McAuliffe: ‘I was devastated the night Eric Cantor lost’

[elleng]

Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) said he was “heartsick” and “devastated” when outgoing House Majority Leader Eric Cantor lost the Republican primary to a relatively unknown tea party-backed challenger because of what the loss means for Virginia’s standing in Congress.

For the first time Wednesday, McAuliffe praised Cantor and his staff as allies, even though Cantor represents a very red district that will likely stay in GOP hands in November.

“I’m heartsick that Eric Cantor lost. I will say this as a Democrat. I had as governor the house majority leader about to be speaker,” McAuliffe said during his monthly appearance on D.C. area radio station WTOP. “My staff dealt with Eric Cantor’s staff all the time. I dealt with Congressman and Leader Cantor all the time, they were nothing but helpful. That’s an important asset in my toolbox for me to do what I need to do as governor.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/mcauliffe-i-was-devastated-the-night-eric-cantor

[randys1]

1. Two ways to take this, for me...

One, it is sad how close these two offices were given the horrific agenda of Eric Cantor

YET

Compared to who replaces him, Cantor is a dream...

That has to be scarier than anything ever...

[FSogol]

7. More of a comment on how someone in a Congressional leadership position can be

helpful to a Governor. That said, I doubt McAulife's comments were that sincere, Cantor is/was pretty useless. McAuliffe is just paying lip service to a thankfully gone state politician.

[tularetom]

2. He ought to shut up, he's only governor because his opponent was a disaster

Although I suppose from a governor's perspective, having the majority leader from your state might be good for a few big dams, bridges or road projects, or lucrative government defense contracts for your in state firms.

[4139]

4. He won cause kookanelli was/is a kook, and because of the gov shutdown...

Without the government shutdown kookanelli would have won

Ps I live in NoVa

[FSogol]

8. Cuccinelli was never going to win. His anti-women agenda doomed

him without any help from the shutdowns.

[MADem]

3. It's a reach across the aisle gesture--very clever.

Costs him nothing, makes it seem to the VA GOP that he's bipartisan.

Also, it is true that if a legislator wants something for his/her district, it can only reflect well on the governor if he/she gets it. A rising tide lifts all boats. And Cantor had clout, he had the ability to get stuff.

[obxhead]

5. He didn't get us anything though.

I live in district 7 and after the earthquake hit here Cantor was first in line to make sure we received little to no help. This was help for his own damn district.

Fuck him. The new douche nozzle won't be any better, but he also won't be a daily guest on CNN and faux telling everyone how great he is.

[MADem]

6. Cantor was, indeed, a jerk. That said, it doesn't matter in the big picture.

People who don't live in his (old) district, and who don't follow politics closely, but who vote GOP reflexively, just might remember this little exchange. When choosing between the devil they know and the devil they don't know, they just might go for "the bipartisan guy." It's one of those "costs nothing/potential pay-off downstream" things.

Also, look to see where Cantor lands. He's not going to put on sackcloth and ashes and go cry into his pillow every night. He'll have some work, and it will be somewhere in the thick of things. Everything happens for a reason....and McAuliffe knows how to play the long game.

[FSogol]

9. +1 well said.