Posted on 11/16/2010 3:32:14 PM PST by Qbert
After ripping Sarah Palin, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski isn’t mincing words about another one of her high-profile GOP critics: South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint.
“I think some of the Republicans in the Congress feel pretty strongly that he and his actions potentially cost us the majority by encouraging candidates that ended up not being electable,” Murkowski told POLITICO outside her Senate office. “And I think Delaware is a pretty good example of that, and I think there’re some folks that feel that DeMint’s actions didn’t necessarily help the Republican majority.”
Murkowski suggested the South Carolina conservative and favorite of the tea party seemed more interested in bolstering his own political standing rather than that of the Republican Party.
“So the real question is, what’s his desire?” she said. “Does he want to help the Republican majority, or is he on his own agenda, his own initiative?”
Asked what she believed the answer was, Murkowksi said: “I think he’s out for his own initiative.”
With ballots still being counted in Alaska, Murkowksi’s assessment comes on the cusp of an improbable victory following her write-in campaign, which appears to have knocked off Republican Joe Miller, the tea party darling who defeated her in the party’s primary. After Miller won his primary, DeMint backed his candidacy – and sharply attacked Murkowski.
DeMint’s political action committee paid for a TV and radio campaign in Alaska that attacked Murkowski for maintaining an “extreme … pro-abortion” position, saying she backed using federal tax dollars to pay for abortion. DeMint stepped up his attacks against Murkowski, calling her “a party switcher” and saying that the Republican establishment had effectively protected her by not stripping her from her leadership spot on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Asked about his attacks on Murkowski, DeMint said it was all part of the campaign season and that he was ready to move on.
“That’s behind us,” DeMint told POLITICO. “If she wins, which it appears she will, I’m going to congratulate her and welcome her back. But I didn’t like the idea of a member losing the primary and then running against our nominee. But that’s all done now.”
On CNN last week, Murkowski said that DeMint had “some making up to do,” saying that she would “let him make that first move.”
Asked if he’d apologize for his attacks, DeMint said: “I think that’s what we do against opponents of nominees,” referring to the attack ads. “But that’s part of the battle, and she’ll come back and hopefully caucus with Republicans. And I look forward to working with her.”
A DeMint spokesman declined to weigh in further on Murkowski’s comments. The back-and-forth speaks to the lingering tension between the purist conservative wing of the Republican Party and the Washington establishment over whether the party’s vicious primary season ended any chance of the party to win Senate seats in Delaware, Nevada and Colorado.
Moreover, critics say by nominating tea party favorites in states like Kentucky, the party was forced to spend precious resources that they could have spent in other closely contested races – and now Democrats will maintain a 53-47 majority in the Senate.
DeMint, who saw his national profile grow by taking on GOP leaders’ preferred candidates, had mixed results this election season, seeing his primary endorsements win in states like Florida, but fall short in Delaware and Colorado.
As she’s returned to the Capitol this week, Murkowski began the process of soothing tensions with her party’s leadership.
Before lunching with her colleagues, she met with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has assured her she would keep her ranking position on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, she told reporters. And she withheld her fire against the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which pumped big bucks into TV ads to help Miller and sent out fundraising solicitations to help Miller’s legal efforts in Alaska.
But she didn’t pull her punches about her long-time rival Palin, the former Alaska governor, who attacked Murkowski during the campaign.
Asked about Palin’s presidential prospects, Murkowski told CBS’ Katie Couric on Monday: “I just do not think that she has those leadership qualities, that intellectual curiosity that allows for building good and great policies.”
Yes, Demint did cost her true party control of the House. The Senate is still in the hands of the party who holds her true allegiance.
What is this “us” crap, Murkowski? You got a mouse in your pocket?
Lisa needs to be reminded of the old saying, “better to be silent and thought a fool, than to speak an erase all doubt”. Actually, all elected officials should remember that. In the age of Youtube, idiotic utterances don’t disappear.
I daresay that DeMint gives conservatives and other rational beings hope, some thing the RNC and other CINOs do not.
And she belongs to what party? What a crock. I couldn’t win, but I deserve the seat anyway.........
“I think some of the Republicans in the Congress feel pretty strongly that he and his actions potentially cost us the majority by encouraging candidates that ended up not being electable...”
I pray the balance of the votes don’t go her way ...
Screw off Lisa.
The Arrogant Ugly RINO Witch is awful close to loosing after all of her Rotten Tricks and Voter Fraud! Let’s keep Praying she will be kicked out on her ugly Butt!
This obnoxious wench botched her primary, then refused to accept the fact that she lost. She is a prime example of the ruling class Republican that Rush has castigated.
Ten years ago, who would have thought that the war between the old guard and the reformers in the Republican party would be led by two Alaskan women?
If the GOP is going to be represented by people like Murkowski, it doesn’t deserve a majority.
I am getting the impression that she must think she is the Democrats last and ultimate weapon against the Tea Party and Sarah Palin.
I think the Senate will make a decision regarding her future, she is creating a National Security issue far beyond just the state of Alaska.
She is despicable, no doubt about it. Without her obviously Joe Miller would have won easily. She’s wrong about Buck in Colorado and Angle in Nevada; both could have won if not for stupid, self-inflicted wounds.
She’s probably right about Delaware though.
Is there a fund started yet to remove her from office if she wins?
What does she mean “us?”
Unless she’s talking about Independents...
Translatiom. DeMent cost me my Pork.
What do you mean by ‘we’, Kemosabe?
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