McConnell calls Jan. 6 a 'violent insurrection,' breaking with RNC

[left-of-center2012]

Source: NBC

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell disagreed Tuesday with the Republican National Committee’s recent censure of two GOP lawmakers, as well as its characterization of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

“We all were here. We saw what happened. It was a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election, from one administration to the next. That’s what it was,” McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters at his weekly news conference.

His remarks followed an outcry from Democrats and some Republicans after the RNC approved a resolution Friday accusing Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., and Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., of “participating in a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse,” a reference to the Jan. 6 committee. Cheney and Kinzinger are the only GOP members of the House panel.

McConnell also said Tuesday that the RNC shouldn’t be “in the business of picking and choosing Republicans who ought to be supported,” adding that the national committee’s role is to back all members of the party. “The issue is whether or not the RNC should be, sort of, singling out members of our party who may have different views from the majority. That’s not the job of the RNC,” he said.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/mcconnell-calls-jan-6-violent-insurrection-breaking-rnc-rcna15404

[twodogsbarking]

1. Whoa Nelly. I like this.

[LoisB]

17. Those were the first two words out of my mouth too. LOL

nt

[Botany]

2. McConnell calls Jan. 6 a 'violent insurrection,'

So why then did Mitch vote against convicting TFG for the 1/6/21 attempted coup?

[usaf-vet]

11. I'm no expert...but I think he sees the tides are shifting. NT

[Botany]

16. In 2022 we can crush the GOP in amost every plae if we run on:

1) The great job Joe Biden and the dems are doing for the American people and
wouldn't it be good to get more good things done?

2) The GOP is the pro C-19 and anti modern medicine party.

3) Donny Trump is a traitor, a Russian stooge, and he and his family grifted 1.7 billion.

[HubertHeaver]

44. As the weathervane turns.

[DENVERPOPS]

62. No shit

they realized they had to start creating the story line that Trump was an asshole, acting alone, and they were fighting him every step of the way to preserve Democracy and the Republican Party.................

They all loathed Trump, loved is actions, and wanted him out of there, but coveted his voters......
The Republicans have all been standing by, innocently on the sidelines, letting the Dems go after and destroy Trump so they wouldn't have to do it to survive.......
Then they could get what they wanted, his voters, and march off into the future looking like the good guys......taking complete credit for saving their party and Democracy........

I am in hopes that once they get Trump and his admin, they go after to the Ringleader Republicans in the U.S. Senate......along with a whole big bunch of Republican Governors...............

The only way this all can happen is if we keep the House or increase the count of our Parties Members, Keep the Senate at it's present count or increase the number of our parties members, and for sure keep the presidency......

And you can bet your sweetass that the entire Republican Cabal and Trumphumpes will do anything and everything to prevent the above.....we are far from out of the woods..........

[mountain grammy]

31. Exactly.. talking out of both sides of his mouth as usual.

[question everything]

39. Their excuse was that by then he was no longer the President

[maxsolomon]

46. He felt it would harm the party's ability to maintain/reclaim power.

He didn't put up much of a defense of TFG during 'Peachment. He wants to push him out to pasture without being seen to act.

[William Seger]

56. Well, he never said he OBJECTS to a violent insurrection

[orangecrush]

59. ...

[dflprincess]

3. Why does McConnell sounding almost reasonable

Make me nervous?

[Lovie777]

5. He only cares about winning no matter how it is obtained ...

several articles coming out about how the Democrats can keep both house and senate and he knows that many Republicans are fed up with all the bullshit the GQP are spouting.

[nebby70]

20. my thoughts exactly....

... I can't believe he's finally grown a backbone or had a moment of speaking truth....
... I can only surmise he's sensing a change in his base ....
... he may be odious, but his skill is in his ability to keep his power...
... I'm only worried what he'll do to keep that power

[Alexander Of Assyria]

42. Brian Kilmeade of Faux..was chosen to deliver the message to the GOP...we done with tRump.

Have at him…was the message from the GOPs true Masters.

