# McConnell needs to apologize **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 7, 2012, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222 "2012-11-07T15:25:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![otoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8baadc/32.png) [@otoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otoh)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/1 "2012-11-07T15:25:31Z")
Mitch McConnell need to apologize to the the Republican party and the American people for saying that his number one political goal was to make Obama a one term president. He failed and set the tone for a poisoned the political discourse over the next four years. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Surb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@The\_Surb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Surb)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/2 "2012-11-07T15:26:41Z")
I shall hold my breath until he does. It will be his fault should my face turn blue! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/3 "2012-11-07T15:26:54Z")
I’ll take the under on that bet. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/4 "2012-11-07T15:30:51Z")
Well, at least he has a reasonably good shot of keeping Obama to two terms. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/5 "2012-11-07T15:32:55Z")
He’ll get his comeuppance in two years. Rumor is that Ashley Judd will run against him. He’s the poster boy for all that is wrong in DC. The only thing that he would be genuinely sorry about is that he said it on the record. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/6 "2012-11-07T15:38:20Z")
I’ll bet his mailbox is full of gloating emails. And deservedly so. Enjoy the crow, Mr. McConnell! ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/7 "2012-11-07T15:44:31Z")
[His phony “congratulations” speech](http://cincinnati.com/blogs/politics/2012/11/07/questions-for-mcconnell-or-boehner-tell-us/) is not a propitious sign. Reid had better have been sincere about reforming the filibuster rule, because if it was a bluff, it’s being called. > [@](#): > > “Now it’s time for the President to propose solutions that actually have a chance of passing the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and a closely-divided Senate, step up to the plate on the challenges of the moment, and deliver in a way that he did not in his first four years in office. To the extent he wants to move to the political center, which is where the work gets done in a divided government, we’ll be there to meet him half way. > > “That begins by proposing a way for both parties to work together in avoiding the ‘fiscal cliff’ without harming a weak and fragile economy, and when that is behind us work with us to reform the tax code and our broken entitlement system. Republicans are eager to hear the President’s proposals on these and many other pressing issues going forward and to do the work the people sent us here to do.” ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/8 "2012-11-07T15:46:20Z")
Ooooh, Ashley would be awesome! Not that I know much more about her than that she is the devil incarnate in conservative circles. She’d be among my top picks for making conservative heads literally (instead of just figuratively) explode. Going to start saving now to donate to her campaign. ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/9 "2012-11-07T15:56:20Z")
> [@The\_Surb](#): > > I shall hold my breath until he does. It will be his fault should my face turn blue! You should be careful. You might die and shrivel up and then you’d look just like Mitch Mc…no, no, that would be petty and cruel of me to say. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/10 "2012-11-07T15:59:28Z")
Zero chance he apologizes. But he failed, and that’s what counts. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/11 "2012-11-07T16:01:18Z")
I’d much rather hear him say “I’m a failure” than “I’m sorry.” Can I submit this request somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/12 "2012-11-07T16:01:39Z")
Actually, he said it in 2010, two years after Obama had already been in office. He also said “I don’t want the president to fail; I want him to change.” He was completely willing to meet the president halfway on certain items. If you real the entire interview in context, it’s much less toxic. And certainly nothing that the Democrats wouldn’t have also said about Bush. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/13 "2012-11-07T16:16:55Z")
I think his “congratulations” statement shows his colors remain unchanged. I think this guy typifies so much of what is wrong with US national politics. Party politics over ANYTHING. What a jerk. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/14 "2012-11-07T16:47:11Z")
> [@Eutychus](#): > > He also said “I don’t want the president to fail; I want him to change.” He was completely willing to meet the president halfway on certain items. Yea, he was happy to compromise on the resolution to create a National Say Something Nice About Kentucky Bourbon Day. Other than that, no compromise whatsoever. Did you see 60 Minutes last Sunday with McConnell and Reid? Either the rules of the Senate should be totally restructured or the place ought to be dissolved. It is entirely dysfunctional. I’m not quoting directly but it was said that Lyndon Johnson dealt with 1 filibuster. Obama has had to deal with over 250. You call that, “willing to meet halfway”? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/15 "2012-11-07T16:51:59Z")
> [@Eutychus](#): > > Actually, he said it in 2010, two years after Obama had already been in office. > > He also said “I don’t want the president to fail; I want him to change.” translation: “Hey, I’ll have no problem with the president as long as he supports Republican ideals.” That’s not how it works. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/16 "2012-11-07T17:02:04Z")
Because remember: to Republicans, compromise is getting the other side to agree to what you want. No way in hell are they meeting Obama halfway on anything. To the country’s detriment. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/17 "2012-11-07T17:04:04Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > Because remember: to Republicans, compromise is getting the other side to agree to what you want. Which makes for extremely weird dissonance when Democrats propose a health care reform package based on Republican ideas from a decade ago and Republicans denounce it as socialism. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/18 "2012-11-07T17:12:18Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I’ll take the under on that bet. On the other hand, I’d consider a wager as to whether McConnell remains Minority Leader for much longer. Senate Republicans had a very bad night, losing races they could have won (and control of the Senate), had McConnell have any control over his party’s fringe or any charisma to lend. And Lindsey Graham has been making a play for the position. Soul-searching will reveal that buttering up old white men from Kentucky is the least essential GOP task at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/19 "2012-11-07T17:18:10Z")
The Republicans could have had control of the Senate by now if they - well, the Tea Party- hadn’t run out some staggeringly awful candidates this year and in 2010. They’ve done a terrible job there. What else can you say about a party that lost two winnable races because the candidates were stumped by the issue of _rape_? I’m seeing some reports that Marco Rubio is being offered John Cornyn’s job as leader of the Republican Senatorial Committee and is going to turn it down. So there’s one head that is likely to roll regardless of what happens to McConnell. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222/20 "2012-11-07T17:21:46Z")
> [@](#): > > “Now it’s time for the President to propose solutions that actually have a chance of passing the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and a closely-divided Senate, step up to the plate on the challenges of the moment, and deliver in a way that he did not in his first four years in office. To the extent he wants to move to the political center, which is where the work gets done in a divided government, we’ll be there to meet him half way. I don’t think you get to say what it is time for the President to do, you partisan hack. It is time for you to find a way to suck up to the President fast and hard enough to save your job in two years. End of story. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcconnell-needs-to-apologize/640222.md?page=2)