GOP Senator Corker to Dems: If you try to pass DADT, Republicans won't pass START

[jefferson_dem]

:grr: Good gawd, I hate these fuckers.

GOP Senator to Dems: If you try to pass DADT, Republicans won't pass START
By Greg Sargent

For days now there have been rumors circulating on the Hill that Republican Senators are privately threatening to derail the START treaty if Dems go through with plans to vote on the repeal of don't ask don't tell. I had chalked this up to the usual mix of paranoia, spin and misinformation that always intensifies when a major vote looms.

But on the Senate floor a few moments ago, Senator Bob Corker basically said this publicly: He said that moving forward with DADT "poisons the well" on START, adding that it would make it less likely that the START treaty's future is going to be "successful."

According to a transcript sent over by Corker's office, the Senator first referenced Harry Reid's announcement last night that he would be holding votes on DADT and DREAM. He then proceeded to deride those issues as "partisan" payoffs on campaign promises, and added that he had met with GOP colleagues this morning and left persuaded that proceeding with those votes were putting START at greater risk:

"I have to tell you what this has done. I've been in three meetings this morning. What's happening is it poisons the well on this debate on something that's very, very important. I don't want to see that happen. I'm not someone who comes down here and says fiery things to terrorize and divide. But I'm hoping that saner minds will prevail...

These issues that have been brought forth are absolutely partisan political issues, brought forth to basically accommodate activist groups around this country. I'm hoping that those will be taken down or I don't think the future of the START treaty over the next several days is going to be successful...I'm hoping that's going to change.

This isn't really a threat on Corker's part. Rather, he's saying -- in a more-in-sorrow-than-in-anger way -- that his GOP colleagues will be less likely to support START unless Reid drops his plan for DADT and DREAM votes right away.

More in a bit.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/12/why_government_takeover_of_hea.html

VIDEO here - http://thinkprogress.org/2010/12/17/corker-dadt-start/

[dave29]

1. Fuck 'em

make him own it

[arcane1]

2. Typically childish behavior n/t

[closeupready]

3. ITYS.

n/t

[SharonAnn]

31. He would jeapordize America because he's sulking? What a traitor!

[DJ13]

4. Raise your hand if you didnt think caving into blackmail wouldnt bring more blackmail

[TwilightGardener]

6. They weren't ever going to let Obama have legislative victories. Which is why

I'm glad he got the tax cut bill through now...rather than sign the utter ridiculousness that the GOP sends him in January or February. People act like this bullshit just started. It's been going on for two years.

[Safetykitten]

7. Me! Me! I Trust the republicans. They just want more understanding. We are too harsh on them.

[CakeGrrl]

27. Wrong. Playing chicken with unemployment and middle-class tax relief would have

yielded NOTHING.

This shameless assholish behavior from the Republicans proves that they would not think twice about saying "Fuck you" to the poor and unemployed. Again, since they've already done it.

[Union Scribe]

42. No shit, Dem leadership has itself to blame.

Maybe this time they'll figure it out? ...I continue to wait for the appearance of a spine.

[stopbush]

5. Now, THAT'S a bluff that Ds should call in a heartbeat!

[eleny]

8. Fine - let them

It's about time we called a bluff.

[global1]

9. Call Their Bluff......nt

[jefferson_dem]

10. UPDATE: Corker doubles down.

GOP Senator to Dems: If you try to pass DADT, Republicans won't pass START
By Greg Sargent

UPDATE, 4:11 p.m.: In an interview with me just now, Senator Bob Corker doubled down on his contention that if Dems move on DADT, Republicans will be less likely to support START.

"I felt like momentum was growing for START," Corker said, adding that since Reid announced he was holding votes on DADT and DREAM, it has had a "chilling effect."

"I'm watching support for the treaty erode, because of highly partisan political issues being brought up solely because activist groups in the Democratic Party want this done," he continued.

Corker said he wasn't issuing a personal threat, and was merely commenting on the reaction of his Senate GOP colleagues. When I pressed Senator Corker on whether Republican Senators would really base their decision on START on whether Reid held a vote on DADT, Corker didn't answer directly.

"That being thrown into the middle of this debate is causing many Republicans to want to see START pushed back and candidly is causing them to oppose it," Corker said. "This is hardening them against passage of this treaty."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/12/gop_senator_to_dems_if_you_try.html

[tishaLA]

11. He and McCain: Assholes, Inc.

what a pair of losers.

[DrToast]

12. Call their bluff

Let them explain why the two are related.

[jefferson_dem]

13. Update Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Jon Kyl (R-AZ) appeared to distance themselves from Corker

Update Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Jon Kyl (R-AZ) appeared to distance themselves from Corker's suggestion that passage for the treaty would hinge on Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal. Both insisted that the treaty must stand or fall on its own merits. Watch it: http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2010/12/17/corker-start/

[indepat]

14. Didn't know our junior Senator had become so adept at seeming extortion and blackmail:

hope someone is counting the times and keeping a list of each instance pubs royally fuck over BHO and fuck up America in these coming two years. :shrug:

[SharonAnn]

30. He's the slimy, sleazy, manipulative SOB that I thought he was. I went to

one of his campaign events in 2006 and afterward felt like I'd wrestled with a greased pig .