[RussBLib]

4. may be the only time in 2022

... that I agree with Moscow Mitch.

[TheRealNorth]

6. He doesn't want to be the next Franz von Papen.

For those unfamiliar with German history, von Papen was a Conservative German politician who thought he could use the Nazis for political power while retaining that power for the conservatives. He was instrumental in convincing Hindenburg.to bring the Nazi's aboard and giving Hitler the Chancellorship.

[bucolic_frolic]

7. Mitch can sense there's a cold, harsh, winter storm coming

if the GOP follows down the path of lies. He knows Joe Biden can clean their clocks with the commodity that few politicians possess but that Joe's stuck pretty close to his whole career - the truth!

[Raven123]

8. Nonsense

McConnell is saying the GOP should align behind Trump as well. He is a Republican too.

[left-of-center2012]

9. Seriously ?

Have you missed the recent attacks by Trump on McConnell ?

[Raven123]

13. I have not. MCConnell could care less. He got everything he wanted from Trump.

[Skittles]

60. I think that is where he sees the problem

he got everything he wants, and no longer needs Trump - but is alarmed that the base continues to "need" Trump

[Raven123]

69. I guess my view is the GOP needs Trumps base.

Perhaps I am wrong. McConnell cleverly called out the insurrection, but did not specifically name Trump, because doing so may prove problematic.

Now it is possible that given the composition of SCOTUS, and the states’ revamped election laws, he thinks he does not need Trump. He has just been too quiet for me to be convinced of that.

I think he believed he could have it both ways: Garland and the Dems would cleanup the GOP mess (again) and he would sit back, let the rabid Trump fans attack and the GOP as a whole would benefit. Hasn’t happened. Trump is escalating and now McConnell is on a fence. Wonder if those splinters hurt.

[COL Mustard]

70. I'm not saying there's any connection....

But have you ever seen Emperor Palpatine and McConnell in the same room at the same time?

[milestogo]

10. McConnell is a traitor to this country in every way.

[Metro135]

12. Gee, thanks Mitch

ALL YOU NEED ARE TWO FUNCTIONING EYEBALLS WITH TWO BRAIN CELLS ATTACHED TO TELL IT WAS A VIOLENT INSURRECTION.

[LaMouffette]

14. Mitch McConnell is the supreme master of self-preservation. He must know that the gig is up for TFG,

and also perceives that the Jan. 6 insurrection doesn't poll well with Republican voters who have half a brain and an inkling of morality, and so he is pulling the ultimate Trumpy maneuver of proceeding to distance himself from Traitor Trump.

[patphil]

15. He did this to slow the absorbance of the Republican Party into the body of Trump.

Trump's amoeba like engulf and consume strategy would leave McConnell on the outside looking in as far as power was concerned.
He doesn't want to have to kneel before Trump and pledge undying loyalty as a means of keeping power, so he will do what he can to unseat him.
McConnell may be a consummate asshole, but I don't think he is willing to give the party over to Trump...it could cost him his plans for the Republican party to take over the Congress.
I think McConnell feels that too much Trump will result in too few votes for Republicans.

Also, I'm sure he knows that Trump will dump him as Senate Majority leader if he has full control of the Republican party and they win the Senate in 2022.

[oldsoftie]

23. Very apt description. I don't know how else to say it better

As gross as it sounds.

[no_hypocrisy]

18. CENSURE ! ! !

[monkeyman1]

24. that's next from Ronna " Barrett " McDaniels ?

[Hassler]

19. Too late Moscow Mitch, the people are learning the GOPee is

With the traitors.

[C_U_L8R]

21. He knows we have the evidence

The GOP is just making things worse for themselves.
It's time to jettison that magat cancer.

[oldsoftie]

22. And when Trump comes for him, I wish he'd respond "Well, I won MY reelection"

Thats a kick in the trumpnuts

[Sucha NastyWoman]

25. Maybe starting to realize what he has created?

Was it worth it to get that Supreme Court you wanted?

