It seems like maybe the tactic of defending Wall Street and obstructing reform isn't something that the GOP caucus is staying united behind.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell struck a markedly different tone on financial regulatory reform today, suggesting an agreement could be struck with Democrats sooner rather than later. And Democrats have taken notice.
"We believe the process to achieve [a bipartisan bill] has now been reconstituted," McConnell told reporters after the Republicans' weekly caucus meeting this afternoon. "We are all confident that this can be fixed... Senator Shelby [the Republicans' chief financial reform negotiator] believes that there's been a very serious effort to re-engage."
McConnell of course gave credit to his letter signed by all 41 Republicans saying they were opposed to the bill as the kickstart for negotiations. To which Democrats respond that negotiations never stopped.
"Talk about taking people taking credit for things--that's like the rooster taking credit for the morning," Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), the Democrats' reg reform point man, told reporters after a caucus meeting. "This has been ongoing for people who have been following this thing. Welcome to the discussion.... Where has the [Republican] leader been?"
The Republican leader has been busy maintaining his "permanent bailout" lie, perhaps finally coming up for air long enough to recognize that even a wanker like Halperin can't buy (or sell) and which one of his own caucus members has publicly refuted.
Maybe even Mitch McConnell is beginning to recognize that standing up for Wall Street and resisting this reform isn't smart politics.