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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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 TALK SHOW ROUNDUP 
38

McConnell: White House 'Demonizing' Health Critics

Angry protests 'clearly being orchestrated,' Durbin counters

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(Newser) – The White House is “demonizing” the fiercely outspoken critics of its health care reform, Sen. Mitch McConnell told Fox News Sunday today. “To demonize citizens who are energetic about this strikes me as demonstrating a kind of weakness in your position,” the Senate minority leader said, but Sen. Dick Durbin countered on State of the Union that the outrage is “clearly being orchestrated.” On This Week, Newt Gingrich advised congressional members to simply let angry attendees “get it out of their system.”

Terrorism and rogue states were the talk of the Sunday shows today:

  • Gingrich added that "communal standards" is a dangerous concept, "when there are clearly people in American who believe in establishing euthanasia."
  • Calling for greater resources in the fight against the Taliban, Sen. Lindsay Graham told Face the Nation, “Let’s not Rumsfeld Afghanistan,” invoking the name of the former Pentagon chief who invaded Iraq with minimal US troops.
  • National Security Adviser Jim Jones assured Fox that Washington made no promises to North Korea to secure the release of two American journalists caught crossing its border.
  • Also on CBS, Sen. Carl Levin suggested those who oppose moving Gitmo detainees to domestic prisons are being “cowed by terrorists."
  • On CNN, US ambassador to the UN Susan Rice accused Iran of holding “show trials” that ultimately demonstrate its disconnect from the Iranian people on the validity of the presidential elections.

Sen. Mitch McConnell is suggesting that the White House is scapegoating outspoken critics of its health care reform plans to distract from problems with the far-reaching proposals.
Sen. Mitch McConnell is suggesting that the White House is scapegoating outspoken critics of its health care reform plans to distract from problems with the far-reaching proposals.   (AP Photo/NBC News, William B. Plowman)
Sen. Mitch McConnell is suggesting that the White House is scapegoating outspoken critics of its health care reform plans to distract from problems with the far-reaching proposals.
Sen. Mitch McConnell is suggesting that the White House is scapegoating outspoken critics of its health care reform plans to distract from problems with the far-reaching proposals.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Newt Gingrich said today lawmakers must weather the rash of angry constituent outbursts that are headlining town hall meetings across the country this month.
Newt Gingrich said today lawmakers must weather the rash of angry constituent outbursts that are headlining town hall meetings across the country this month.   (AP Photo/CBS Face the Nation, Karin Cooper)
In this photo provided by ABC News, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., appears for an interview with George Stephanopolous on ABC's This Week, in Washington, Sunday, May 20, 2007.
In this photo provided by ABC News, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., appears for an interview with George Stephanopolous on ABC's This Week, in Washington, Sunday, May 20, 2007.   (AP Photo/ABC News, Lauren Victoria Burke)
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Members ought to go back home, hold as many town hall meetings as possible, let people get it out of their system and by September we could have a genuine dialogue in this country.
- Newt Gingrich

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38 comments
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Radzyn
Aug 9, 09 10:20 AM CDT
The last administration did the exact same thing for 8 years over entirely different issues, but now its a bad thing. Go figure. Reply
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+17
IN RESPONSE:
Rob
Aug 9, 09 10:40 AM CDT
No. It's never a good thing. And to say Obama does it because Bush did it is as politically savvy and saying "nah nah nahnah nah."
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-9
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NewserScooter
Aug 9, 09 10:45 AM CDT
Except Bush never "demonized" his critics. His almost universal response was to state how great it was that we live in a free country, with free speech. i dare you to find a quote where he even responded to code Pink or Sheehan?
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0
IN RESPONSE:
Fondue
Aug 9, 09 11:26 AM CDT
You're right Scooter, he just had them arrested or put them in 1st Amendment zones.
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+4
IN RESPONSE:
Radzyn
Aug 9, 09 11:35 AM CDT
NewserScooter, read my post again. Rob, I should have worded that better. I don't think its okay for the current administration to do it either.
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+6
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