“Get Off Your Dead Asses”
House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) challenged Republicans on Tuesday to get off their “dead asses” and start raising money for the National Republican Congressional Committee.
And the Republican leader wasn’t the only lawmaker berating his GOP colleagues to raise more money for the committee’s March 12 fundraising dinner: According to sources in the room, NRCC Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) and Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) also used a closed-door session at the Capitol Hill Club on Tuesday to challenge Republicans to raise more campaign cash.
The normally upbeat Cole told Republicans that if they don’t start raising more money for the committee, they should get used to life in the minority. Blunt told his colleagues that Sen. John McCain’s spot atop the ballot should give Republicans the opening they need to regain their majority.
California Rep. Darrell Issa, who has been tapped as chairman of the annual fundraising dinner, set a goal of raising $7.5 million for the event. He even pledged some of his own campaign cash if members failed to clear a recent hurdle. But House Republicans are falling well short in that goal.
According to numbers read during the Tuesday morning meeting, only 15 Republicans have met their pledged fundraising goal for the dinner. Another 42 have set a pledged target but failed to contribute the bulk of that money. Among them are Texas Reps. Mike Conaway and Pete Sessions and South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson, a source familiar with the fundraising totals said. An astonishing 142 members — almost three-fourths of the Republicans in the House — have failed even to set a fundraising target.
Boehner kept his remarks brief Tuesday — back trouble has limited his activity recently — but members and aides present said the Republican leader was clearly frustrated.
The party has struggled to emerge from its devastating losses in 2006 as senior members head for the exits and traditional donors buck the GOP in favor of the new Democratic majority. Some of those defections have sapped Republicans of their most powerful fundraisers, and remaining members have failed to fill that void as GOP lawmakers still grapple with life in the minority.
The NRCC was starting to turn things around at the end of 2007, closing the year with more cash than debt for the first time since the crippling 2006 election. But 2008 began with a fresh crop of retirements and revelations that a former NRCC bookkeeper allegedly forged an internal audit sent to the committee’s principal lender.
Then last Friday, federal prosecutors indicted Arizona Rep. Rick Renzi on 35 criminal counts that include conspiracy, fraud, money laundering and official extortion stemming from a land swap with a former business partner. Shortly afterward, Boehner called on the Arizona Republican, who had already announced his plans not to seek reelection, to “seriously consider” stepping down early. But Renzi has since issued a statement that he has no plans to resign, putting increased pressure on GOP leaders to force his ouster.
The NRCC outraised the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee by a very narrow margin in January, outpacing its Democratic counterpart for the first time since the Republicans lost power. But the DCCC maintains a sizable fundraising advantage, closing the month with nearly $35.5 million, compared with the NRCC’s $6.4 million.
Cole has stayed positive despite all the problems, but he delivered a stern message Tuesday. In an effort to keep members more engaged, Blunt challenged lawmakers to take more responsibility for regaining power, then took a shot at the punditry for writing off Republicans this election cycle.
“We can do this,” he said.
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
If you can't handle using your real email address, don't bother posting a comment.
SCREW THE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP!! It is their fault we are in the mess we are in now from Liberal Bush on down. No gutts Republicans that would not tell Bush to take a hike (they won’t tell McCain either), runaway spending, banning light bulbs, supporting global warming crap, Liberal Bush wanting to ban guns (sign the Clinton gun ban back into law), raising the standard on gas mileage, not drilling in Anwar, giving us the bastard liberal Mccain as a choice who supports this crap! Keaten 5, McCain/Feingold (Bush signed it, filibustering conservative judges, gang of 14 etc. Well, I guess this is why we are going to vote for the bastard McCain that hates us as conservatives. We deserve what we get!!
February 27th, 2008 at 7:20 amIf the DumbF&@ks would start putting up Reagan conservatives they’d have more money than they could count!!
February 27th, 2008 at 7:47 amblastdad: That is exactly right!
February 27th, 2008 at 7:55 amOkay, roll over and die.