[DownriverDem]

26. Hard to believe

McConnell would go against the RNC. Is he trying to appeal to the voters who claim to be repubs, but not trump repubs?

[Skittles]

64. it just means he got all he wanted / needed from Trump and is done with him

but is alarmed that too much of the Trump train is still with him

[Historic NY]

27. Wait

[Stuart G]

28. Mitch is ....NOT STUPID. ....Mitch has survived many battles and wants to be around for more.

...It is that simple. Also, Mitch wants to be the leader of the Senate again, if the Pukes take power again. He wants that
power again. That is also part of Mitch.

........And, he is willing to do anything to get that power...ANYTHING, ANYTHING and ANYTHING...

Mitch is smarter than the Republican Party. He really does know where the bread is buttered. When he makes a stand
like this one, Mitch reestablishes his role as.....Leader of the Republican Party......He intuitively knows the truth,
and occasionally (if it serves his purpose) he will tell the truth, The RNC is stupid for approving that resolution,
and Mitch knows it. The mere fact that Mitch told the truth, and the RNC lied, will elevate Mitch back to being .....
.........THE LEADER OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY...............................................................

and guess what?.....The PUKE PARTY NEEDS A LEADER OF NATIONAL REPUTATION OTHER THAN...............................

................???????,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,WELL ???............you know who, and it and Stu........................

[Mike Nelson]

29. Ha-ha!

... Crooked Donald and his minions have been steadily attacking Mitch for weeks, now... they've even called him a "tool of the left"! Mitch fits many labels, but "tool of the left" has never been one of them! No matter, Trumpters believe. They figure Mitch is in the way... he better get a food tester kit.

[The Grand Illuminist]

30. What is the most sickening of Jan 6th

Is that, in my estimation, a very small percentage of participants will be arrested, charged, and sentenced. The rest, however, will be statute out scott free.

[CaptainTruth]

34. I think there have been about 768 indictments thus far, & it's not over.

Have we seen a reasonable estimate of the total number of participants? I haven't, & I'm curious if you've seen any.

If 768 is a very small percentage, which to me might be something like 5%, that implies there were about 15,000 people involved in attacking the Capitol on Jan 6. In all the videos I've seen it didn't seem like anywhere near that number but the videos don't show everything so it's hard to tell.

[disndat]

54. As long as the 1/6/21 investigations go on

We get 100% free TV ads to remind voters, not Trumpers, what a criminal we TFG was.

[The Grand Illuminist]

57. There is always that bad feeling.....

People would want to move on from that.

[uncle ray]

65. well, we can only charge people with crime that there is evidence of.

simply being on the Capitol grounds and yelling is not a crime. a significant number of insurrectionists have been charged, many have pled guilty. considering the level of surveillance we now have, i expect that thousands of people who were foolish enough to have their electronic devices with them during the pathetic failed insurrection, or showed their face while in the DC area in the days before and after, are now on watch lists and their every electronic communication is being monitored.

[Javaman]

32. He weighed the cost benefit before he said this

He basically said “fuck you orange asshole, you are now irrelevant”.

This will either further split the repukes or strengthen them when the few that have kept quite now support mcconnell. If that happens, tfg is toast.

Don’t get me wrong the repuke are still crooked fucks, but old mitch had to say something because the midterms are coming up and I bet he’s worried.

He’s not saying this to save the US, he’s saying this to save his own ass. Especially after the orange asshole called him out at one of his bund rallies this past weekend

[yaesu]

33. Game over, when the turtle speaks fascists listen. nt

[Emile]

35. Finally now more need to come out and distance themselves from the traitors.

Great news!

[CaptainTruth]

36. Personally I don't care if he contradicts the RNC, the RNC said what they said...

...so that's what I'm preparing for.

No one can say "They didn't tell us they thought violence was legitimate!" BS. They did tell us. They told us all. Clearly & publicly. Right to our faces.

God help us & God help America if we don't take their words seriously.

