Posted on 01/01/2010 7:09:08 AM PST by Born Conservative
Democratic U.S. Rep. Chris Carney said Tuesday he never did anything to encourage a national Republican committee's overtures last week to get him to switch parties.
"No, not at all," Carney said. "Certainly not." The request was all the Republicans' idea, Carney said.
The overtures included phone calls to Carney two days before Christmas by Arizona Sen. John McCain, the office of Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican and close friend of McCain, and Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. The NRCC supports the party's House candidates.
"I'm definitely not switching," Carney said.
His statement was more definitive than a statement issued by his office last Wednesday. The statement quoted him saying he had "no plans to change parties."
Carney, a Naval Reserve commander, said Republicans probably chose McCain, a former Navy admiral, to call him because of the Navy connection.
"There may be something there," he said. "They see that I vote fairly often very moderately and on issues of national security I will vote against my committee chair and things like that. And they felt that 'Perhaps Carney is one we could get.'"
Carney said he was in his Clarks Summit congressional office when Sessions called his private cell phone. As he listened to Sessions' pitch to switch, McCain called the cell phone and left a message, which he returned. Graham's office left a message, too. Carney said he never returned Graham's call and never heard again from his office.
"I was very surprised that within an hour, hour and a half of the phone call (from McCain) that there was a breaking story nationally," he said.
At the time, national Republicans were mounting a push on Democratic congressmen they might woo into switching.
The call came two days after Republican Snyder County Commissioner Malcolm Derk announced he would run for the seat and days after NRCC officials met with former U.S. Attorney Tom Marino, who is considering a run.
Carney said he found the timing "interesting," but deflected a question about whether Republicans are struggling to find a legitimate candidate to challenge him.
"I'm not sure if that's the case or not," he said. "I take every challenge seriously. So no matter who announces and who runs, we're going to work very, very hard to represent the people of the 10th district and we'll do so in a bipartisan way."
Earlier efforts to reach an NRCC spokesman were unsuccessful.
Rahm showed him the photos!
The Demmed, musta really *bedazzled* him in the last week or so..... >Bo)
What do you suppose, is the rate of inflation on 30 pieces of silver over the last 2,000 years?
Is this an attempt by RINOs to solidify their power by pulling more RINOs into the GOP?
CORRECTION: 1,967 years.
CORRECTION AGAIN: 1,977 years! %oP
ping.
Why would the Republican Party want another RHINO??
I think it's fine the GOP is seeking conversions but shouldn't it be done discretely?
“Why would the Republican Party want another RHINO??”
To drive out the rest of the conservatives.
Remember, McCain is the guy who considered changing his tag to “D” not too many years ago. But why bother when you can destroy the GOP instead.
I think it’s fine the GOP is seeking conversions but shouldn’t it be done discretely?
###
I think someone should discretely ask McCain and Graham to switch to the GOP.
“Carney, a Naval Reserve commander, said Republicans probably chose McCain, a former Navy admiral, to call him because of the Navy connection.”
Senator John McCain was a Navy CAPTAIN. Who made this HUGE mistake in rank, Carney or the reporter?
Big bump up in rank there.
“Senator John McCain was a Navy CAPTAIN. Who made this HUGE mistake in rank, Carney or the reporter”?
...probably the reporter. Time to paint McCain as even more than he is because he helps the dems so much! ~sarc
Fine. Then just vote the MF out next November. Son’t need another RINO in the party anyway.
The man is a political disgrace!!
Below is from George Washingtons Farewell Address!
Warns against the party system.
It serves to distract the Public Councils, and
enfeeble the Public Administration.... agitates
the Community with ill-founded jealousies and
false alarms; kindles the animosity of one....
against another....
it opens the door to foreign influence and corruption.
thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected
to the policy and will of another.
HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!
True!
Oh yes. Admiral McCain. Didn't his aircraft carrier get shot down over Vietnam or something?
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