As the New York Times reported, Sen. Chuck Schumer had an unscripted moment on today’s Senate Democratic conference call on the budget negotiations.
Apparently unaware that a phone he was near was not on mute, Sen. Schumer began to speak in a very candid way about the Democrats’ current messaging strategy -- to portray House Speaker John Boehner as beholden to Tea Party Republicans’ demands.
“I always use the word extreme,” Schumer said. “That’s what the caucus instructed me to use this week.”
He went on to say, “What we’re trying to do here,” but reporters on the call never got to hear what he was trying to do, as someone abruptly got Schumer off the line -- leaving a confused bunch of reporters on the other line for a few minutes before the call began in earnest.


Oh LOOK!!!!
A lefty liberal Dem actually telling the truth because he thinks no one can hear him.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Telling the "TRUTH" that the Tea Partiers are extremists?
Is that what you REALLY wanted to say, Joe?
What is the 'caucus' telling you to say, AM?
LoL Bag Boy ... LoLoLoLoL
And what's more, you KNOW it.
We needed a little levity around here, AM.
Thanks, Chuck.
"Is that what you REALLY wanted to say, Joe?"
______________________________________
AM: That's just the lawyer coming out in you, twisting the truth to suit your needs.
Don't worry, it's a genetic thing that makes some people become lawyers or politicians or both.
Keep looking out for the interests of the Republican party Joe. I'm sure there are some table scraps and a nice pat on the head waiting for you. Just take whatever they give you and eat it with a smile...
No big deal. I wish he would have said that we the Democrats in the Senate think the Tea Baggers are a bunch of nut jobs. Now, that would have been a GREAT message.
Just me and Abe Lincoln, Joe. Or don't you like him, either?
Wouldn't be totally surprised to hear that.
Just me and Abe Lincoln.
_______________________________________________
And you know from which political party he was elected President, right??
Lincoln was elected from the liberal Republican Party. And he was an atheist. Boosh.
Yes, Lincoln was a Republican, but he would not recognize the party today. Not only that, he could not win a nomination for dogcatcher in a Republican primary. This is a guy we revere as Honest Abe; how would he fit in with the various liars and political prostitutes that populate today's GOP?
And you know from which political party he was elected President, right??
Yes, the relatively progressive anti-slavery party that was founded in the north -- in MY state, actually -- and the party of Dwight Eisenhower -- before it all changed, beginning in the late 1940s, and especially following the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the absorption of the dixiecrats into the conservative coalition.
They got you, too, apparently.
Also, Lincoln was at the center of power so he actually gained from our political system. Not like Joe who just does the dirty work for a bunch of power brokers who laugh at him while he fights all their battles
Here's the thing. I keep being told by the left that if I vote republican I'm only hurting myself because the big bad evil republicans only care how much money the corporations can amass. But the republicans are, for the most part, the ones who say "go ahead and keep your money- you earned it, you spend it" while the democrats, as a general rule, are the ones who seem to think they are entitled to more and more of my paycheck because they've somehow convinced themselves that they know what's best to do with MY money. I don't see a lot of success on that front- the democrats doing great things with my money I mean (and I'll admit, the republicans have added their fair share of crap to the pile as well) and yet they still tell me I should give them more because clearly if they had just a little bit more, just a smidge, you know, because I have so much and others have so little, just a bit more and they'll make everything Utopia for all. I just haven't seen that EVER work. But I have seen what happens when the general public has money to spend. Man we can have some kinda fun...
While I do not doubt Lincoln's integrity, he did a great deal of damage during his presidency. The suspension of habeas corpus, use of federal troops to quell (and ultimately fire on) protesters, and issuance of greenbacks (paper money backed by nothing) all did lasting damage to the country.
Of course, he still looks like a saint compared to more recent political figures. His aim was to save the country, rather than tear it apart as pathetic modern politicians do. And this article highlights that very nicely.
Suzy, you could replace the word "Republican" in my above statement with "Democrat" and it makes no difference to me. The point is not that Republicans are evil and Democrats angels, quite the opposite. They are all the same. It's just sad to see people fighting so hard to support a couple of political parties that are both taking advantage of them and offering no real choices. Hence my comment about Lincoln. We are ALL voting against our own best interests when we pretend that the two-party system offers any benefits to the common working man. It's a false choice that allows the very rich and powerful to divide and conquer the rest of us and it seems to be working...
