(Senate Majority Leader) Reid plays national security card on GOP

[sabra]

Source: The Hill

Senate Majority Leader Reid flipped a traditional GOP line of attack back on Republicans Tuesday by accusing them of endangering national security.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) accused Republicans Tuesday of endangering national security, flipping a traditional GOP line of attack.

Reid in a floor speech accused Senate Republicans of making the nation more vulnerable to attack by blocking nominees to key security posts.

Important intelligence posts were empty when a Umar Farouk Abdulmatallab, a Nigerian terrorist, attempted to bomb a Detroit-bound jetliner on Christmas Day, Reid said.

“When he tried to blow up that plane, the top positions of both intelligence agencies within the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security were empty. Why? Because Republican senators refuse to let this body hold a vote on these highly capable people the president has asked to serve in these roles,” Reid said.

Reid also noted that Republicans had prevented the Senate from confirming a permanent boss at the Transportation Security Administration, the agency in charge of airline safety.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/79233-reid-plays-national-security-card-on-balky-republicans

[Jennicut]

1. The Rethugs care very little about the security of this country.

They just want to obstruct Obama at any cost.

[bdamomma]

13. the repigs just do not care about working with this President.

[Name removed]

56. Deleted message

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[beltanefauve]

25. Indeed.

Republicans don't care about this country at all. They only care about themselves.

[lark]

39. Republicans care a lot about power

getting it and keeping it is their only aim. They don't give a damn about working people, we can't contribute enough to keep them in power.

[Name removed]

52. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

57. Deleted message

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[quakerboy]

55. And its vital to call them out on it

Loudly, publicly, and often.

[Enthusiast]

65. They pray for an attack.

And that is a fact.

[SpiralHawk]

2. "Sqwaaaaak." - Republicon Chickenhawk 'leadership'

[northofdenali]

51. Pretty, pretty bird! n/t

[PDJane]

3. Republicans want power.........

That's all, she wrote.

They don't care for people or the good of the country or the children that are the future or the adults that built the country in the past. They just want political power. So, they'll lie and manipulate and piss and moan and whine and play the 'lefty' card as much as they can.

Frankly, the country needs more of the lefty variety.

[onehandle]

4. 50+Biden

Ignore them. Go to reconciliation on everything.

[No Elephants]

61. Are you sure 50 members of the Democratic Caucus will vote together? I'm not.

[blueworld]

5. Eureka! Reid plumped his raisins!

It may not work, but way to go Harry!

[No Elephants]

63. Yes, yes, we get it. Testicles = courage and strength. Pussy = cowardice and weakness.

very clever.

[blueworld]

67. Whatever you get, make sure it has more fiber. You need an attitude adjustment. n/t

[Plucketeer]

6. At least it's not another woeful plea for bipartisanship!

Just dump the hot coffee right in their laps! :evilgrin:

[groundloop]

7. Way to go Harry

Now keep it up. Make sure America knows "the rest of the story".

[SoapBox]

9. and the rest of the Demos need to run with it...

And if the rest of the jellyfish Dems would find a spine and run with this exact topic.

*sigh*

But I'm sure that the BlueDumbs and the Spineless will simply HIDE!

[customerserviceguy]

31. I'm not optimistic it will work

Basically, Harry Reid's argument is that because a couple of national security bureaucracies didn't have official "heads" yet, the underwear bomber almost got away with killing hundreds of Americans.

I don't think that's gonna fly.

[Catshrink]

8. You mean Harry grew a one of these?

[louis-t]

10. Hopefully, Dems will add the cervical

AND the lumbar.

[bdamomma]

14. I guess that's what happens when you throw a repig in Teddys ole seat.

[JoePhilly]

15. A YAM-SACK might be an equally approproate image

[sinkingfeeling]

11. Why didn't President Obama act like G.W. and appoint those people over the recess?

[Catshrink]

18. Because he's trying to be bipartisan.

:rofl: on how well that's working out.