[nitpicker]

37. Link to AP

https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mitch-mcconnell-liz-cheney-adam-kinzinger-2b0ae5c3e5f3445d11b67d45df6195f7

[Roc2020]

38. Republicans are nervous. Can fool some people all the time

can fool all the people sometimes. But cannot fool all the people all the time. And the midterms are coming.

[IrishAfricanAmerican]

40. I think there's some...

serious behind the scenes stuff going on over at RNC.

Maybe Darth Cheney is mobilizing his forces.

[Marthe48]

41. his favorite color is plaid

his pet is a push me-pull you and he says what he thinks will keep him in power.

[Chicagogrl1]

43. God, I hope the tide is turning

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[hay rick]

45. Republican Winter Olympics.

Mitch is getting passed by others in the hypocrisy race but he is still well-positioned in the cowardice competition.

[Delmette2.0]

47. Two little, to late to make friends with Dems.

And turtle man will probable loose TFG holdouts.

He can't have forgotten the last 13 months or the last 5 years. We won't let Kentucky forget.

[Wednesdays]

48. As the dam breaks...

[AllyCat]

49. Is this the Onion? Borowitz?

What is happening here?

[riversedge]

50. I give Mitch credit this statement, But he has been tooooooooo quiet for TOOOOOO long and he

is NOT a good leader.

[ificandream]

51. I don't take McConnell as all that honest.

But I think he knows what happened Jan. 6 is undeniable. The Repughs can try and soften the blows as much as they want but it won't work. And I hope that "Repughs say it was legitimate political discourse" is shouted from the rooftops by Democrats all over America come election time.

[calimary]

52. He didn't do this out of the goodness of his heart.

One DEFINITELY needs to look this “gift horse in the mouth.”

Wonder if he’s starting to get aggressive pushback from the fundraising crowd that sees trouble in the “January 6th was legitimate political discourse” talking point. Too much legitimate political video clips from that day. And eye-witnesses. And cops. And apologetic defendants hoping for sentencing sympathy from judges.

Are the long-range strategists starting to worry about the slowly-improving economic news? Or are they getting nervous because more Dems are starting to get it, and get vocal about it - as far as messaging and its strategy, delivery, and frequency. There have to be ballsy Democrats. Dems who are not afraid to start speaking up.

And from speaking up to following up. There has to be rapid response and a team of writers who are smart, quick-witted, and clever, as well as well-informed. And ready to be watching the news and A) backing up and further pushing and reinforcing what the Dems just said; and B) coming up with immediate responses and retorts and correcting the record WHENEVER some GOPer gasbags some garbage toward a mic or camera.

And be RELENTLESS. Do it again. And again. And yet again after that! Repeat the messaging as though you’re drilling it into the listener’s brain. And do not let up. Seize whatever opportunity might present itself. And make it work FOR the Dems. There’s plenty of time to catch up on sleep after you’ve won. Just coordinate that with those who still have to stay awake so somebody’s always on watch.

After all, I’d guess there’s no marching army that heads through contested territory without rear guard at the end of the line - on the alert for snipers or sneak attacks from behind. I am NO military person and I have no such experience to draw upon. Nevertheless, I always imagine myself taking a position like that, as a rear guard when I get into foolish political fantasizing.

I don’t trust Mitch. Period. He’s too wily and shrewd and experienced not to have some sort of ulterior motive. It’s nice to hear him say these things, but he’s gotta come up with more than just one public comment. PROVE it, first, Mitchy-baby.

[IcyPeas]

53. thanks Mitch.....

now F off.

[Zorro]

55. McConnell is doing damage control

He well knows that the RNC's declaration demonstrates a clear embrace of fascism.

[smb]

68. "Legitimate Political Discourse" The GQP's "Defund The Police" Gaffe nt

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

58. Moscow Mitch is playing the long game

He knows TFG is yesterday's news.

[orangecrush]

61. ...

[trusty elf]

66. ...

[orangecrush]

67. ...

[cstanleytech]

63. Trying to salvage his potential legacy in the history books that will rightly be shredding him?