Democrat Leaders Cozying Up to Unpopular Obama: Will House Dems Follow?
October 13, 2011
FYI, a similar version of this release below went out to the following districts: John Barrow (GA-12), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Tim Bishop (NY-01), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Lois Capps (CA-23), Dennis Cardoza (CA-18), Russ Carnahan (MO-03), Kathy Castor (FL-11), David Cicilline (RI-01), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Jim Cooper (TN-05), Jim Costa (CA-20), Mark Critz (PA-12), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Peter DeFazio (OR-04), John Garamendi (CA-10), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Brian Higgins (NY-27), Jim Himes (CT-04), Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15), Kathy Hochul (NY-26), Tim Holden (PA-17), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Steve Israel (NY-02), Bill Keating (MA-10), Ron Kind (WI-03), Larry Kissell (NC-08), Rick Larsen (WA-02), David Loebsack (IA-02), Jim Matheson (UT-02), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Mike McIntyre (NC-07), Jerry McNerney (CA-11), Michael Michaud (ME-02), Brad Miller (NC-13), Bill Owens (NY-23), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), Gary Peters (MI-09), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), David Price (NC-04), Nick Rahall (WV-03), Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), Kurt Schrader (OR-05), Heath Shuler (NC-11), Adam Smith (WA-09), Betty Sutton (OH-13), John Tierney (MA-06), Niki Tsongas (MA-05), Pete Visclosky (IN-01), Tim Walz (MN-01), John Yarmuth (KY-03)
Democrat Leaders Cozying Up to Unpopular Obama: Will Bishop Follow?
After Leader Pelosi Pledges House Democrat Support for Obama’s Failed Policies, the New York Democrat’s Colleagues Begin to Offer a Warm Embrace
Washington — Although Tim Bishop and his fellow Congressional Democrats have been trying to distract from their record of loyalty to the failed Obama-Pelosi agenda, new signs suggest that trend is about to change. Although coy to start, many of Bishop’s colleagues have now openly embraced President Obama’s leadership and his second stimulus plan after Leader Nancy Pelosi announced there was a consensus of support in her caucus. Does that mean Bishop will be the next House Democrat to jump back on board the Obama bandwagon?
“Nancy Pelosi was apparently speaking the truth when she declared that Tim Bishop and his fellow House Democrats were proud of the Obama record and fully supportive of a second stimulus package fueled by more job-killing taxes,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “Since Bishops’ Democrat colleagues are now embracing President Obama’s new stimulus plan, will Bishop be the next one to tout more of these same failed policies?”
For instance, Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA) said last week he was going to stay in Washington instead of meeting with the President during a campaign stop in Pittsburgh:
“Most of Western Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation won’t make it to President Obama’s visit to Pittsburgh next week, saying their day jobs got in the way. … Democratic Reps. Jason Altmire of McCandless and Mark Critz of Johnstown plan to stay in Washington.” (Mike Wereschagin and Salena Zito, “Obama’s Pittsburgh job visit not big draw,”
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 10/7/11)
But then, House Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi announced she had full support in her caucus for the President’s second stimulus plan:
“The president would be well received by any one of our members into their districts. … [T]he consensus in our caucus that we’re very proud of his coming forth with a jobs bill, with his speaking out about why it’s important to the American people. His reelection is very important to the country. … [H]e’s been a great president. And our members are very proud of him. And I think any one of us would love to have the president as a guest in our districts.” (Mike Allen,
Politico‘s
Playbook, 10/9/11)
And just like that, Rep. Altmire changed his mind and welcomed the President to tout another failed stimulus plan in his state:
“Mr. Obama arrived on Air Force 1 around 11:15 a.m. U.S. Reps. Mike Doyle, D-Forest Hills, and Jason Altmire, D-McCandless, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, and Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato were on hand to greet the president.” (Timothy McNulty, “President Obama finishes Pittsburgh visit,”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 10/11/11)
Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-IA) also held an event the following day touting the failed second stimulus:
“‘If we want our economy to pick up, we’ve got to get people back to work. It’s simple. And here’s something we have to do anyway. It has to be done. We have to take care of our infrastructure,’ Boswell said.” (Pat Curtis, “Vilsack, Boswell tout President’s jobs bill,”
Radio Iowa, 10/10/11)
Bishop’s own embrace of the unpopular President would not be surprising either, since he has voted with his Democrat party leaders and their failed policies 93 percent of the time this year. (“U.S. Congress Votes Database, The Washington Post, Accessed 10/12/11)
Some of Tim Bishop’s most reluctant colleagues are now following Nancy Pelosi’s lead in supporting President Obama’s plan for a second stimulus fueled by more job-killing taxes. Will Bishop be next in line?
Democrat Leaders Cozying Up to Unpopular Obama: Will House Dems Follow? http://ow.ly/6Wpxz #madeinwdc
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