I had a question for him about education and got the oiliest, most convoluted response you could imagine.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

15. Pass the repeal of DADT. Screw the Republicans. We don't need to give in to blackmail.

They are hoping to derail DADT AND START.

They do not want to work with Dems in Congress or the Whitehouse.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. It's Fun To See The Homophobic Dead Enders In Their Death Throes

.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

17. They are fighting a battle they can't win.

Each successive generation becomes more tolerant.


History will frown upon these grumpy old men (like McCain and Corker) who cannot see the writing on the wall well into the 21st century.

[KansasVoter]

18. You sound shocked! Really?

[sadbear]

19. Collins, Snowe, Brown, and Murkowski aren't threatened by DADT

As long as we have them for START, we don't need Corker or any other the rest of his ratfucking buddies.

[DrToast]

21. 67 votes needed for START.*

*

[Supersedeas]

20. Hating Civil Rights so much that they'd jeopardize national security to maintain the Status Quo

[EC]

22. Isn't blackmail a crimanal offense?

It's time to call what they are doing by it's name and formally charge them...the START treaty is valuable to our national (and worldwide)defense, therefore has worth...

[jefferson_dem]

23. UPDATE: Corker pwned, forced to walk this shit back.

UPDATE, 4:46 p.m.: Corker just called back to clarify that a DADT vote won't lead his GOP colleages to oppose START permanently.

"I just want to make sure it's clear they're not going to oppose the treaty permanently," he said. "But it's hardening them against doing it right now."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/

[DrToast]

24. LOL. What a bonehead. He should walk back this quote too

He's completely ignoring the point that the two issues are unrelated.

[karynnj]

39. Not a bonehead - at least on this

In today's Senate debate at one point Kyl brought up the issue of his having said they needed something like 8 days of debate - Kerry pointed out that as they had 3 already - and could likely have some time this weekend and then they would have the following week. One of the Republicans )I was listening from the kitchen and could recognize Kerry's but not the Republican voices) spoke of the two votes this weekend. They were furious about both votes - even though Kerry pointed out that they still had a lot of time.

(Kerry responded to their Christmas nonsense by mentioning that working for peace was something that fit Christmas. VERY rough paraphrase)

[Clio the Leo]

25. Perhaps this will explain why I'm more forgiving of the President than some here...

.... he IS a progressive savior compared to my neighbor and Senator Mr. Corker.

[RBInMaine]

26. GOOD ! LOVE IT ! THE PUKES ARE JUST FUCKING THEMSELVES RIGHT UP THE ASS !

[COLGATE4]

28. Fuck Corker. Fuck all of them. Miserable piss-ant bastards.

[TheKentuckian]

29. What a fuckwit. This who we are always trying to compromise with.

[golfguru]

32. Is blackmail legal?

[earthlover]

33. Pass the repeal. Then let the Repubs vote against a treaty with overwhelming popular support!

Go ahead Repubs....make a fool of yourselves! They will have to limp back (to use a Palinism) and vote for it later. Then they will look stupid and it will be hard for them to hide from their stupidity of opposing not one, but two bills that have overwhelming popular support now.

[ShadowLiberal]

34. Real mature, if you give equality to minorities we'll screw over America's national security

And START is an issue of national security from what failure to ratify the treaty will do to our relationship to Russia, and what that'll do to our ability to put pressure on places like North Korea, China, terrorists.

[AlinPA]

35. They are now showing us that they won't vote for anything. "Vote for DADT Repeal

and we won't allow the START Treaty to pass". That is nothing but a political statement and the senator actually admits it.

These people are stopping the New START Treaty, DADT Repeal and the DREAM Act and leading the senate around by the nose, acting like they are working on the bills. It is a travesty that the republican minority controls the Senate.

And Harry Reid said yesterday that he was going to "work with the republicans" on a Continuing Resolution for government funding?

[bullwinkle428]

36. Here we go again!

EDIT : Corker's attempt to play "Lucy" to the Democrats' "Charlie Brown" apparently just resulted in his own ass getting kicked, rather than the football!

[burning rain]

37. Going nuclear to protect homophobia?

That's both pathetic and bizarre.

[Rosco T.]

38. A sincere message for Corker...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc0mxOXbWIU

[zulchzulu]

40. Let them be on the wrong side of history on civil rights and national security

Take the bait, you mother fuckers. Munch on the worm.

[Union Scribe]

41. So, wait, now you're against giving in to the blackmailers?

I thought it was such a great strategy, what happened?

[Phx_Dem]

43. The hostage takers are holding our country's security hostage. Anyone surprised?

The good thing about these remarks is that they prove beyond any doubt that when President Obama and the Dems said Republicans were holding the country hostage, it was true. They can't argue that point anymore.

Steaming piles of shit. I hope Reid keeps the Senate in session over Christmas just so those fuckers can't go home. God knows, their families will probably be happier without them.