Posted on 03/20/2010 3:12:22 PM PDT by jazusamo
As Democrats frantically tried to cobble together votes to pass their sweeping health care reform legislation Saturday, House Republicans began a victory lap of sorts.
First, in a meeting of the House Republican Conference, the GOP’s leadership rallied the troops with flourishing rhetoric about regaining the majority in the fall.
“I don’t know, quite frankly, whether victory will come on the third Sunday in March or on the first Tuesday in November, but victory will come,” House Republican Conference leader Mike Pence of Indiana told Republicans Saturday afternoon.
And when they emerged from the room to speak to the media and a crush of video cameras, House Republican leaders were met by a boisterous crowd of citizens screaming “kill the bill” and nodding in unison to their promises to continue the fight to derail the legislation.
Saturday’s schedule gives an idea of how confident Republicans are feeling. Republicans opened up their closed conference meeting to television cameras and reporters, GOP lawmakers were hosting telephone town halls in Democratic swing districts and Republicans were whipping undecided Democrats to vote against the legislation they’ve been wrangling over for more than a year.
This all comes after a week where House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio gave a series of interviews expressing confidence that Republicans could take back the House in November.
“There are more activities going on than you would see in a normal campaign,” Boehner told reporters.
Boehner, who helped orchestrate the 1994 GOP takeover of the House, was somewhat of a rock star Saturday. He ditched his black SUV for a trip back from the Cannon House Office building to the Capitol, crossing Independence Avenue on foot to waves of cheers. He posed for a photo – the unfortunate gentleman’s camera was full – and even kissed a woman on a motorized scooter.
Perhaps the most stunning – and unscripted – moment for Republicans came when they emerged from their conference meeting to a stakeout point that’s typically filled with a handful of Capitol Hill reporters. Roughly 100 citizens gathered in the Cannon rotunda – held back by Capitol Police officers – cheering the GOP’s leadership.
The rhetoric was hardly new – Republicans rehashed many of the same lines they’ve been using for about a year. But judging by the crowd’s response, it seemed as if the party’s leadership had spontaneously topped Shakespeare.
“It’s important that they understand that its not the president’s House, that it’s not the speaker’s House, that it’s the people’s House, and this weekend House Republicans will stand with the American people and do everything in our power to defend their freedom and bring about health care reform that gives them more freedom and not more government,” Pence said to cheers.
Even Rep. Paul Ryan, the wonky top Republican on the Budget committee, got his moment.
“They don’t now have the votes for it and I sure hope they won’t,” he said.
They struck a populist tone, much to the delight of the crowd. Boehner said he was trying to coax House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to force her members to go to the floor and before "God, their countrymen and their constituents," and unveil how they would vote.
“I thank all of the Americans that have come here to join us in this fight – the fight is nearing an end, but if we continue to work hard and listen to the American people, we can defeat this bill,” House Minority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia said.
Perhaps he was feeling the energy from the crowd, but less than an hour after he told his conference that they couldn’t stop the bill, even calling Sunday Armegeddon, Boehner had a new message for the crowd gathered in the Cannon Rotunda.
“This health care bill would ruin our country,” he said. “It’s time to stop it.”
One person in the crowd responded, “That’s right.”
Keep that up! Thats great! I Love Your Sentimments! Oh! and by the way, I just signed on with OBOZO’S Team! You know! One of those offers No Rat Critter can turn down!....../s/
You nailed it with that post.
We can exhale, shower, but then we simply need to put on new boxing gloves because this ain’t over even if we win tomorrow.
I don’t really give a damn whether Republicans win or not. I care about the future of this country.
Frightening.
Could be a rough weekend for Obama. He predicted Kansas to win the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, but they were upset today by Northern Iowa (lol).
Rome. See the link in the post.
Please let me know who you believe to be a “strong conservative” who is not associated strongly with the GOP!
Ron Paul? LOL... though supposedly GOP, he is one of the most laughable of all “strong conservatives”. I would much rather have Romney - at least I know he is concerned about the defense of the US, and honest fiscal conservatism!
If not Ron Paul, who are you talking about who will be strong voice for conservatism?
There are quite a few fairly good conservatives in the House and the Senate who are in the GOP. I know of none - exactly zero - who are with the Dems and are reliable conservatives.
Please let me know who you believe fills your “in November I will be doing whatever it takes to make sure CONSERVATIVES win. I care not what party they belong to.” if not someone in the GOP! I will be sure to promote them!
The Congress can starve this beast until 2013, when full repeal is possible.
I’m optimistic about November but I don’t think we’ll get 2/3rds in the Senate to override a veto.
I hear you and agree, but we’re seeing what happens right now when the RATS are running the show.
You are either a defeatist or you are subtly trying to sabotage the effort. (Who really knows on the internet?) I am fighting to the bitter end.
You are just like Obama. Blame everything on Bush.
Get off your butt and get in the fight.
W. was a liberal? how’d you like those Roberts and Alito picks, tax cuts and war on terror? open your eyes...
Romney is a no-go for me due to Romneycare. He hatched the obamacare plan four years ago and it’s been an unmitigated disaster in MA.
So no, I won’t support Romney unless I have no other option.
This Jazz1968 and his ilk are just trying to divide the conservatives by turning them against the GOP so that the democrats can win and so then democrats/marxists can turn the U.S.A into a socialist state quicker. They do it all for their religion of marxism/socialism and their god , the state.
Yes, it was Bush's policies and his tilt to the left that led us to Obama. I've said such for over the last year and got trashed for it.
And to all you that don't like reading this - remember: Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.
The Tea Party movement is all about finding candidates and supporting them who are NOT like Bush, McCain, Graham, etc.
If we continue to pretend that Bush did not lead us to Obama we are doomed to accept another one like him.
Well, let’s all follow your plan and all stand strongly behind another RINO like McCain.
BECAUSE THAT SURE WORKED WELL, DIDN’T IT!!??
By the way, I didn’t say I wouldn’t vote for a Rep.
I said I wouldn’t vote for someone just because they are a Rep.
NO MORE RINOs.
I know. When I saw that I said noooooooooooooo!!!!!! I had Kansas winning! Not the kiss of death!
Absolutely correct.
It is FRIGHTENING to me that there are still freepers who do not know that there is a difference between conservative and GOP.
I’ll vote for ANYONE who is a conservative, whether that is a Rep, a Dem, an Independent, or Tea Bag Party.
I will no longer throw my votes away on RINOs.
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