Losing Ted Kennedy's Senate seat to a republican still hurts. But we have to move on and deal with it. And Senator-elect Scott Brown is making noises about being a different kind of republican, someone not interested in being part of the "party of no". Good. But we have to hold him to it.
From TPM:
The man who staged an upset in last week's Massachusetts Senate special election, in part by pledging to be the 41st GOP vote against President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, told The Associated Press in an interview Thursday that he staked his claim in early conversations with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Whip Jon Kyl.
"I already told them, you know, `I got here with the help of a close group of friends and very little help from anyone down there, so there'll be issues when I'll be with you and there are issues when I won't be with you,'" Brown said Thursday during the half-hour interview. "So, I just need to look at each vote and then make a proper analysis and then decide."
Okay Scott, I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. But talk is cheap. I know he's not interested in HCR, because MA got theirs and screw the rest of us. But what about other issues?
"We need to move now. People are hurting now. The economy is hurting now," he said.
You are absolutely right Scott. People are hurting, and we do need to move now. So I'm sure the President can counton your support of a jobs bill, right?
But you know, it's easy to talk tough now. He's not in Washington, he's not under the thumb of GOP leadership just yet. I'm sure once he meets with the Senate GOP leadership and feels the pressure of the caucus, he'll revert back to the "party of no" playbook.
The senator-elect did not elaborate on possible breaking points, though the Washington newcomer dismissed any suggestion he will relent once he starts working in the highly partisan capital.
"That's not pressure; pressure is what I'm going through right now," said Brown. He cited his efforts to complete a transition in 2 1/2 weeks, compared with the normal 2 1/2 months for regularly elected senators, while preparing to surrender his responsibilities as a state senator, become a Beltway commuter and resume his triathlon training.
Yeah, it's a hell of a thing to try and get those workouts in. But I guess this is encouraging. Scott Brown is a man of convictions, and he will do what is best for the country, not the party! Yeah, I don't believe him either. But when he does revert to his inner teabagger, we have quotes to beat him with, to put in every possible campaign add. We can and should make sure his stay in Washington is a short one.
By the way, Scott does have one other goal:
"I would love to go on a bike ride with Lance Armstrong, just for those few hours, just like to say hi, just to like hug him," said Brown.
Easy Scott. Keep your pants on. Please.