If you've just suffered the largest party shift since WWII in the November elections and you have no intention of behaving like responsible adults, what other strategy is there than to criticize and label those who are replacing you? Right Dems?
Extremists compares to Obamacare, Muslim, Dealthpanel, Kenyan, Gangster? Give a rest already you Republican Extremists!
Didnt go far enough .. shame on Shumer for not calling the Republicans .. hipocritz and liers also
Chuckie is a baffoon...and of course someone has to "tell" him what to say, we are tired of the inane mumbling and babble that normally comes out of his cake hole...
oh, AM your party IS the party of racism , or did you skip that part in your research ?...and your hero Byrd should have prosecuted for that very issue...and speaking of "what the party was", the communists in America used to call themselves "progressives" , sound familiar?
lawyer?...highly doubtful
and I think we saw the "extremists" when we watched all the Jethrocrats perform their song and dance at the state house in Wisconsin...racist , freeloader,union thug, bigots and the liberal women were a scream...probably hairy armpits and the smell of patchouli..."hell no we won't go" , ya , to the bathtub or the dentist or the gyno ...laughable
oh and "independent" = "liberal who is afraid to admit it"
I think we should invite Chuck Schumer to the FR mud pit. He would fit right in.
Would he be getting the Emails from you guys so you could Coordinate what you are going to say for the day?
Enquiring minds want to know
I see Conservatives are rubbing their hands together in glee because they caught Schumer admitting that Democrats intend to tell the truth about the GOPTP. I guess they'd prefer that Schumer lie...that's what it'd take to make Conservatives look good these days.
John B, Des Moines, IA
I see Conservatives are rubbing their hands together in glee because they caught Schumer admitting that Democrats intend to tell the truth about the GOPTP. I guess they'd prefer that Schumer lie...that's what it'd take to make Conservatives look good these days.
Only because it finally gives them something to do besides chant "NO" in unison. They only work oops I mean consume space half time anyhow.
I see the Mean Girls Club is hard at work here.
Yes, Ron, he would fit right in on FR. In fact, it could be the Democratic caucus gets their talking points from us--"extreme" sounds familiar.
John B. I also see conservatives are rubbing their hands together in angst because we liberals often are on the same page; therefore, we must coordinate our efforts somehow. Apparently, watching the news and paying attention to what's happening here and abroad equals a plot--who knew?
I agree Ron! Good to see the Democrats are taking a page out of the right wingers play book when it comes to messaging!
Sometimes, you gotta fight fire with fire! lol
WAY TO GO Chuck!
See, Feisty?
Chuck Schumer is just like you!
You get your talking points...he gets his!
Give them Hell Chuck. We all know what crazies these low life Tea Baggers are.
Where do I go to get mine? :(
Steve:
Schumer is a regular member of the DDI. Where do you think we get our talking points...or where do you think he gets his talking points?
Anna Molly-
The 'caucus'...?
Like Chuck?
Well, then, never mind.
As a bleeding heart liberal, or my favorite; Commie Pinko Liberal - (CPL for short), I find that my side has been demonized for decades. Now that republicans and the tea party have merged, extremist is a fairly mild attachment to their monicker . They should grow up and mellow out a bit if they want to be taken seriously.
Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL Comment collapsed by the community
I agree Ron! Good to see the Democrats are taking a page out of the right wingers play book when it comes to messaging!
Sometimes, you gotta fight fire with fire! lol
WAY TO GO Chuck!
John -" they caught Schumer admitting that Democrats intend to tell the truth about the GOPTP."
So Democrats have to check with their caucus to know when to tell the truth?
What many of us consider as "extreme" is the debt load we....our children....our grandchildren.....and our great grandchildren are expected to carry in order to "feed" the ravenous demands of our government. We have cut our budgets....it's time to cut yours CHUCK!
