitter account.

The tweets that started it all:

Kathy Groob Tweets Elaine Chao Asian not KY

The Kentucky Senate race is essentially tied in the polling. A poll released today by a Republican pollster shows Alison Lundergan Grimes up by 3 points, within the margin of error. Elizabeth Warren is about to inject herself into the race in a big way. Warren's student loan bill, which even an author at liberal Slate.com called "a glorified talking point," failed to pass an early procedural vote on Wednesday. In response, Warren declared war on Mitch McConnell, vowing to campaign and raise money for Grimes. The notion of taking political retribution is in keeping with Warren's vow to have "plenty of blood and teeth left on the floor" of those who oppose her. HuffPo reports, Elizabeth Warren To Hit Back At Mitch McConnell By Campaigning For Alison Lundergan Grimes:
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) railed against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Wednesday for failing to support her student loan refinancing proposal, which the Senate killed in a 56-38 vote earlier in the day.... When MSNBC's Chris Hayes asked Warren how she planned to fight back, the senator gave a response that could shake things up in Kentucky, where McConnell faces a tough race for reelection against Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes. "One way I'm going to start fighting back is I'm going to go down to Kentucky and I'm going to campaign for Alison Lundergan Grimes," Warren said. "She's tough, she's feisty, she endorsed the student loan bill, said she wanted to bring down interest rates for Kentuckians. ... So my view is I'm going to get out there and try to make this happen for her."
Seems to me that making Warren an issue in the race is risky for Grimes.

Kentucky

Well, that was quick. Major media have called the race for Mitch McConnell. Erick Erickson says he donated to McConnell even before the polls closed. Rally around the Mitch?

Georgia

You can follow the incoming returns at the AP Election website and at Politico.

This Christmas, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell offers his own spin on the "Night Before Christmas" classic. Set to Nutcracker music, McConnell makes jabs in the reinvented tale at both President Obama and democrat opponent Alison Lundergan Grimes. Check it out for yourself: “Twas the night before Christmas, four years...

UPDATE: Senate Filibuster Rule Change Vote 11-21-2013 https://twitter.com/LegInsurrection/status/403582814064345088 https://twitter.com/ChadPergram/status/403577151737167872 https://twitter.com/mviser/status/403577482462240768 https://twitter.com/ChadPergram/status/403577524963123200

... Reid blocks attempt by McConnell to vote on president's jobs bill Do you need to know anything else?  If so, the article is here....

We don't know all the details of the negotiations between Mitch McConnell and the White House which apparently are closing in on an agreement, but one thing is clear, Harry Reid has become a sideshow. The master of the Senate was left to denouncing Mitch McConnell...

Things seem, maybe, possibly heading towards some sort of debt ceiling deal negotiated by Mitch McConnell directly with the White House.  Harry Reid just took to the floor of the Senate to announce that the vote on cloture on his bill will be postponed from...

Isn't that what this all is about at this moment in time? We just have to last another 18 months and win the presidential election, and then our long national nightmare will come to an end.  Until then, we're just trying to limit the damage. Until he...

A reminder from Bill Kristol (h/t commenter Mike Hinton) But even if [the McConnell plan] created a bad news day yesterday for Republicans, the good news is that it’s already yesterday’s news. It’s House Republicans—not Senate minority leader McConnell—who will control tomorrow’s news. It is dawn yet?  It was just a...

Because the more I think about Mitch McConnell's proposal, the darker things are looking. I tried in my initial post to be fair and balanced, and not simply reactive.  But it's growing on me, and not in a good way. The good news is that 98% of...