CNN

Desperate are we?

Well if he's a true Republican with family values....he makes a stop in the airport restroom for some quick toetapping....

"Senate Republicans try to find consensus on the best way to challenge President Obama and the Democratic majority."

How about lead a committe that provide solutions and not attacks?

".....where all Senate Republicans try to find consensus on the best way to challenge President Obama and the Democratic majority."

This is the problem with the GOP, they think of only getting back to power rather than what is good for the country!!!!
I think this kind of thinking is very SELFISH and UN-AMERICAN.

If the Senate GOP members are not going to help with trying to improve this nation as a whole, then they have no business being in the Senate. We are wasting our tax dollars paying their salaries!!!

This republican just love them "regular" don't they. a regular guy with a simple mine, that any hicks in America can have a beer with. Sounds familiar They did vote for one and his" regularness" has destroyed the country BIG TIME. led an unnecessary war in Iraq, Disregard the victims of Katrina, bankrupt the country. made America the laughingstock of the world. and last but not least can't even pronounce a word properly.
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ARE NOT ONLY POWER HUNGRY, UNPATRIOTIC, TREASONOUS SCUMBAGS BUT THEY STILL HAVE THE AUDACITY TO INSULT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE'S INTELLIGENCE.

His backward party will prove his ruination.

THE HYPOCRITICAL FACTOR,

The Republicans have a serious credibility problem regarding the national debt. Congress was controlled by Republicans 6 of the 8-years Bush/Cheney GOP controlled the White House. And during that time Republicans took the nation from an economic surplus (thanks to Bill Clinton) to the largest national debt in history. Then Bush/Cheney turned their national disaster over to Obama/Biden/Clinton.

Right now, I am not interested in hearing anything the Republicans have to say.

What the republicans truly need to strategize is how to work with democrats to get the people's work done. The all or nothing mentality is not putting food on tables or money in families bank accounts.

And this is getting something done in Washington? Sounds more like someone is interested in power for themselves than doing the right thing for the country.

Ron Paul 2012

A weekly strategy on the best way to challenge President Obama and the Democratic party? No wonder they have no alternative health plan or alternative anything to what the Democrats are proposing to save the country. Just say "NO" to everything and figure out ways to bring down the President and the Democrats.

Ohhh.. so YOU are one of the guys that sits around each week trying to figure out ways to tear down Obama and figure out ways to make our president FAIL each week! Nice insight on this "regular Guy".

Havent the Republicans realized that "REGULAR GUYS" arent what this country needs. It needs BRAINS and PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITIES...
NOT the guy you can have a beer with (BUSH),
the average soccer mom(PALIN),
the average JOE (the Plummer),
or the average tuesday subway riding Republican who helps in the weekly strategizing session on how to spread hate, divisiveness, fear, and lies in attempts to defeat OUR President.

These guys JUST DONT GET IT....

Republicans should be game planning how to help middle America not how to thwart President Obama and the Democrats. That's the problem here. Folks need to work to get things done/fixed instead of trying to go after each other. We pay politicians to lead not attack each other. If a Party wanted to thrive all they would have to do is THE RIGHT THING verses doing for corporate america.

this man is a genius......presidential material....

A 'hot commodity' in the GOP circles = goods whose shelf life expired decades ago.

"We got along well," Thune remembered, "but he wasn't here for all that long, you know."

Yeah..WE KNOW.

This country would do so much better with fiscal conservatives....Both Republicans and Democrats. That’s how Reagan AND Clinton did it.

Bush almost pulled it off...almost isn't good enough. He should have done better.

Obama on the other hand, he's already failed and he doesn't even know it.

Too many times Rush, Glenn and Fox News has babbled about "purifying" the party – that includes kicking out McCain and Colin Powell – not to mention the fiasco in NYS-23.

No, there is no room in their tent for independent thinking: which is why all 177 house members didn't really need to show up to vote: the majority whip could have cast "one ballot" ... no one with a moderate thought need apply ... just drink the kool-aid and vote like you are told.

so a young moderate is the future of the republican party? better not let Limbaugh and Palin hear about it!

Thune is just another family values (sleep with your neighbor's wife)Republican who thinks the party of hypocrites is relevant.

"Thune runs the weekly strategy session where all Senate Republicans try to find consensus on the best way to challenge President Obama and the Democratic majority."

There you have it, folks, proof positive that the GOP cares more about Party than Country.

No mention of new ideas or what they can do to better our country or help our people – just a lot of energy and noise trying to find the "right" candidate to defeat President Obama.

Our country deserves better than a bunch of power- and money-hungry doofuses running things. Been there, done that with George W. Bush & Company – and look what we ended up with!

GOP = Party Before Country

a young moderate is the future of the republican party? better not let Limbaugh, Palin and the other dimwits of the far right hear about this!

Oppose first, reason second. Exhibit (A) – "Thune runs the weekly strategy session where all Senate Republicans try to find consensus on the best way to challenge President Obama and the Democratic majority."