Yeah, let's start with the 60+ billion extended tax cuts to the rich and the 60+ billion in oil subsidies and voila -- we're very close to a balanced budget -- but, oh wait!!! The repubs blocked both of these cuts!!!
apparently the tea baggers are all over this thread collapsing all the comments that show the baggers for what they are -- a bunch of lying idiots
go get them chuck it is way past time people called these Greed Over Patriotism slime for what they are -- right wing extremist nut jobs
Republican or Democrat, you listen to them and you hear them using the same language and making similar references. They all work off of talking point scripts, so I can't believe that anyone thinks this is a surprise.
Republicans usually are a little more disciplined about staying on script, but it does get boring listening to them say the same things one after another.
Democrats tend to; I don't know.., forget there lines more. They get the message out less clearly, but at least it is more interesting to hear the message paraphrased in different ways.
Is it real tea partiers that are "extreme" or just the fake ones that the Dems created? Could you please be more specific Schumer?
"Michigan Dems charged in fake tea party scandal"
"The two party leaders allegedly conspired to field phony tea party candidates in an apparent bid to siphon off GOP votes and boost Democrats"
"Last year, as tea party power grew across the country, tea partiers http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100624/pl_ynews/ynews_pl2834">began accusing Democrats and others of using their party label to run fake candidates and skew elections. A lawsuit was filed in Florida last year where Democrats, including then-Rep. Alan Grayson, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100622/pl_ynews/ynews_pl2772_2">were accused of creating a Florida Tea Party."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20110318/el_yblog_theticket/michigan-dems-charged-in-fake-tea-party-scandal
Dems have made themselves nearly extinct and they are scared of the writing on wall come 2012... the sad thing is that it seems to have never even occurred to them to change themselves for the better, instead they are desperately trying to slander their replacements.
What?!? Politicians get talking points and use it to attack opponents. Every Republican goes out and says almost verbatim what another Republican said on an earlier program. Democrats do the same thing. Why do they do it? Because Americans stopped thinking for themselves and stopped thinking about the consequences on their votes and the policies that think they like (assuming some are even informed enough to know anything about any policy)... Americans vote on sound bites. They vote by message not by substance. If people really looked at the big picture and really thought about consequences, neither party would ever have a majority. They are just different sides to the same coin... it is time to switch currency (and I do not mean the tea party).
There are even people paid to post on ideological message on sites like these. pjam09's post looks a lot like a troll post. You can usually tell because they are usually aggressive in ideological message and usually look a little out of place or written by a crazy person. The right wing tends to do it more because they believe that are fighting the liberal media... which is strange since the liberal media is owned by corporations that tend to side with conservative ideology.
Mr. Ed either doesn't have a clue or he is one of these fakes and knows exactly what he's doing and saying ! Revelation 2:9 & 3:9 !!! Wake up, sheeple !!!
It is sad people are trying to flip this around on other political members of the opposite party in order to mollify what Schumer is obviously guilty of. They guy is in office not to represent the people, but to be a talking head for a caucus. Schumer has no thoughts of his own. He just says what he is told to say by some people who don't have this countries best interests at heart. The only thing a caucus cares about is power.
What is more sad than Schumer and his inability to come up with his own talking points is that most every other politician does the same thing. Even Obama is guilty of spouting out exactly what one or another democrat caucus tells him to say. We don't have a President, we have a puppet. Unfortunately most Americans don't realize there is a guy sitting next to the puppet with his hand up it's backside making it say whatever he wants it to say.
"We don't have a President, we have a puppet. Unfortunately most Americans don't realize there is a guy sitting next to the puppet with his hand up it's backside making it say whatever he wants it to say."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't sell the American people short - we all realized this during the last Administration. Can you say Bush/Cheney? I think you can.
"We don't have a President, we have a puppet. Unfortunately most Americans don't realize there is a guy sitting next to the puppet with his hand up it's backside making it say whatever he wants it to say."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't sell the American people short - we realized this during the last Administration. Can you say Bush/Cheney? I think you can.
You can't make this stuff up. These guys dont have a Brain of their own. They need to be told what to do....
Love it...
“I always use the word extreme,” Schumer said. “That’s what the caucus instructed me to use this week.”
!!!!!!!!!
dithering.."other"...passive...dithering..."other"...indecisive...dithering....passive....indecisive..."other"
yeah, we accidently got the Republican script too.
This is what the republicans do---Schumer not even close.
