Huffington Post:In an appearance on "Fox News Sunday," the Kentucky Republican largely dismissed the bile seen this past week at the health care forums held by Democratic lawmakers. But when pressed to weigh in more fully on the matter, he deemed it evidence that his side was winning the debate.
"Look, I don't think either side ought to be trying to engage in disrupting meetings, either the Democratic side or the Republican side," McConnell said. "We ought to focus on the issue. And to demonize citizens who are energetic about this strikes me as demonstrating a kind of weakness in your position. In other words, you want to change the subject. Rather than talk about the half-a-trillion dollars in Medicare cuts, let's talk about somebody, in some town meeting, who misbehaved. That strikes me as missing the point."
The hypocrisy here is stunning. The town hall mobs are repeating Republican talking points -- none of which are true -- and are trying to force Democrats into defending a strawman bill. They aren't talking about any of the actual provisions in the proposed bills, just crap they've heard from talk radio and FOX News. You've got people talking about how government's going to kill their grandma and Sarah Palin's baby. You've got people accusing the White House of keeping an enemies list. You've got people claiming that health care reform will force everyone into a government-run plan. Hell, you've got people arguing that it'll force people to pay for sex change operations.
I'm sorry, who wants "to change the subject" again?
Steve Benen had a good point on this issue a few days ago. I quoted it once before, but it's a point that bears repeating.
"Republicans on the Hill and the Republicans in the base seem to be operating under a bizarre assumption: he who throws the biggest tantrum wins," he wrote. "It's no way for a political system to operate." It seems an especially apt point here, with McConnell saying that a nationwide wingnut tantrum shows that Republicans are winning.