[Jester Messiah]

44. Because he actually respects our laws and institutions?

Just a hunch...

[No Elephants]

64. Constitutionally questionable.

[Beavker]

12. Will the rest of America hear this?

That's my question. Will the MSM put this out? Will anyone other than our left leaning blogs ever get this? I would hope so. But blocking these people is just something that the average Joe Independent doesn't really know anything about. Obama mentioned all the blocking in his SOTU address, and thinking of my mom, and grandparents who really aren't that well versed in politics as I think a lot of America is not, I just kept thinking, "How many people really know how the process works, or even what is going on at all?"

Do they realize how much time is frittered away on bullshit basically?

[tblue]

21. True. Dems need to dumb it down and repeat it often.

Take a page right out of Luntz and Rove, except our guys can just state the freaking truth. Give 'em hell, Harry, for once in your life. Fight for your job and make your Dems fight, too! Have a little righteous audacity!

[Duval]

35. I'll be very surprised if we hear

anything about this, except Keith or Rachel on MSNBC. Our MSM has not been doing its job since Bush was selected, perhaps even before. If We the People can rescue our news from the Corporate owners, your Mom and Grandparents will be better informed.:)

[zbdent]

49. the "liberally biased" MSM will be focusing on Harry Reid

"lying" about his racial equality work ...

[GreenTea]

16. Reid is correct - The republicans don't care about our national security, NEVER have,

Republicans only care about partisan politics and if national security is threatened...it just means more wars & profit for their beloved corporations. Republicans have zero, none, no patriotism...it's all about lies to create more profits!

[guyton]

17. "Republicans had prevented" ...

Can someone smarten up a chump?

Just how can a minority member block something like this? It's not exactly a fillibuster-worthy event. Can any member on a committee keep it from a floor vote? I can see how the chairman of a committee could block it, but a normal member?

If so, the senate rules are obscene.

[Deep13]

19. I guess the Senate D.s received that spine delivery. nt

[Atman]

20. But...but...but...THE REPUBLICANS ARE KEEPING SAFE FROM...

...the evil UNIONS!

[JohnWxy]

22. GOOD FOR REID. Show Emmanuel how to do it. Appeasement does not work with zealots

“When he tried to blow up that plane, the top positions of both intelligence agencies within the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security were empty. Why? Because Republican senators refuse to let this body hold a vote on these highly capable people the president has asked to serve in these roles,” Reid said.

Reid also noted that Republicans had prevented the Senate from confirming a permanent boss at the Transportation Security Administration, the agency in charge of airline safety.


I'm going to email Reid and WH complimenting him and telling Obama to have Emmanuel tag along with Reid a little bit. Maybe he can grow some balls.

[EFerrari]

23. Good going, Senator Reid!

Haha!

[AllyCat]

24. Um, so this means Reid has one or two vertebrae? But I wonder

why he is blaming the 'cons for refusing to allow a vote on these positions. Aren't they the MINORITY party?

[Arkana]

28. Senators can place holds on any nominees for federal posts they deem

"unsatisfactory".

The GOP has abused this power with President Obama, so Reid is in the right to blame them.

[AllyCat]

62. Thanks!

[on point]

26. OMG! Harry grows a spine!!

[penndragon69]

27. Finally

Harry rips them a big one instead of hiding under his desk.
A sign of things to come, perhaps?

[old mark]

29. What happened to Harry Reid? He must have been readin g some of the angry email he got

from DUers....

You go, Harry!


mark

[FailureToCommunicate]

30. 'Give 'em Heck Harry' is like Punxsutawney Phil: You never know what he'll say when he pops up!

But good for him this time.

[Juan_de_la_Dem]

32. Need a bunch more of this.

[pinto]

33. Yep. Good call, Sen. Reid.

:kick:

[SleeplessinSoCal]

34. What is FNC ("news" for people who can't handle the truth) saying about this?

[nikto]

36. The GOP's dearest wish is for the United States to be attacked by terrorists AGAIN!!

Then they can blame the Dems for what they THEMSELVES made posible!