GOP Leaves Secret Document in Florida Hotel
Oops! A confidential Republican Party campaign fund-raising document was left in a central Florida hotel, revealing some of the GOPs strategies to get people to fork over donations.
In the power point presentation, the GOP has a nifty illustration on a page called "The Evil Empire" which depicts President Barack Obama as the Joker, Senate leader Harry Reid as Scooby Doo and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as Cruella de Ville.
Another slide in the 72 page document, simplifies the Republicans strategy to take back the White House and Congress. Salvation and fear!
"What can you sell when you do not have the White House, the House or the Senate...?" the page reads. The answer: "Save the country from trending toward Socialism."
wow, guess the repubs dont want us to remember Carl Rove. Who was credited with handed lil bush the presidency. Infact there was a short book called Carl Rove, bushes brain. Talk about not having your own brain lol
Did anyone catch Harry Reids's rant today?.... he clearly got the script.
"They seem to be afraid to anger a small extreme minority in their party that is willing to shut the government," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid at a news conference."
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110329/pl_nm/us_usa_congress_spending_4
Not only can they not face a vote like adults they can't face opposition either; running away and name calling highlights just how inept they are.
If people do not realize that a POLITICIAN is a POLITICIAN and EVERYTHING they say is calculated, then you are in the confused category.
Everything a politicians says has a cause and effect.
Democrats believe by portraying Republicans (fellow Americans) as extreme, it will result in a power grab. That is what it is all about.
ITM, for once I agree with you at least the first two sentences.
Republicans believe that by portraying democrats as weak on national security, it will mean they appear strong--it's a power grab. Oh, wait, it is republicans who this week appear weak because two weeks ago they were wanting to bomb Libya and get rid of Gadhafi but this week because we are bombing Libya to help the rebels get rid of Gadhafi--can't have that, switch sides; the GOP was for it before they were against it--flip, flop, flop.
Nothing will be ever be weaker than running out of state to hide from your job.
pjam ... going out of state was smarter than the tea party wanted .. nothing is as dumb as a tea bag .. going out of state showed strength in there convictions not weakness
Time running showed they were wussies nice try. Strength would have been to show up and vote no, not run like two year olds running from mommy after getting caught at something.
timewonttell,
What a line of pure crap are you trying to put out? The run away Dems are pure cowards!
Like republicans do?
For example. THIS is what they're using to write all this draconian legislation.
http://www.alec.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
http://badgerherald.com/oped/2011/03/28/read_cronons_alec_re.php
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/health_med_fit/vital_signs/article_30e0cb12-5719-11e0-970f-001cc4c002e0.html
Because, apparently, THEY need to be told what to do, as well.
Read "Rules for Radicals" very interesting and very scary. That is required reading for Democrats. When everyone is complaining about the wealthy not doing their share, just remember that a majority of those rich are DEMOCRATS. While you are doing your research, find out who Nancy and hubby hire for all their business ventures. They are millionaires. Soros is a billionaire does he pay his fair share? He just invested a lot of money in an oil drilling company and guess where. The same Brazil that Obama just told that we would help them with their drilling and be their customer. Sounds like payback to me.
Ahh, well, Chuck, it's open mic/phone season. You gotta like these folks, they're human. At least he didn't say anything people, including Boehner, don't already know both parties do.
Say what you will, the strategy seems to be working. The polls have turned against the Tea Party, and most will blame the Republicans for a government shut down, whether it is their fault or not.
Live by the Frank Luntz talking points, die by the Frank Luntz talking points.
Both sides do the same thing and it is a hoot when they are caught red-handed, so cut the rationalizations and excuses, just remember the next time the other guys get caught that it doesn't mean any more the than it does now, when your guys did....:)
"He went on to say, "What we're trying to do here," but reporters on the call never got to hear what he was trying to do, as someone abruptly got Schumer off the line.."
