So... red-headed Adam "Opie" Putnam set up a war room with orange juice.

[madfloridian]

I love this Milbank article. I wish all of you could see the front page of our Putnam-loving newspaper today. Down at the very bottom right, in a very tiny box...they link to this article by Dana Milbank. They don't like their Opie Putnam picked on.



Taking the war out of the war debate

Rep. Adam Putnam of Florida, the man in charge of Republican strategy in this week's great debate on Iraq, was a study in nervous energy as he waited to speak on the House floor yesterday. He paced behind the back row. He cracked his neck to the left and right. He wrung his hands. He buttoned, unbuttoned and rebuttoned his suit jacket. He cracked his neck some more, checked his BlackBerry, rocked on his heels, coughed, stroked his chin, folded and unfolded his arms, coughed, scratched behind his ear, swallowed heavily, and coughed again.

...."This is a rather toothless 97 words," Putnam began in his floor speech, calling the proposal "a narrow nonbinding resolution that misses the bigger picture." Minutes later, he changed his view. "The majority would have us consider a resolution that puts us one day closer to handing militant Islamists a safe haven the size of California."

So which one is it: toothless or catastrophic?

And here's more about his war room. You really need to read the whole article.

To help Republicans with the task of conducting an Iraq debate without talking about Iraq, Putnam set up a "war room" in the Longworth office building to provide research and debate material, parliamentary experts, and a "rapid response system."

...."But Putnam, host of the war room, had only begun to fight. He called a news conference in the Capitol basement with Boehner and distributed orange juice made with fruit his family had grown in Florida. Sipping the juice, he repeated his dueling points: (a) "This is just the first step to defunding troops in harm's way," and (b) "This week's resolution is really just a stunt."

I especially loved this part at the end:

The Post's Jonathan Weisman asked for a clarification. "Is this resolution a meaningless stunt or is it very consequential?"

Boehner struggled through an answer about "two levels and two different points." Putnam frowned but said nothing.

There's not much to say when you are still standing with George Bush.

[kenny blankenship]

1. "the size of California"--do I sense a little Florida-California citrus growing rivalry here?

I wonder what California's come back response will be!

[Bluebear]

2. My god, he IS an orange!

:)

[formerrepuke]

3. "..distributing the juice"....that's soooo Republican

[SoCalDem]

6. Or a "Citrus Annointment" n/t

[madfloridian]

4. One little kick for Putnam...

He is still with his buddy George Bush in spite of everything. He is toeing the line, in spite of many here turning against his stance.

[SoCalDem]

5. A "stunt" like driving tractors to the congress steps to pass a bogus farm bill

or having Dr Frist "review" medical records via video and then decide that a vegetative woman was really just "sleeping", and was itching to get up outta that bed and go on tour with the Rolling Stones?.. if only they would give her a drink of water?? those stunts??

[peekaloo]

7. Big Red! (Bu$h even has a nick for the toad)

I enjoyed the part about the size of his "audience" the most. }(

I searched that article endlessly for mention of Putz's military service time but I seemed to have missed it. :sarcasm:

When your heroes are zeroes you can't expect too much.

p.s. I've also noticed The Ledger's practice of reminding its readers, nay predictions, Putz's future as a Senator and possible pRez material in the years to come.

[madfloridian]

8. All 4 ot them..Ha Ha.

I don't think Putnam ever served anyone but his own best interests and his master, Bush.

No military for him.

[KharmaTrain]

9. This Shit Wants To Be The Next DeLay

Isn't this how the hammer got started. This debate is showing the race to the bottom of the intelligence ladder and moral compass of the remaining House repugnicans.

Between Putnam, Patrick McHenry and Marsha Blackburn, I don't know whose the biggest weasel. I know there are other contenders and please feel free to pile on.

Right now I'm watching Jerry "Hey Laydeee" Lewis spewing what I hope is one of his last House diatribes before his indictment is handed down. The goon sounds sloshed.

[tsuki]

10. I have too much respect for Opie. To me, he's Howdy Doody, a

piece of wood on a string.

[madfloridian]

11. So what's he saying today? Anything important?

I have not had the TV on yet.