Replies to post #79915 on Discover GOP Opprobrium

[teapeebubbles]

DELAYS FOR THE SAKE OF DELAYS, CONT'D....

After eight months of Senate consideration of the pending nuclear arms control treaty, New START, Republicans are still complaining the process is moving too quickly. The latest problem is over amendments.

Now, when it comes to the nature of treaties -- which are negotiated by the executive branches of the U.S. and the other country -- senators can't come in with changes they'd like to see. They can, however, push amendments that would force related policy changes that the administration would have to follow, and in the case of New START, Republicans have said they need more time to bring these ideas to the floor for debate.

Fine, Democrats said, let's have the debate. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), one of the leading champions of the treaty, went to the floor yesterday to invite Republicans with concerns to present their amendments for consideration. It was, by some accounts, the moment the GOP has been waiting for -- a chance to present their recommended policy changes and have them voted on.

Except, that's not what happened. Kerry kept asking Republicans to present their amendments so the Senate could vote on them, but GOP detractors of the treaty had nothing to offer. They had demanded time for their amendments, but hadn't bothered to actually write any.

Kerry, who'd been patient all day, just about lost it after waiting for five hours for Republicans to use their time the way they said they intended to use it. Kerry, perhaps assuming his GOP colleagues were acting in good faith before, and were sincere in their concerns about the time allotted, was just exasperated upon realizing that Republicans didn't even take their own complaints seriously.

"We've reached a new stage in America where you just say something; it doesn't matter if it's based on the truth " Kerry said, speaking without a prepared text. "Just say it. Put it out there -- somebody's going to believe it, someone will pick it up."

I don't know Kerry personally, but watching him, it seemed as if he's just a little sad about what's become of the institution. Senator, if you're reading, you're not the only one.

[teapeebubbles]

CNN SHOULD PROBABLY PICK BETTER PARTNERS....

It makes perfect sense for CNN to host plenty of debates for the Republican presidential candidates running in 2012. It makes less sense to partner with sketchy organizations to co-host these debates.

CNN said Friday that it is joining forces with the Tea Party Express -- a political action committee that played a key role in the 2010 midterm elections -- to co-host a Republican presidential debate.

The debate is scheduled for Labor Day week in Tampa, Fla., in September -- five months before the 2012 presidential primaries begin.



Generally, major news organizations exercise some caution when partnering with outside groups, for fear of tarnishing the outlet's reputation.

And that's precisely why I'm a little surprised CNN would team up with a controversial political action committee. Indeed, I may be missing some examples, but I don't recall CNN ever partnering with a political action committee on anything before.

Sure, it's a Republican debate, but did the network look into the Tea Party Express' background? Does CNN realize this is the same far-right outfit that was led by Mark Williams, repeatedly accused of racism? Did CNN appreciate the fact that even plenty of conservative activists look askance at the Tea Party Express because it appears to be a vehicle for a Republican operative's consulting firm?

This seems like a mistake. Perhaps not on par with hiring Erick Erickson as a paid political analyst, but a mistake nevertheless.

Update: Dave Weigel notes that CNN has been cozying up to Tea Party Express for quite a while. Presumably, then, the network is well aware of the outfit's sketchy nature, and doesn't care.