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Bill Kristol pretends the Republicans ever had any desire for bipartisanship and recites the tired old talking point that there was no outreach to Republicans on the stimulus bill, even though the bill included tax cuts put in to appease Republicans. And as our own Jon Perr noted this week, the Republicans have absolutely no desire for bipartisanship.

So what does Bill Kristol turn to as proof that the Republicans care about bipartisanship? They supported the troop surge in Afghanistan. What a great example Bill -- being willing to send more troops for cannon fodder. I guess Bill forgot about their recent stunt where they were willing to delay defense spending to hold up the health care bill.

WALLACE: Bill, do you think Republicans bear any responsibility for the -- I must say, I think the tone of this town is as bad, if not worse, than ever. Do Republicans bear any responsibility? Or is this all on the president?

KRISTOL: I think it's mostly on him and on his top aides, Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod. And it goes back to the stimulus. They could have had -- believe me, they could have split the Republican Party and they could have split conservatives on the stimulus. Everyone agreed the government had to do something.

I would have supported a moderate stimulus. And you know, 25 -- when I talked to Mitch McConnell before the year began, I said, "What do you expect to happen in the stimulus?" He said, "I assume Obama will get 80 votes. The country's -- the economy's falling off a cliff. We're not going to stand in the way of a package of tax cuts and infrastructure improvements if it's reasonable."

He let Pelosi and Reid and the Democratic Congress write the stimulus package. It made it easy for Republicans to oppose it. As Laura correctly says, Republicans feel they were right to oppose it substantively, and they certainly haven't paid a price politically.

I think that was the sort of the mistake he made at the beginning that made it very easy for Republicans to decide both substantively and politically it's right to oppose Obama.

But Republicans have been bipartisan. What have they supported the president on? On Afghanistan, one of his toughest decisions, increasing troops there. And Republicans, to their credit, have not played politics with that and have supported him.

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37 Comments
Laval66's picture

They did play politics when it came to funding the Dept. of Defense (which, believe it or not does include the troops that are being sent overseas!), by filibustering that bill so as to delay health care. So, yeah, Mr. Kristol, you seem to have a very selective memory.

Rosesimpson's picture
[Comment Deleted By Administration For Violation Of Terms Of Service]
Handypants's picture

Wouldn't that mean Obama was the one reaching across . . .

Oh nevermind.

The GOP-baggers never make any sense.


"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that!
" ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )

Pete2069's picture

Obama Is not only reaching across the table.. He is writing the republican corporate policies they wish.

The republicans , blue dog republicans and the centrists (left wing of the republicans) together with the health and banking monopolies writes our legislation with the supervision and demands of Emanuel and Obama.

Obama's policies are the same as the republican policies.. Transfer wealth and power to the corporate monopolies while cutting American programs to do it..

Obama never repel the Bush tax cuts to the top 10 percent of Americans. Cost of over 1 trillion dollars.
Obama never renegotiated the free trade bill.. Which has outsource over 7 billion American jobs overseas.
Obama has allowed work visa for foreign workers to come into our country to take our jobs.
Obama policies have done very little to help Americans but in fact his actions and or of lack of actions on issues have cost Americans their jobs , social program while still enforcing Bush / Cheney's dictatorial policies.
**
http://www.moveleft.org/obamas_promises/index...
**
Obama's deceit and BS to get your vote..

Wednesday, September 24, 2008.....Obama's speech from Dunedin, Florida
http://speeches.demconwatchblog.com/2008/09/o...
Change means a tax code that doesn’t reward the lobbyists who wrote it.
I will finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American. If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums.

I will cut taxes – cut taxes – for 95% of all working families. My opponent doesn’t want you to know this, but under my plan, tax rates will actually be less than they were under Ronald Reagan.

I will also create the jobs of the future by transforming our energy economy.

And now is the time to finally meet our moral obligation to provide every child a world-class education, because it will take nothing less to compete in the global economy. I’ll recruit an army of new teachers, and pay them higher salaries and give them more support.

But I am running for President because we simply cannot afford four more years of an economic philosophy that works for Wall Street instead of Main Street, and ends up devastating both.

This Administration started off by asking for a blank check to solve this problem. To them, I say no. It is unacceptable to expect the American people to hand this Administration or any Administration a $700 billion check with no conditions and no oversight.

First we need to set up an independent board, selected by Democrats and Republicans, to provide oversight and accountability for how and where this money is spent at every step of the way.

Second if American taxpayers are financing this solution, you should be treated like investors. That means that Wall Street and Washington should give you every penny of your money back once this economy recovers.

Third, we cannot and will not simply bailout Wall Street without helping the millions of innocent homeowners who are struggling to stay in their homes. They deserve a plan too.