Yes He is Pink enough. It is a lovely shade of you look just like me and you. , Sooooooooooooooooooo were safe. He is not as Handsome as Our President, He is better looking than Most Of the Republicans out there. He will be just what the Country is looking for. Not because he could be half as smart as our President Obama. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. But not matter stupid blunder he would make. He would be right.Right like Bush. Right like the Right and the shade of skin thats makes us all fit in. SICK

"candid assessment" implies that these Republicans get together and tell the truth. Hmmm. Is that even possible?

> "Thune runs the weekly strategy session where all Senate Republicans try to find consensus on the best way to challenge President Obama and the Democratic majority."

Oh, that's nice to know. I wish they'd hold a weekly strategy session on the best way to effectively govern the nation. Isn't THAT what we're paying them for, rather than trying to stop the Democrats from getting anything accomplished?

A promise to control spending–and meaning it–would be a good start for the GOP. A promise to rein in government–and meaning it–would be a good next step, as would a sincere promise to return to government that respects the rights of individuals–no more of this spy-on-the-citizens PATRIOT Act crap.

And before looking for more people to join the GOP, it might be a good idea to look into getting back all the real conservatives–former Republicans–the neo-cons have alienated over the years. A lot of us don't get a lot out of narrow-minded, self-righteous, paranoia coupled with obviously disingenuous yatter about being the party of small government and fiscal conservatism–eight years of George Bush made those lies too obvious to miss.

The GOP claims to be embrace diversity, so long as it is exactly what they believe, need proof? Read the story about Scazzy from earlier today.

Simplet Truth: Republicans are a narrow minded group of prehistoric principals, clinging on to every failed policy ever attempted, and ignorantly ignoring the fact that it was tried, and it failed. Or perhaps they know it failed, which is even worse since they still wish to pursue those same failed policies.

Let evolution continue to bring us into the future, species are mean to go extinct when they are no longer capable of making decisions based on current issues, the GOP has met it's time to die a swift and permanent death. They represent absolutely NOTHING good.

There hasn't been a good repubican since Lincoln!

In 2010 he will have a lot more company. Far left wingers will see the sunset of their controll. Can't wait.

Watch for Thune/Cantor in 2016.

By 2012 he will be more experienced than Obamessiah was when he ran for POTUS.

Dime a dozen! This now about the twentieth CNN declared 'rising star' of the republican party. Remember Sanford? Remember Jindal? Most people don't! They are losers!

Of course, having gone through the entire GOP roster CNN will then say at the end about the eventual nominee 'I told you so!' Of course they did! They also said the same thing about dozens of others! And yet they never came true!

This "strategy session" must be of short duration. How many variations of the word "NO" are there ?

Why is it these guys always want to "challenge the President", on anything?
I can understand challenges when leadership needs direction, but these guys (GOP) challenge EVERYTHING. Obama is trying to give direction. When are they going to grow up... citizen up and take a stand for the people? Work together for crying out loud.
This is big business... OUR country! Work together to solve the many problems...or be fired!
It shouldn't be about party... it should be about AMERICA!!!

He might be ok, as long as the southern conservative lunatic fringe doesn't have their way with him!

If he is such an up and coming leader, then why doesn't he take the leadership to ask Ensign and Vitter to resign and clean up the GOP's Senate representation.

2/3 lost their elections and are out of the senate but every time you people post an article...it's hot hot hot republican. We see where your loyalties lie...during bush's pillage of this country all we heard about was REPUBLICANS. We were told what they were doing was relevant because they were in the majority. Gee gee gee

Now that the democrats are in the majority you still have your head up republican butt. Guess your owners decreed it..push republican push republican...And by the way who in the devil has heard about anything this guy has done since the republicans stuffed the ballot box and got Daschle out of office. I don't trust the winning vote of any of the common low down cheating republicans. The only way anybody gets ahead in votes is to keep a close close close eye on that ballot box.

"Thune runs the weekly strategy session where all Senate Republicans try to find consensus on the best way to challenge President Obama and the Democratic majority."

In other words, plan how to make him fail and the country along with him. Just once I would like to hear about a republican that actually thinks about the people of this country rather than his party and how to regain power.

Another Republican on the rise. Thune INSISTS that "there is still diversity of GOP views – but he argues must be expanded"!!!! IS he kidding???

The ONLY diversity in Republican circles is the color of their ties!

Republicans have been hijacked by the extremist-fear-mongers of the far-right, their values and their politics do not reflect the majority of Americans!

When only 21% of Americans claim to be GOP.

When 55% of Americans do not know who the leader of the GOP is.

The writing is on the wall. GOP has gone over to the fringe, they are in denial.

Do you want to know how you expand your views past racism, sexism, and biggotry?...

...you become a Democrat.

Good---Thune for president 2012!

"Thune runs the weekly strategy session where all Senate Republicans try to find consensus on the best way to challenge President Obama and the Democratic majority."

It would be nice if they'd spend that time and energy figuring out how to help the American people instead of ways to defeat President Obama.

Wow, he must be the guy on the tightrope at the GOP circus, I feel sorry for him.

Republicans are not "regular guys"...they are unethical, morbid racists who rule by fear and hatred.

GOP: Evolve or die

Who would vote for somebody with such a fake tan? Come on, there's no way he got that tan in South Dakota. He's worse than George Hamilton!