Thursday, December 4, 2014

Lobbyist Trent Lott wants GOP to "get things done" with Obama, says McConnell and Boehner must "move quickly to co-opt" new members. Lott, Daschle, others at CSM hosted breakfast. Daschle concerned some GOP believe "standing your ground is the right thing to do"-NY Times

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12/4/14, "Lott Tells Republican Leadership Not to Follow Hard-Liners," NY Times, First Draft, Jackie Calmes

"As a former Republican leader in the House and Senate, Trent Lott of Mississippi says he knows that party leaders don’t seek advice. But he had plenty on Thursday for Speaker John A. Boehner and Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republicans who will be running Congress-or trying to-come January.

In short: Lead the growing ranks of hard-line conservatives who have often called the shots, don’t follow them, so Republicans can get things done with President Obama.

“The leadership is going to have to find a way to deal sternly with some of these members,” Mr. Lott, who was the No. 2 House Republican in the 1980s and later both the minority and majority leader in the Senate, said at a breakfast with reporters. He added, “I wouldn’t put up with some of the stuff they do.”...

With the influx of newly elected conservatives, “the leadership should move quickly to co-opt them, bring them in, pull them in close to the leadership,” Mr. Lott said. “Don’t let them drift over to the far-right flank.”...
  
Mr. Lott spoke to reporters alongside his onetime Democratic rival, Tom Daschle, the former Senate majority leader, at a round table hosted by The Christian Science Monitor. 

Mr. Daschle said that Mr. McConnell’s challenge leading Republican senators was much greater than the one facing the Democratic leader, Senator Harry Reid of Nevada.

There are a lot more people in his caucus who come with the belief that standing your ground is the right thing to do, who don’t want to compromise,” Mr. Daschle said. “I think he’s got a big challenge.”" via Mark Levin show


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