That is their plan.
As sure as the sun rises.

There can be no sensible disgreement with this.
Statements by loosed-lip GOP leaders themselves indicate this.

EVERYTHING the GOP does & says in the Nat'l Security area tries to get us to that point.

The GOP WANTS the death of 1000s of Americans--So it can HELP THEM POLITICALLY!!!!

The GOP are truly scum who wish harm upon Americans.
They are a domestic terror squad, hard at work INSIDE OUR GOVERNMENT!

[lark]

40. Yep, and if no attack happens,

They can just invent anohter one like they did on 9/11. Nothing will ever shake my belief that this was done with the full knowledge of George and Dick, heck they might even have helped plan it. I know Dick facilitated all our planes being "down" that day so the attacks would not be interrupted.

[Tumbulu]

37. Good- keep at it!!!!! (nt)

[alp227]

38. Reid's right; just look what Republicans say about Gitmo and the KSM trial

Big example: Rudy Giuliani's flip-flopping on terrorism trials in NYC. There have been successfully prosecuted terrorist trials in NYC during both the Clinton (1993 WTC bombers) and Bush Jr. (Zacarias Moussaoui) administrations.

(What, I spelled ZM's name right on my first try? :rofl:)

And...Republicans underfunding national security branches in the name of "limited government".

[Jefferson23]

41. That's right Harry, they SUCK and have for a very long time.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

42. One Problem, Harry.

When you weakly, belatedly, and half heartedly claim, "Oh, they may be endangering national security" it would help if the GOP were listening to you. But they are not. And frankly, any criticism about their truculent behavior does not phase them in the least. THEY DON'T CARE. Besides, their ever smaller base only gets its news from comic strips (except doonesbury) and Fox News (which is hardly different from most comic strips) so they will never hear of this criticism.

[Suji to Seoul]

43. That's not cancer, Harry. . .that's a spine and testicles

Don't worry, you'll lose them fast.

[Blue Owl]

45. Harry, you've got so much material to lambaste GOP with...

Now freakin' USE it, why don't ya?!

[deacon]

46. The GOP is worst in matters of national security. n/t

[earcandle]

47. So why not start doing the reconciliation thing? Regularly.

[Incitatus]

48. good start, now force them to do a real filibuster

[Hosnon]

50. "Dems soft on terror"

Subheading: "Says GOP leader"

That is how the headline would read if it were the other way around. Instead, we're just playing the "card".

[Barbara2423]

53. Start Naming Names

[SlingBlade]

54. Great. But I'd rather see him play a baseball bat over the

heads of Re-Pukes, Blue Dogs and LIEberman in particular.

OK. Back to reality.

[donheld]

58. Why doesn't Obama make Recess appointments?

[NBachers]

59. Those Nevada polls lookin' a little shaky, Harry?

What, you mean they actually want a real Democrat?

"Why didn't someone tell me this sooner?" says Harry

[No Elephants]

60. "Plays national security card?" If Reid were a Republican, the Hill's headline would be

"Reid exposes national security dangers posed by Congressional Democrats."

But, since he's a Democrat, he's playing a card. This is the flip side of the boyish prank/caper the "investigative journalist" pulled at Landrieu's office.

Was journalism ever ethical, or was that only a myth?

[Enthusiast]

66. The upper hand the GOP

has with the media is killing us.

If they mention it on C-Span's Washington Journal this morning I fully expect the host to read highlighted GOP remarks in the WSJ critical of Democrat weakness on the threat of terrorism.

It's like that one every News outlet, all day, every day.

[classysassy]

68. The party of poison

those bastards love war,hate peace,hate healthcare,hate blacks,hate chavez,hate democrats,those bastards are poison.