(sooo nice, the gun, btw!) If you want to go ahead and shoot us all in the foot and let the Democrats take over, ok. We need the fundraising. It’s about damn time our congressional leadership took a stand.
Bush, whom, for the record, I love, fucked us over saying he was a “compassionate” conservative — like there is any other kind. There’s not — he was just implying that there are some that “aren’t” compassionate. What a bunch of bunk. What we have to do now is beat the Democrats and make sure they don’t continue to eff up this nation.
February 27th, 2008 at 7:57 amOkay, BILL. Great idea.
Go ahead, shoot
us all in the foot and let the Democrats win. That’s what I think is a stellar plan.
We, historically, are better fundraisers. It’s about time that the Republican leadership remembers who voted them in office in the first place. Ohio is full of gun-toting-freedom-loving conservatives, and like blasdad, I agree we should be going back to our modern roots of Reagan conservatism. To quote Rush Limbaugh: Conservative principles work every single time they’re tried. I keep saying this country is going to apologize itself into the grave, and we will if we’re afraid of a little resistance to the current.
All I have to say is better late than never. I’d rather have conservatives / Republicans actually working for our side than doing nothing, rolling over, and letting Obama the magic negro win.
February 27th, 2008 at 8:16 amI know exactly how you feel.
As a strict conservative you are right on all counts.
Real conservatism is always the right way to go.
The REALITY is we don’t have a conservative candidate running for POTUS.
The traitors on the left are offering up two pure communists.
I’m no McCain supporter, I was just as mad as you when he became “The Guy”.
But he will at least fight to ensure we still have a country by the end of his term.
It’ll need lots of fixing no doubt but it will still be AMERICA.
Honestly, what do you envision our land being after 4-8 years of communist-crat rule?
You can kiss EVERY conservative ideal goodbye forever.
Look Bill, all the liberals reading this just got wood.
McCain is the only rational choice.
February 27th, 2008 at 8:19 amI suggest you get your temper tantrum out of your system then make it.
Im no McCain supporter either. I was hoping for Thompson then Romney then ended up with McCain. But ill be damned if im going to vote for either of the 2 communists on the left. None of John McCains positions will destroy our country. He will at least keep our country from getting attacked again by pursuing the war on isloma-facism and keep our enemies on the run in Iraq.
I will be holding my nose and voting for McCain this year. It is a safety vote, he will not ruin the country although i do disagree with some of his stances. And then we will work to regain congress and shift the party back after that
February 27th, 2008 at 9:14 amOkay, so I’d like to apologize for the double post right there. Chad, could you get rid of one? I wrote one, thought it didn’t go through, came back … and … Now I’m embarrassed.
February 27th, 2008 at 9:40 amBill,
Methinks you protest too much. You are really some sorry-ass democrat asshole trying to piss off some conservatives enough to get them to vote for one of the surrender monkey dems or not vote at all.
Guys like you have an odor to you that is hard to hide for very long. Nice try, dick head.
February 27th, 2008 at 9:44 amEven going as far as calling George Bush a liberal. the actual liberals hate Bush.
February 27th, 2008 at 9:55 amI want John A. Boehner as McCain’s Veep …
Kurt?
Ohio?
February 27th, 2008 at 9:59 amHey i would take Boehner as VP in a heartbeat! he would definitely level that ticket out nicely too.
February 27th, 2008 at 10:00 amI suspected the same about Bill yesterday.
I’ll give him the benefit of doubt till he reveals his candidate.
Bill.
February 27th, 2008 at 10:37 amIf not McCain, whom do you intend to vote for?
I was considering donating to the RNC but ever since John McCain sponsored a campaign finance bill that was signed into law aimed at taking money out of politics I feel compelled to be obedient to our new Republican leader and keep my money out of politics.
February 27th, 2008 at 10:43 amI’m glad Bohner is such a direct kind of guy. Now, why didn’t he appoint Jeff Flake to Apprpriations Cmttee, instead of some pork barrel-supporting guy? Flake had more seniority. Oh, and why don’t they ask Tom DeLay and Bill Frist to donate a bunch of money, since they are the “leaders” that drove the GOP into the minority in the first place.
