Make no mistake, McConnell's statement is 100% motivated by self-interest.

[Bleacher Creature]

Mitch doesn't give a damn about the victims, nor is he worried one way or the other about the epidemic of sexual harassment in this country.

His interests are solely about his Senate majority. Getting rid of Moore now helps improve the GOP's chances of holding the seat next month. And if Moore wins, he's going to cause serious problems for Republicans running in 2018 and 2020.

I'm glad he's doing and saying the right things, but he's also a guy who has never done the right thing for the right reason. Until that happens, he deserves no credit from anyone.

[Sanity Claws]

1. Next Month?

Did you mean next year? Is the seat up in 2018? If so I agree with you.

[yallerdawg]

3. The Alabama US Senate special election is December 12th.

McConnell may also be aware that very soon the only legislation that will pass the Senate will be bipartisan, so a centrist moderate Democrat may be better than a rightwing wildcard extremist.

[jberryhill]

27. They wanted Luther Strange, Moore's primary opponent

[Bleacher Creature]

4. The special election for that seat is on December 12th. NT

[Sanity Claws]

8. But if they get rid of Moore, the Republicans will definitely lose the seat

because it is too late to put someone else on the ballot. That is why I am confused by your post.

[ginnyinWI]

13. there is talk about a write in candidate.

Whether or not Moore is still in the race.

[Sanity Claws]

15. No way a write in will win

Think of how people actually live their lives. Many are going to show up at the polls and, even if they wanted to vote for the write-in candidate, will forget the name or misspell the name.
Then there are others who will vote for Moore, regardless, such as the fundamentalist preachers who spoke out for him.

[barbtries]

18. murkowski in AK did.

and the dynamic is similar to AL: they will not vote for a democrat.

[Sanity Claws]

20. She had a lot more time to reach the electorate

And get their vote.

[barbtries]

26. yeah.

my prediction: Moore will win in AL and never serve in the senate.

[paleotn]

21. Maybe, but....

there are a lot of fundigelical knuckle draggers who will vote for Moore come hell or high water, according to recent polling. The populations in AL and AK are very different psychologically, so I think Murkowski's write in win may not apply here. It's fundy nut land in AL....AK less so.

[barbtries]

25. yeah, i actually think of it as a different country at this point.

the cognizant dissonance is strong. you'd think racism was baked into their DNA. I know there are democrats there, but id don't know if they can win an election even if the opponent is a literal elephant, not when so many of them are perfectly content to elect a pervert and predator.

but i will say that there are many people in AK who follow that same rule. it doesn't matter who the best candidate is, it cannot be a democrat. required disclaimer i NEVER vote for republicans, to the point that if it is a non partisan race and i cannot ascertain whether the candidates are democrats or republicans i will not vote at all.

[zipplewrath]

2. Never wanted him

Absolutely. McConnell didn't want him to begin with, and now has found his chance to be rid of him. He's taking it.

[lame54]

5. It's McConnell vs Bannon

[safeinOhio]

23. Yep

Revenge on Bannon.

[Skittles]

6. CORRECT

that asshole does not give a DAMN about women

[Guilded Lilly]

7. McConnel is just simply soulless. I give him credit for NOTHING

[Cosmocat]

9. Totally agree, but the ballot appears to be locked in

https://thinkprogress.org/republicans-options-replace-roy-moore-a4dc39775bf6/

“The Republican Party does not have any options,” Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill told ThinkProgress Thursday, adding that many absentee ballots were sent out in October. “This vote is scheduled for December 12, this vote is going to occur December 12, and Roy Moore’s name is going to be on the ballot as the nominee for the United States Senate. Nothing’s going to change that.”

Only angle here is that he believes that Moore would be so toxic if he won that it would completely throw off 2018 for them.

[Guilded Lilly]

11. Yeah. It appears to be all lip service.

[onenote]

10. McConnell is in a lose-lose-lose situation

If he doesn't come out strongly, he opens himself and any other repub who doesn't join him to criticism for tolerating Moore's conduct. But by calling on Moore to drop out, he faces several possible results, none good for McConnell: Moore stays in and wins, making McConnell and others look weak and creating pressure for them to consider expelling Moore and pissing off Alabama voters; Moore stays in and loses, and the Democrats pick up the seat, with the prospect of another battle in 2020 when the seat comes up again; Moore drops out and Jones wins.

The one thing that isn't within a reasonable realm of possibility? Moore dropping out and a write in candidate (Strange) winning.

[OnDoutside]

19. Doesn't Moore's name remain on the ballot regardless ? You can bet it would split the Rep vote.

[onenote]

24. Yes, which is why there is no way for Strange to win.

If Moore quits the race, any votes cast for him (and there would be plenty) aren't counted.

[hatrack]

22. Oh, and he has to deal with the Angry Creature From Bannon Swamp in event of a loss . . . .

[Irish_Dem]

12. Exactly, he could care less about sexual victimization.

Just worried about power and money, and saving his own job. nt

[KPN]

14. Dead right!

[pbmus]

16. Unfortunately CORRECT....

[gratuitous]

17. Yup, covering his own ass right now

But if the good people of the great state of Alabama choose Roy Moore to be their Senator, well, Mitch will just find a way to be okay with that, and we'll be back to business as usual in the Senate before the first snow fall after the election.

[Doreen]

28. No offense to anyone but No Fucking Duh.