Senate GOP picks its new leaders
posted at 3:45 pm on November 18, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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The Senate Republican Caucus also met today to cast some votes, secret or not, and selected its leadership for the 111th Congress. Mitch McConnell returns as Minority Leader “by acclamation”, according to a source on Capitol Hill. Richard Lugar placed his name in nomination, seconded by Tom Coburn; he had no competition for the spot.
This makes sense to me, at least in terms of the daunting task Republicans face in the next two years. McConnell did a good job in tying Harry Reid’s hands and aggressively sought to derail the Left’s agenda. Of course, he had the help of an ever-ready filibuster and the threat of a presidential veto behind him. McConnell may have neither in the next Congress, but he’s shown toughness in the last two years that had been missing from GOP leadership in the past. He’ll need all of it in the next two years.
Jon Kyl gets the Whip spot, which should cheer conservatives. Kyl has a solid record in Congress and is known for his ability to bring people together. Is he tough enough to crack the whip as well as play good cop? We’ll see, but the selection makes sense.
John Ensign and John Thune will take over the top two spots in the Republican Policy committee. I’d prefer someone like Coburn, Jim DeMint, or Jeff Sessions, movement conservatives who can articulate clear policy alternatives, but Ensign did a good job in a very difficult year at the NRSC. Lamar Alexander as Conference Chairman is another selection I’d prefer go to a Coburn, Sessions, or DeMint.
John Cornyn will replace Ensign at the NRSC. I like this choice, for a couple of reasons. First, like McConnell, he just won re-election and won’t have the distraction of personal campaigning. Second, Cornyn has been active in putting himself out on the national stage on big issues. He’s good on television and articulate on a broad range of topics.
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Conservatives ostracized again. The GOP will never learn.
lodge on November 18, 2008 at 3:47 PM
Republican leadership is only significant if it results in actual conservative principles and ideas being brought about.
So, this is nothing to get excited about.
TheMightyQuinn on November 18, 2008 at 3:49 PM
A half dozen old white guys, who’da thunk it?
benny shakar on November 18, 2008 at 3:49 PM
Which way did these guys vote on the crap sandwich and amnesty?
FloatingRock on November 18, 2008 at 3:50 PM
Yep. That fundraising was awesome in the NRSC. Just awesome.
Only the NRSC and RNC couldn’t make hay from the democrats, you know, destroying the economy.
Ed’s rose colored glasses at it again.
Won’t matter. GOP won’t matter in washington for at least 2 years.
lorien1973 on November 18, 2008 at 3:50 PM
At least they aren’t grumpy!
lorien1973 on November 18, 2008 at 3:51 PM
Too bad we don’t have anybody “cool” … you know, like Obama … that seems to be what Voters are looking for these days.
Tony737 on November 18, 2008 at 3:52 PM
I recall McConnel is pro amnesty, pro crap sammy. Yay!
hippie_chucker on November 18, 2008 at 3:54 PM
Palin is the coolest by far…
Firebird on November 18, 2008 at 3:55 PM
Woohoo! These supposed “GOP crisis meetings” have decided we need more RINOism!
lodge on November 18, 2008 at 3:56 PM
Can we please stop with the “RINO” label crap. Every Republican is “in name only.” You can talk about conservatives in name only. Those are the ones to avoid. If there were a conservative Democrat, we should support them. It’s about ideas and ideals, not party. Oh, unless you are a blind, party-follower. In which case, I would think you’d be happy with a “Republican” no matter what their principles.
Abby Adams on November 18, 2008 at 4:01 PM
benny shakar on November 18, 2008 at 3:49 PM
Do the names Reid and Durbin mean anything to you?
gippergal1984 on November 18, 2008 at 4:08 PM
I’m holding my bet until stem cell research brings Nixon back.
Limerick on November 18, 2008 at 4:16 PM
One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result.
Albert Einstein
Romeo13 on November 18, 2008 at 4:22 PM
In principle, yes. I totally agree. But functionally. voting for a conservative democrat makes the liberals (who run the party) stronger.
lorien1973 on November 18, 2008 at 4:24 PM
Well, I hope that isn’t the standard, because that’s not happening for at least the next four years.
How about we call it a success if our leaders just obstruct the worst aspects of the liberal agenda?
paul006 on November 18, 2008 at 4:33 PM
Palin is the coolest by far… – Firebird
Well that just shows you how ‘OUT OF TOUCH’ you are with America’s values! Don’t you see? Shooting a moose and eating it is just plain old MEAN! Obama’s cool because he eats arulgala … or whatever the hell they call it! haha :-)
Tony737 on November 18, 2008 at 4:36 PM
Jon Kyl was front and center for the comprehensive immigration debacle of ‘07. This doesn’t make me cheer-this makes me want to vomit.
We need to have strong leadership, not someone who likes to bend over and “bring” people together.
HornetSting on November 18, 2008 at 5:07 PM
Unlike the democrats, we don’t just pick someone because of the color of their skin.
HornetSting on November 18, 2008 at 5:08 PM
Wrong on the amnesty part.
fossten on November 18, 2008 at 5:09 PM
Get off my lawn!
Y-not on November 18, 2008 at 5:18 PM
No, Y, it’s “You kids get off my lawn!” Said in a Dick Cheney voice. My husband and I are in our thirties and are already getting crotchety enough to yell at kids. Thank goodness we don’t have any of our own or it would get ugly.
HornetSting on November 18, 2008 at 5:22 PM
The one good thing about Alexander remaining is Sean Hackbarth will be gainfully employed for another 2 years.
steveegg on November 18, 2008 at 5:48 PM
At least Goober Lindsay Graham isn’t a part of the new GOP leadership team. That would have been a disaster.
Percy_Peabody on November 18, 2008 at 6:17 PM
A half dozen old white guys, who’da thunk it?
benny shakar on November 18, 2008 at 3:49 PM
Well, we could have had Michael Steele, but Maryland voters preferred Ben Cardin.
Steve Z on November 18, 2008 at 7:30 PM
Mitch should be relegated to a consultant position and let some conservatives take charge. He’s got some value and experience. But he’s terrible at getting a message out.
If the GOP Senate had any sense, they’d go to the extreme side of the party for as many positions as possible. That’s basically what happened when Newt took over the House in the 90s. It’s also what the Dem’s have been doing during Bush’s terms and look what it got them — back in power.
For one, if the voice of the party is moderate, the party might as well have no voice at all. They could just as easily be a moderate Democrat party… Gag me.
droofus on November 18, 2008 at 8:03 PM
Sen. Cornyn does not believe in the free market, in that he voted in favor of throwing $700-billion down the drain.
Sen. Cornyn does not believe in private property in that he thinks that the Supreme Court ruling in Kelo (seizing private property for commercial gain) was correct; that is, the good Senator wants to give his buddies $30-billion to build a boondoggle wall across the southwest (think Warsaw and Berlin), property rights be d__ned. (Even though that wall is probably the worst possible solution to securing our southern border.)
Sen. Cornyn thinks that the 50 States are merely administrative districts of the Federal Goverment, in that he believes in earmarks, too, as if he is running for city council in addition to US Senator.
Choosing someone who doesn’t believe in free markets or private property, and is anti-Federalist is a good choice? Your only criterion seems to be that he is not vulnerable for six years. That’s a pathetic basis for a leadership role.
ss396 on November 18, 2008 at 10:03 PM
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