Some days test a person's soul more than others. Tuesday was one of those days for Teamster President Sean O'Brien. First He-Man Markwane Mullin tried to posture on O'Brien during a Senate hearing. O'Brien didn't even blink.
Later on, O'Brien was being interviewed by Jake The Snake Tapper, who tried to provoke O'Brien again.
JTST: Sean, I have to say that I'm sure you're plenty strong but Markwayne Mullin is a former professional MMA fighter. What went through your mind when he basically challenged you to a physical fight during a Senate hearing?
O'BRIEN: What went through my mind was you're one of the one hundred most powerful people in the country and you're acting like a 12 year old in a school yard because you didn't get your way. I mean, look, he actually has the ability, he is one of the elite to actually to effectuate change in this country and he's focused on being a bully. You know, we're not going to stand for it and we defintely were brought up differently.
JTST: OK, but can I say that you're tweeting like a twelve year old? Your tweets were... You're not even a United States Senator and I get that your tweeting is not the same thing as calling someone out during the senate hearing but "You know where to find me," "Any time, any place, cowboy," you're making fun of him for not being the tallest senator. I mean, you represent 1.3 million workers. Do you think that tweet - there's your tweet right there, with the pink circling of the apple box he's standing on. Do you think that is best serving, best representing the members of the Teamsters union?
O'BRIEN: His story is compelling but inaccurate. In a hearing in March, he started the whole thing by coming into a hearing, looking at us and basically saying to me, "I'm not afraid of physical confrontation. In fact, I welcome it." So that's what perpetuated the whole incident. Never knew the man in my life, never met him. I was testifying at my first senate hearing and this was his introduction to me.
Tapper then changed his tune and allowed O'Brien to talk about what the hearing was actually about and to say that overall, it was a rather productive session despite Mullin's tantrum. O'Brien also was able to discuss all the good things that unions are doing for American workers, inclduing the feather in his cap - the UPS contract.
In afterthought, it was probably O'Brien's and the union's success which upset Mullin so much. He's afraid that he will have to start paying his workers decently and giving them respect, somthing which is obviously very difficult for him.