You see, the John McCain you’ve heard from over the last few days is a lot different than the John McCain who’s been in Washington for the last twenty-six years. He talks about getting tough on Wall Street now, but he’s been against the common-sense rules and regulations that could’ve stopped this mess for decades. He says he’ll take on the corporate lobbyists, but he put seven of the biggest lobbyists in Washington in charge of his campaign. And if you think those lobbyists are working day and night to elect my opponent just to put themselves out of business, well I’ve got a bridge to sell you up in Alaska.


None

project's picture

That is all we seem to get from the republican side.
It's why I say it is insanity. Mass insanity.

stewartm0205's picture

solved in zero time.

Symes's picture

So in order for these troglodytes to show bipartisanship there must be death on a mass scale involved.

Got it.

LibertyLover's picture

but has Bill Kristol EVER been right about ANYTHING?


Only when the last tree has died
and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught
will we realize we cannot eat money.

Handypants's picture
...

Does the same rule apply to digital stopped at 0:00?

(Kristol is a zero, no?)


"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that!
" ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )

Roket's picture

“He let [...] the Democratic Congress write the stimulus package.”

Yeah, and it was longer than 19 pages also too

BlueSam's picture

and they're bi-partisan patriots doing what's best for the country.

Riiiiggghhht.

They don't and they're whiny, impotent obstructionists.

That sounds more like it.

Perry Logan's picture

Logan's Law: The dumber the right-winger, the smarter he thinks he is.

Handypants's picture
...

True that - although I fear the rule is true with many people from many sides. UGH!


"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that!
" ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )

...of their ass.

Shadowgm's picture

... than being centrist, if you take my meaning.

Handypants's picture
...

Centrist = brown nose?

lol


"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that!
" ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )

Radically Moderate ad infinitum's picture

I am sooooo glad for the Repugs that they have such an astute scholar as Willy Kristol carrying their torch to light their way out of their own self inflicted darkness.


'Talk to the hand'

kristol can E.S.A.D.

Shadowgm's picture

.... he's a mushroom. Eating shit and living in the dark are natural and beneficial for him.

Handypants's picture
...

Or FOAD?

(same same)


"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that!
" ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )

Handypants's picture
...

ends in "And Die"


"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that!
" ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )

project's picture

What this know nothing do nothing tool has to say about anything?

Evet's picture

wouldn't even know his name is you asked them.

Evet's picture

comedian. . has his own cable comedy show..

fitley's picture

Fans of Superman comics are familiar with "The Bizarro World". For those who are not familiar, the Bizarro World" is a place where everything is the exact opposite of what we view as normal. While most guests on news shows try to deal with facts and try to have some semblance of the truth, Bill is in the Bizarro World. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING he says is wrong. If he suggests something you know the exact opposite is true. He is ALWAYS wrong.

ysbaddaden's picture
)O(

I always hated the character Bizarro.

Instead of being a joke character they should've made him the antithesis of Truth and Justice (the American Way was added in the 1950's).


Diabolus est Deus Inversus

to be like before the nuts took over their Party. Only much more slippery and clandestine.

Sticksman's picture

...this douche. Does anyone else get an image of Kristol sitting in a dark moonlit room mumbling to himself about how his mother never let him play with the other boys? His eyes blink like an insane neurotic who you think just might have a gun under his jacket that he's willing to use when he snaps. "Falling Down" anyone?

Floridiot's picture

that subscribes to The Weakly Standard? circulation must be about two

"You give us everything we want, we'll help you."


Diabolus est Deus Inversus

Handypants's picture

My guess is the GOP-baggers would be full on bipartisan for:

Any war or military action

Any tax cut for the wealthy

Any subsidy for big business

Any pet project (other than opposing Obama)


"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that!
" ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )

You hit the nail on the head.

Handypants's picture

My guess is the GOP-baggers would be full on bipartisan for:

Any war or military action

Any tax cut for the wealthy

Any subsidy for big business

Any pet project (other than opposing Obama)


"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that!
" ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )

bilhelm-x's picture

Teh Republicans are bisexual.

Limp-Dick Blimpaugh's picture

These totally ignorant Reslug men don't have a hair on their shiney asses.

jmmartin's picture

Poor Bill. He forgets that it was a Republican, George W. Bush, who started the stimuli in the first place. When Hank Paulson threw up in Dubya's face in shame and fear of prosecution, begging Bush to start stimulating the economy, the Crawford village idiot went along with the first such plan. What good is bipartisanship? The Dems made plenty of concessions to the Repubs all through the health care debacle (although called a "debate"), and look how many voted for the final bill in the Senate? The Repubs bring to mind the famous story of Perez-Galdos about a young idealistic priest who gets slapped around one way or another every time he does good. If one were to borrow an old American homily to characterize Kristol bipartisanship, it would be: NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED.


"Respect for the rights of others is peace." --Benito Juarez

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