Mitch McConnell hires Jesse Benton to run his 2014 re-election bid

[No1butPaul]

I haven't had time to read the thread ... did anyone else throw up, or am I the first?

 

[crhoades]

After the GOP loses in nov. they are going to reinvent themselves as the liberty party. Maybe neocons are out and are switching back to the dems.

 

[orenbus]

I don't know my gut feeling is this is wrong. I understand the logic, but if the reasons some are making here are the correct ones, in the minds of some it's a dangerous game. If the liberty movement is growing in Kentucky we could be missing out on another opportunity to have a second liberty minded senator from Kentucky, instead of possibly in the end gaining nothing from this.

"There's a story I heard as a child, a parable, and I never forgot it.

A scorpion was walking along the bank of a river, wondering how to get to the other side. Suddenly, he saw a fox. He asked the fox to take him on his back across the river. The fox said 'No. If I do that, you'll sting me and I'll drown.' The scorpion assured him, 'If I did that, we'd both drown.'

So, the fox thought about it, and finally agreed. So, the scorpion climbed up on his back, and the fox began to swim, but halfway across the river, the scorpion stung him.

As the poison filled his veins, the fox turned to the scorpion and said, 'Why did you do that? Now you'll drown too.' 'I couldn't help it,' said the scorpion, 'it's my nature'."

 

[georgiaboy]

Anyone know off-hand which budget plan Mitch co-sponsored? Paul Ryan's or Rand Paul's? Has Mitch co-sponsored or signed on to any of Rand's legislation?

Where does Mitch stand w/regard to Rand's calls regarding defunding Libya or Pakistan?

 

[BamaFanNKy]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...connell-and-rand-paul-together-again/?print=1

 

[CableNewsJunkie]

I see a lot of knee-jerk reactionary statements here.

The political reality is that we must pick our battles. Furthermore, we don't have a printing press to fund our campaigns.

A move like this helps to legitimize our movement in the minds of people who were on the sidelines or who think we're all a bunch of nuts. It's the type of move that makes it harder to label us 'domestic extremists' or whathaveyou.

Dr. Paul made us aware that people in D.C. can be very 'political' if they sense the winds shifting - this is a prime example.

But all that being said, we still need to make Mitch work for the win. Even insincere rhetoric from a prominent figure can help to wake up more people. Our goal should be to force Mitch to embrace our rhetoric.

 

[TomtheTinker]

To bad Rand willl endorse McConnell....doesnt make Jesse evil..just means hes a camp manager.

I nvr liked Benton much and really never saw what he Brought to the table except a stick of chewing gum...hope Rand doesnt use hime in16 cause I wont donate money or time to anything run by him.

even if Jesse was good at organizing grass roots(hes not) McConnell has no grassroots to organize...mind boggling

 

[specsaregood]

You ever get the feeling some people in this movement are like dogs chasing cars and they don't know what to do once they catch up with it?

What I don't understand is all the people that hate Jesse, that want him out of our "movement" then getting upset when Jesse moves out of the center of so called movement. Shouldn't they be happy about this?

 

[orenbus]

After the GOP loses in nov. they are going to reinvent themselves as the liberty party. Maybe neocons are out and are switching back to the dems.

Libertarians
In
Name
Only

 

[cajuncocoa]

Maybe ol' Mitch really is a liberty candidate in disguise. Maybe he was just playing the game all those years. He was probably just telling the establishment what they wanted to hear. Now we've got 'em right where we want 'em.

 

[The Gold Standard]

You don't see McConnell as an opposition element to the liberty movement? Really? Did I walk into Bizarro world or something?

No, he has an R next to his name.

 

[orenbus]

No, he has an R next to his name.

So does Romney, doesn't mean I'm going to vote for him, support him or work with his campaign.

edit: nvm I'm assuming you were being sarcastic.

 

[newbitech]

Jesse Benton, "I have decided to focus on electoral politics instead of grassroots organizing, so I am going to join the McConnell re-election campaign where the electoral part is all but sewn up and help him with his unsavory grassroots appeal instead."

I think i know where the mixed messages were coming from in Dr. Paul's campaign now.

 

[The Gold Standard]

Sorry, how is hiring Jesse Benton helping our cause? My view at the moment is that this is a direct play to co-opt our cause.

Benton has been in their back pocket all along. He wasn't incompetent running Ron's campaign, he was deliberately destroying it.

 

[The Gold Standard]

So does Romney, doesn't mean I'm going to vote for him, support him or work with his campaign.

I'm just explaining to you why some are voicing their support for McConnell and Benton here. They obey their party first.

 

[angelatc]

You guys from out of state do not see what is going on in Kentucky. The liberty movement is getting stronger, not weaker. I see this as a good move.

Yes, I think it's pre-emptive.

 

[CaptLouAlbano]

What I don't understand is all the people that hate Jesse, that want him out of our "movement" then getting upset when Jesse moves out of the center of so called movement. Shouldn't they be happy about this?

I think for some it is the "third party" mindset that they bring to all this. If one has never been actively involved in partisan politics they do not understand what it takes to build coalitions and make small and steady gains. That is why every news story on here is filled with knee-jerk reactions.

Rand endorsed Romney = Rand has sold out
Audit the Fed is in the platform = the establishment has co-opted the issue
A gold commission is in the platform = the establishment wants to control the gold
Benton leaves C4L = he was fired
Benton gets a job with McConnell = Benton has sold out
DeMint & Lee speak at LPAC = LPAC is being co-opted

The list goes on and on. But I think the point was made. Honestly, and this is not meant to offend anyone, but I think some are better off in the LP or CP where they can surround themselves entirely with people that agree with them 100%.

 

[belian78]

OMG SOMEONE SERIOUSLY RUN AGAINST MITCH MCCONNELL FOR HIS SEAT IN 2014 I WILL WORK FOR FREE TO MAKE SURE A LIBERTY CANDIDATE WINS HIS SEAT AND BEATS BENTON AT THE SAME TIME SERIOUSLY.

Didn't I call it, just yesterday? LOL Better wisk this off to HT, Sailing.

 

[angelatc]

Our goal should be to force Mitch to embrace our rhetoric.

I don't care about rhetoric. Our goal should be to force Mitch to retire, and get somebody in there who will vote with us.

 

[orenbus]

You hit the nail right on the head here. Incumbents are very difficult to defeat, particularly a high ranking one like McConnell. If he did have a primary challenge, it would be like throwing money down the toilet because the chances of defeating him in a primary are next to nil. I think that some folks here don't understand political strategy.

If that's true and McConnell has nothing to worry about then why even pretend to extend interest in the tea party or seem to want to win favorability points as some here suggest by hiring Benton?