McHenry's game is classic Republican Destruction Politics: bring down support for Democrats
By John Amato Monday Mar 09, 2009 4:00pmIs there any case to be made for bipartisanship when Republicans openly say their goal is to destroy and not construct? The latest example: More Republican Destruction Politics from Rep. Patrick McHenry.
GOP Rep. Patrick McHenry, a key player in helping craft the Republican message, has offered an unusually blunt description of the Republican strategy right now.
McHenry’s description is buried in this new article from National Journal (sub. only):
"We will lose on legislation. But we will win the message war every day, and every week, until November 2010," said Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., an outspoken conservative who has participated on the GOP message teams. "Our goal is to bring down approval numbers for [Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and for House Democrats. That will take repetition. This is a marathon, not a sprint."
McHenry’s spokesperson, Brock McCleary, tells me his boss is standing by the quote.
McHenry’s description of his party’s goal — to “bring down approval numbers” for Nancy Pelosi and House Dems — is being much talked about today among Congressional Dems. It’s likely that Dems will grab on to the quote today to bolster their charge that Congressional Republicans aren’t interested in playing a constructive role in governing and see their hope for political revival in the eventual failure of the Democratic majority’s policies.
Warren Buffett has been sucked into the bipartisanship nonsense, even though he backs Obama and tells the country to get behind him, but the CNBC crowd is all excited that he's against unions.
Despite how “blunt” McHenry’s pronouncement may be, it is a widely held view among House Republicans. In fact, McHenry is echoing the sentiments of the House Republican leadership. Steve Benen explains the implications of such positions, writing, “If we take McHenry at his word, Republicans can’t be constructive, they necessarily have to be destructive.”
Messaging is such an important dynamic in political discourse, unfortunately, and it's really the only thing Republicans are good at. They certainly can't govern.
You can see how easy it is for conservatives to get Republican talking points into the mouths of Villagers.
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Got to get Franken seated and convert one Republican (either from Pennsylvania or Maine!) to get to 60 seats. Only way we can get any progress and save our country is to get to 60 in the Senate and then have a Speaker than enforces discipline.
You'd never get 60 Dems to vote together.
They know what's at stake, and man, are they pissed!
Christ! Franken's not seated YET? WTF?
Pam Spaulding has the skinny on the creep.
have a link???
http://www.democrats.com/gay-patrick-mchenry-...
You can't negotiate or compromise with people who's goal is to make you fail and/or bring down the country in the process. These aren't people with the same goals.
it is always nice when idiotic assholes--in this case idiotic asshole patrick mchenry--put in writing their party-before-country platform.
Today Obama's lifting of the federal restrictions on stem cell research, which was highlighted on every nightly news, Obama reminded many many more people why they voted for him (and Democrats) and not Republicans...many more people than McHenry's utterances will affect one way or another. And that's why the Repugs are on the decline....
It seems Republicans would rather see this country go down in flames than see Pres Obama succeed- it makes me wonder- Do Republican even care about this country at all? Or do they only care about being in power?
work in private industry and wished one department to fail, he would be fired immediately. Why does his constituents put up with him?
is full of it. It's nothing but mass manipulation now to keep peoples butts glued to their seats thinking someones going to do all the heavy lifting for them.
reminds me of a pedophile preacher. Or a pimple on the arsehole of progress. A pubic boil.
What he wants to be is Newt's replacement.
is sorta like giving live grenades and submachineguns to toddlers.
Or putting the raccoons in charge of the garbage.
Hey McHenry you self loathing dickweed, a message campaign is a lousy way to describe smear attacks and lies repeated until some believes it.
And it's not all just about winning one for their team.
BTW, every time they accuse Obama of not living up to his "non-partisan" promise, his press secretary ought to hold up a giant board with this quote:
"Our goal is to bring down approval numbers for [Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and for House Democrats."
Nice. I suppose we ought to be happy that they have a goal other than selling duct tape.
Notice how this idiot refers to this as a "war" as if it were some paramilitary battle against evil. More evidence of their simplistic and paranoid us/them victim mentality. I guess this is the only way to keep their android like followers in line.
hypocrisy. This treasonous fuck needs to go.
I still have a job and my husband has two (three if it's track
season). I will gladly give substantially to whomever runs against
this bottom feeder. These bastards need to go.
the Republicans are finally taking a page from the Democratic play book, and I thought dissent was the highest form of patriotism. Now where have I heard that?
"We will lose on legislation. But we will win the message war every day, and every week, until November 2010," said Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., an outspoken conservative who has participated on the GOP message teams. "Our goal is to bring down approval numbers for [Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and for House Democrats. That will take repetition. This is a marathon, not a sprint."
TV and print, unless he's talking about fox and the wash times and other propaganda rags, have to at least present teh appearance of some balance. only their talk radio monopoly can pollute the country's airwaves with the necessary levels of coordinated uncontested repetition to blame everything wrong on the dems and obama.
that is what has been making the difference the last 20 years. even with the recent limbaugh event- dems finally exposing him, those 1000 RW stations that plague the country with lies, distortions, and swiftboating are the real problem. and mchenry and the GOP will be able to a lot of obstruction as long as progressives ignore the fact that limbaugh is just the tip of an iceberg.
the talk radio monopoly must end before america can have real democracy.
St Patrick would be ashamed of that little Leprachaun.
The next time someone interviews HcMenry they should ask him to say:
"they're always after me lucky charmes"
OR
"follow the yellow brick road".
"We will lose on legislation. But we will win the message war every day, and every week, until November 2010," said Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., an outspoken conservative who has participated on the GOP message teams. "Our goal is to bring down approval numbers for [Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and for House Democrats. That will take repetition. This is a marathon, not a sprint."
Message is: Destroyer/Obstructionist/Limbaugh Lovin'/Republicans are Douchebags. Another message you are winning - "Hey America! GFYS's!! Yeah, heard that loud and clear.
Good Grief.
From now until the end of time, whenever a Republican uses any variation of the word bipartisan someone should stand up and shout "OUR GOAL IS TO BRING DOWN APPROVAL NUMBERS FOR PELOSI AND HOUSE DEMOCRATS!" Could also make for some fun youtube remixes.
the peasants finally put down the Cheetos and revolt, do you suppose they will be called a union group?
The gall of this pear-shaped prick. Hypocrisy at new heights, even for a gooper swine. Google McHenry, gay, murder, male prostitute and enjoy the reading. I guess he learned on the lap of Craig and Vitter.
So, I still didn't hear any reslug message.
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