'Go ahead blow yourself up': James Carville calls Mitch McConnell's bluff after filibuster tantrum
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville characterized Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's recent threat about the filibuster as akin to a hostage crisis and is calling his bluff.
McConnell did a floor speech this past weekend threatening Democrats that if they eliminated the filibuster that he and the GOP would implement a "scorched Earth" response by trying to pass bills that Americans overwhelmingly oppose.
McConnell promised that Republicans would "use every other rule" to obstruct the Democratic agenda should the majority vote to nuke the filibuster. He claimed the GOP would take the first opportunity they get to "erase" every Democratic achievement and push through right-wing policies like the "nationwide right-to-work" and "defunding Planned Parenthood."
Ironically, Republicans have made threats similar to this for decades. Their main campaign point since 2010 was that they would "repeal and replace" Obamacare once they regained power. However, when they did, they not only couldn't overturn Obamacare, they also never developed a replacement health care plan and they infuriated Americans who like healthcare while doing it.
When speaking to MSNBC's Ari Melber, Carville called McConnell's bluff.
"If you listen to what he said: 'If you dare do this, we're going to get in and do five highly unpopular things,'" Carville said, paraphrasing McConnell. "Look at the things that he laid out. I don't think a single one of them polled 30 percent. So, the country is going to be held hostage at a time of maximum need, at a time where we need to get relief, where we really need to do things to help ordinary people to say, 'If you are going to do this, we are going to blow ourselves up in front of 'em!' Well, good. Go ahead and blow yourself up. But the thing that he listed, I was looking, I just started chuckling."
Carville went on to say that McConnell is trying to threaten "if you do this, we'll take it out on you."
"Well, okay, take it out on us," Carville responded, calling the bluff. "We'll take your five issues to the polls and we'll go toe to toe, head to head with you. But it was really significant what he said after that. And I don't -- you know, I don't think the country wants to be held hostage by Mitch McConnell. We saw what he did to President Obama, to Merrick Garland. I don't think the Democrats should be afraid of this in the least. I think they should embrace this argument, they should go around and talk about all the things that Mitch McConnell wants to do. He doesn't want to get COVID relief to people. He doesn't want to tax the rich. He doesn't want to do anything about climate. All he wants to do is do this. I think if you do that, you will end up with a much better result than that. I think he was smart to put that on TV and see exactly what he's talking about he's gonna do if you don't give me what I want. So, bring it on. Bring it on, dude. Hook it up."
See the video below:
Leave a Comment
Related Post