" Reporter's " never got to hear the rest....but that must mean the liberal lackeys of MSNBC stayed on the line...what else did Chucky say?
we can only assume he told the truth and went on to say how hipocritical and dishonest the average republican in congress is
You have not obviously, read, watched, listened, and/or cared to what the dems have put out for decades. You talk about lying and mistruths. The democrats want the government to shut down. They want to blame it all on the Republicans. Is this the best interest of America? The dems time after time tell us they are for the working people, but when you take all the tax increases, fees, and penalties that they want to levy, most of it is on the middle class. How pathetic that they want the government to shut down. How pathetic that people still do not have a clue on our budget. How pathetic that the democrats do not care about the bankrupting of our country, social security, and medicare. This is truly a pathetic party. Remember this. When the democrat controlled congress and the democrat President failed to pass a budget in 2010, this was the first time in history it has ever happened. I would love for pelosi, reid, and obama to explain again, why for the first and only time in history a budget was not proposed and/or passed? They knew the democrats were going to take a butt kicking in November, 2010 and I would bet every penny on it that they wanted the budget and the shutting down of the government to happen. How pathetic of a party they are. The dems need to pull their heads out of the dung pile and start doing what is best of the United States and not best for them. Their belief is to tax people in to poverty and spend every penny, plus more. The do not believe that SSI is going bankrupt. This is projected in 2037. However, SSI was not supposed to start paying out more than taking in until 2016 or so. It is happening 5 years early. Obviously, the 2037 timetable will be moved up.
LOL...THAT is an oxymoron.
JH-479998
Bev - Most of the lefties on FR & MSNBC would consider the Tea Party extreme but I think most of Americans are glad to see them. Remember the elections last November? I don't think I nedd to remind you.
That's the problem. you T-baggers relish and live in the past. That was then. this is now...
Election post-mortem: GOP losing ground in Vermont; Dean’s transition team assist deemed crucial
http://vtdigger.org/2010/11/10/election-post-mortem-gop-losing-ground-in-vermont-deans-transition-team-assist-deemed-crucial/
Really, I don't feel like chasing headlines for you to prove t-baggers and other Koch suckers are losing ground. But, you can. Start with union in Wisconsin and see for yourself. Or headlines on latinos and voter suppressions
Living in the past, Beverly? Isn't it Obama and his sycophants who blame Bush and cry about what they inherited 2 and a half years after the election? Living in the past? By the way, where's bin Laden, about whom Obama mocked Bush and said he'd "focus like a laser" on finding him except when he didn't?
Steven Rennie
That's old too let you t-baggers tell it.
@ Youneed: The real oxymoron is "Republican Plans." Or even "Republican Compassion."
Dangerfield, I agree. Remember VP Cheney's little slip up when the microphone was on? I don't think Senator Schumar said anything shocking. Republican, Democrat, or Tea Party, a politician is a politician and it is so much fun when they open their mouth when they think no one is listening....especially when they try and explain what they meant.
They're all pirates - just on different ships!
Just as with the recent NPR case, speaking the truth about the teabaggers can get one in trouble.
When did we start thinking truth was a bad thing?
Amen to that Beverly. And "True American" -- that really is a classless name. Even though I think you are totally wrong on most everything, I still see you as an American. We are all Americans. And, give me a break, of course Tea Partiers are extreme right wingers who don't have any grasp of how to run a country (and I would say the same of extreme lefties too). It is left up to those of us in the middle who will do the heavy lifting -- we realize that you cannot get us out of our financial problems with cutting alone and that you cannot get us out of our financial problems with taxing alone, it has to be a combination of both. The extremes at both ends of the spectrum haven't got a clue.
Linda, nicely said. I don't want Dennis Kucinich as president any more than I want Michelle Bachmann. Rigid adherence to ideology can never succeed because the country and the world is not black and white, it is many shades of gray. It is impossible to cut enough money from the federal budget to solve the debt problem especially if those cuts end up causing more harm than good and end up increasing the debt. While Congress fights over spending cuts, they do not address the billions in lost revenues that exist because of tax loopholes and a tax code that is no longer fair.
Linda, I agree. And even the "moderate" Republicans complain about being pushed too far right by the Tea Party.
Wasn't that the battle between Joe Miller and Lisa Murkowski in Alaska in 2010, among others? Didn't Tea Party candidates take out more moderate incumbants, and the moderates beat back the TP challenge in other states? I don't think Shumer is the first to refer to the current split between the extreme and the middle in the Republican PArty.
I like when the Dems and the Lefties get angry. They see their Progressive world drifting away like the cosmos. If noting they hate better than the family unit is the Repubs.
