get ready to be hood-winked - CSPAN and Ray LaHood (R-ILL)

[ChairmanAgnostic]

he was one of the famous 11 who spilled the beans the instant they left the White House on Tuesday.

Watch him spin this as a brave, ethical step to stand up to the president.

right. media whores, unite!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. an accurate reflection of the (secret) meeting.

bush is trying to reach out.
He listens to a wide range of people. He ought to be given credit for that. This is good for the process.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. he just contradicted himself.

first, the tuesday group cochairs decided to meet, but it was the president who invited them.
And the Hood didn't say a word - how brave of him.

[malaise]

3. Pure bullspit!

Bet all their seats are in trouble. Rove probably arranged the meeting and the leak.

[KharmaTrain]

6. Dog & Pony Show

First of all, look at who was at that meeting...the meekest of the GOOP sheeple. These were the ones Rove and DeLay steamrolled for years and benefitted with millions in campaign ocntributions and other perks. That money's dried up, the polls look like crap and these guys need a photo-op before they head home and get beat up on all summer about being a boooosh toadie. It's pure kabuki theater.

The proof is...and hopefully it's noted by a caller...no sooner did these "Brave Repugnicans" have their photo op, the went and voted against the latest bill that would have done exactly what they asked boooosh to do.

I just kicked a "C" note to Dan Seals...a thank-you gift to Mark Kirk for his "conviction". :puke:

[malaise]

9. Yep that was their

QED. Why is the media spinning that they stood up to Bush. This is some vulgar sucking up going on here.

Wow a Republican caller nailing LaHood.

[davsand]

10. Actually, LaHood is probably one of the safer seats in Illinois.

I don't like him much, mind you, but he is not really in any trouble back in his home district.

In truth, I kind of thought when I saw the reports about that meeting that these were guys from the more moderate wing of the GOP (kind of and oxymoron, I guess...) There is a very real split in the GOP right now between the honest to gosh Conservatives and the neo-cons and that might have played a role in this little meeting.

I know several Illinois GOP folks who are MOST unhappy with not only the occupation, but also the spending policies of this administration. They have BEEN unhappy for quite a while and I do think that the GOP on a national and state level is having a small scale civil war. For sure that is happening here in Illinois on a state and local level. There is a very real disconnect between this White House and the traditional conservatives.

I'm just saying...



Laura

[KharmaTrain]

13. They See Third Parties In The Weeds

I think LaHood's more worried about seeing Ron Paul bumper stickers than losing votes to Democrats. Many Repugnicans and Conservatievs I encounter in what was once a solid Red area are now calling themselves Libertarians and Independents and the Liberatarian Party appears to be making some inroads. It'll be interesting to see how many incumbents get challenged next year from the far right...or if they've peeled off already.

LaHood's trying to cover ass for Roscum and Kirk...and possibly strong challenges in the 14th (if Gym Teach Denny runs) and even against Judy "Hall Monitor" Biggert. These guys are about to go back for the Memorial Day and 4th of July parades and County Fairs and can now pretend to say "ya see, we've got a spine".

I haven't seen a statewide poll, but I can't imagine the die-hard, blood-lust wingnuts mount to much of a constituency anymore.

Cheers...

:hi:

[lisa58]

4. "White House staff doesn't berate members of congress"...

...sure they don't

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. the president never shouts.

no, he rants incoherently and raves at aides, congresscritters who disagree with him and snaps the heads off anyone who does not treat him as a demigod.

[malaise]

7. WTF

Who was that lunatic caller? LaHood is such a suck up.:puke:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

8. tim russert lied

none of us called him, he called one of us. and the meeting was not contentious.

good way to influence the press, eh?

Too bad you did NOT stand up to the president. Someone needs to.
Boy, if you believe LaHood, Bush is the most engaged, polished, effective and listening leader in our country!

[Skidmore]

11. ...and lied breathlessly with a megaphone.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

12. What a collection of questioners

But since Petraeus is so honest, every word he will utter is absolutely true.

- - -

LaHood did not know about the meeting before the fact. "I may have missed it"