February 27th, 2008 at 10:54 am“It is their fault we are in the mess we are in”
It is THEIR fault, nice display of a passive liberal mindset, giving up control to others
If you and your ‘conservative’ buddies would be active and participate you can help make changes happen, but I think you just sit on the sidelines bitching and moaning hoping someone else will make it better for you.
I bet you sat out the ‘06 election.
February 27th, 2008 at 11:44 amBill, where you at?
The jig is up (sorry, Barry). Looks like Bill is running for the tall grass with his talking points. Maybe he can find another conservative, patriotic, military-loving web page where people will buy his bullshit. Nah, I don’t think so.
February 27th, 2008 at 12:00 pmOur only hope if the messiah gets elected is to have the majority in congress. Anyone here in the 5th district of Missouri, vote for Jacob Turk, running against Emanuel Cleaver. If you don’t live here, but know someone who does, TELL THEM!!! Jacob is a true conservative and a great guy and has been our neighbor for 22 years so I know what I am talking about.
February 27th, 2008 at 12:15 pmSorry for the shameless plug, but he’s a virtual unknown, never hurts to get his name out there.
Every “survey” envelope the Republicans send me asking me for money, I return . . . empty . . . with “IT’S THE BORDER, STUPID” written across it . . . every single one - I do put my own stamp on it, though . . . you’d think they would get it. Actually, yesterday, I added that I would give money to the few (very few) individual Republicans that I trust, but a party that would put McCain at the head would not get another penny of my hard earned money.
February 27th, 2008 at 12:30 pmBill is right to be pissed off at the Republican Party . . . .
Bill - A few posters follow blindly on this site and do not like dissent . . . For that, you might be called a — LIBERAL —
the lowest of low names!
I will vote for McCain, but I will not like it and I will not stop bitchin’ about it . . .
February 27th, 2008 at 12:42 pmTexas Mom,
Absolutely Bill is right to be pissed off at the Republican Party. Where he is dead wrong is to do anything to help the Reid-Pelosi-Feingold-Murtha comrades get the White House and the title of Commander in Chief.
February 27th, 2008 at 1:26 pmjam - I don’t see where he is advocating Reid-Pelosi-Feingold-Murtha . . . maybe, I missed that post.
February 27th, 2008 at 1:31 pmT.M.
I’m not buying the dumb act…you got my point.
February 27th, 2008 at 1:41 pmjam - yeah - I got your point . . . and hopefully you got my point.
February 27th, 2008 at 2:15 pmThe problem is, the conservative movement in the Republican party needs to be led from within, and sitting out elections or voting for opposition is dangerous at this time. If the conservatives do not participate then the ‘leaders’ of the party are not held to account.
This time in history is not a good time to try and develop a third party, I do think that the war against islam, radical and otherwise is paramount to all other issues. I will vote for McCain in this election, for he is the best choice before me. If conservatives are elected in greater number to the house and senate they will have a voice that needs to be listened to.
For the remaining primaries write in a conservative candidate. I am thinking of voting for Duncan Hunter. The McCain nomination is apparently a given, but he should not think he has a free ride.
February 27th, 2008 at 2:16 pmSteve, you got it right. Suck it up and prepare for next time, but don’t be a fool like Bill. I don’t think Bill and his kind are for real anyway.
The war against Islamist radicals is not the ONLY fight, but the other fights don’t count if we can’t muster the balls to win the big one.
February 27th, 2008 at 4:45 pmEmmanual Cleavage is a f-ing crook, he is on BIG Moneys tit and always has been. His cousin was a member of the Black Panthers….. Thank GOD I live on the other side of State Line.
February 27th, 2008 at 6:02 pmRR once said that conservatives who had a snit-fit when they only got 82% of what they wanted and didn’t pitch, take what was available and work for more, were on a death march. Or SLT. Self-righteousness feels GOOOODD, but that’s all it does.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:35 am