The cosmos isn't "drifting away". It's expanding!!!
If noting???
I see Beav was not riding on Chicago's public Transportation this am when the uzis were shooting down range. Beav, where is your community organizer? Are you hiding in a safe house today? Better lock and load your gun. How is that new mayor doing on crime and jobs in the blow city?
Watergate anyone?
Schumer is a douchebag, then again, any politician from NY is a douchebag
"exteme nut jobs"
Â
Pot meet kettle.
I wouldnt characterize Boehner as a filfthy teabagger. He does have a bit more class
Would that make him third or second class?
Yeah. It would be more politically correct to characterize the Tan Man as a "dirty" teabagger. Filthy is too mean and might make him cry again.
And this is news Both parties do this all day long
What pisses me off is we are paying these" douche bags " 16 thousand PLUS a month for this foolishness!.
We definitely need to have mandatory term limits ... 2 in a lifetime RETROACTIVE !!! And a salary of 35K a year and NO BENEFITS ! These morons are getting over 1200 a day for the number of days worked !
As far as "unscripted moments" go, this is pretty lame. I really don't get what all the fuss is about, it's not like he revealed anything earth-shattering. Seriously, if the Republicans and Tea Partiers want to hang their hats on inconsequential stuff like this, then they better hope for a really low voter turn out in 2012...really low. Come on, get to work on the policy not the pratfalls.
Again, what's the big freaking deal? Two years ago the RNC lost a powerpoint presentation with the Republican strategy of "using fear" to generate donations. I thought it was lame of the Democrats to pounce all over that then, and that was a bigger "uh-oh" moment than this, and it was forgotten nearly a month later. I give this two days before it disappears into the political ether. Again, I truly hope the Republicans and the Tea Party are not going to use stupid issues like this in 2012, or it is going to be a very boring election cycle...
For the first and only time in history, there was not a budget proposed and/or passed in 2010. Who controlled the Presidency, senate, and house? The democrats. THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME IN HISTORY. Do any of you understand why? The dems knew their butts would get kicked in the election. They purposely did not propose and/or pass a budget since they knew it would come down to this and try to make the Republicans look bad. How pathetic obama, pelosi, reid, democrats, and liberals are that they would play with our country like they were playing cards and not caring about the consequences. Take what shumer did or did not say. The proof is there.
THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME IN HISTORY...except that time in 1995 when Newt Gingrich and his Republican controled Congress shut down the government by failing to pass a budget...
This just shows what a freaking joke these democrats are. They count on the ignorance of the people who vote for them and it has been successful. So instead of DOING THEIR JOBS, Schumer wants to play games. I feel nothing but pity for you democrats cause you are being played like a fiddle!
Actually, it was the ignorance of the people that put the Republicans Tea Baggers in charge of the House, with only 37% voting. However, that will change in 2012 when the Democrats and President Obama win big time in 2012.
You trolls came out of the wood work with this MSNBC Post like it's some great Tea Bagger victory. Actually, it just shows how the Tea Baggers are looked upon as a BIG JOKE.
JOB1,
I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you. Obama won in 2008 with a wave of enthusiasm from the left and the middle. Independents saw a chance for change from Bush on the war and the deficit spending. Even with all that, Obama only got 53% of the votes. I seriously doubt that he can rekindle the mood of 2008. He has let too many independents down. Bombing Libya doesn’t help. And the $7 trillion added to the national debt by 2012 will be his undoing.
Another dirt-bag politician revealing his marching orders. The Democrats and Obama want to shove their progressive agenda down our throats. Not mine!
Bush's Iraq War has cost over one trillion and we're still not out of there. Afghanistan? Who knows?
I totally agree with Bev on this. I am a registered Republican but inclusion of the Tea Party will certainly assure that I will not vote Republican while they are given the weight they are now. John Boehner needs to get some guts and stand up to them or they will bring down the Party hard in 2012. The Republican Party is becoming the pawn of the religious right and that scares the hell out of me.
They've been the pawn of the religious right for decades. More accurately, they've used and stoked religious and moral issues to draw the religious right to the polls for them, while not doing much for them when they get in office. Now they are actually in deeper than they expected.
EVERYTHING is scripted in politics on BOTH sides !