Thursday, October 03, 2013

On The Other Hand: They Are Just This Stupid.


OK, via the much criticized TPM (so Kudos!)

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) were caught on a hot mic Wednesday night while discussing their party's messaging on the government shutdown.
Paul ran into McConnell, who was wired for an interview, in front of a camera after wrapping his own interview with CNN, according to Western Kentucky news station WPSD.
"I just did CNN and I just go over and over again 'We're willing to compromise, we're willing to negotiate.' I think -- I don't think they poll tested 'we won't negotiate.' I think it's awful for them to say that over and over again," Paul said of the Obama administration's stance on the shutdown.

In other words: Strategery.  But the funniest part of the Hot Mic incident is this. McConnell is sincerely puzzled by the fact that what the Democrats say and do publicly reflects their actual private interactions as well:
"Yeah, I do too, and I just came back from that two hour meeting with them, and that was basically the same view privately as it was publicly," McConnell said.
 In other words these guys are so used to lying to everyone, every chance they get, they can't wrap their head around an actual principled stance or one that is not taken purely opportunistically, and for show.

Meanwhile, whistling in the dark:

In the video recording, Paul was confident that the GOP's pivot from demanding Obamacare be defunded to seeking out compromise would succeed.
"I think if we keep saying 'We wanted to defund it. We fought for that but now we're willing to compromise on this,' I think they can't -- we're gonna, I think -- well I know we don't want to be here, but we're gonna win this I think," he said.
This time for sure. 

5 comments:

Victor said...

The fact that a simpleton like Rand Paul even thinks he's Presidential timber, should frighten the crap out of any sentient people.

Examinator said...

sub text "we're willing to compromise except on anything"

Philip said...

Well, I don't know if they're stupid but they certainly think that you are...

Ten Bears said...

Yes indeed, Circles, and as Sun Tzu admonished some thousands of years ago it is best not dissuade them of the notion.

Translated to Americana: my grand-parents had a store - a merchantile - out on the High Country through the First Depression and WWII of which I have considerable memorabilia, including hand painted pine slab plackards that read " In God we Trust (they didn't), All Others Pay Cash" and "It is better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you're a fool than to open it and remove all doubt." The hangs prominently on my office, somewhat modified with a splash of yellow log branding paint and a red log marking crayon to read " It is better to keep your mouth shut and let people think whatever hell want to."

No fear.

Ten Bears said...

Addendum: 1) "It is better to keep your mouth shut and let people think whatever the hell they want to think" (stupid "smart" phone); and 2) the quote, Thomas Cleary 1995 translation: "though you are competent, appear incompetent, though effective appear ineffective" (Sun Tzu, The Art of War, book one: Strategic Assessments)

No fear, only contempt.