[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/24/art.deval.cnn.jpg caption="The NRSC criticized Paul Kirk's appointment to the Senate."](CNN) - National Republicans Thursday were quick to criticize the appointment of Paul Kirk to fill the vacant Senate seat in Massachusetts until a special election is held in January.
“The Democrats’ power play in Massachusetts has nothing to do with principle, and everything to do with politics," Rob Jesmer, Executive Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee said in a statement. "With their unpopular government-run health care bill on the brink of failure, Democrats in Washington desperately need another vote in the U.S. Senate, and it is clear that this Administration will stop at nothing to ram it through the Congress."
Full statement after the jump:
NRSC Response To Massachusetts Senate AppointmentWASHINGTON – Rob Jesmer, Executive Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), issued the following statement today in response to Massachusetts Democrat Governor Deval Patrick’s appointment of an un-elected United States Senator:
“The Democrats’ power play in Massachusetts has nothing to do with principle, and everything to do with politics. With their unpopular government-run health care bill on the brink of failure, Democrats in Washington desperately need another vote in the U.S. Senate, and it is clear that this Administration will stop at nothing to ram it through the Congress. By meddling in the affairs of state politics just weeks after promising to leave it up to the elected Massachusetts officials, Democrat leaders in Washington have demonstrated a willingness to put partisan politics over principle, a far cry from candidate Obama’s pledge to change the way business is done in Washington.”
think the republicans need to get a grip, they have lost it.
And the Republican point is....? Of course THEY wouldn't do the same thing if the circumstances were the same, would they?
And I'm sure the Republicans weren't playing politics with the Norm Coleman drama that went on for 9 months...............
Have the republicians lost their minds???? They are a bunch of screwballs. No wonder this country is in the mess it's in.
yeah, right, because the ReTHUGlicans wouldn't have done the same exact thing. Hypocrites, every one of them
MA Dems made a 100% political move on this just as they did when they changed the law a few yrs ago. People are TIRED of the politics – from both sides – do OUR work – prmote OUR agenda – not YOUR agenda.
POliticians have forgotten that they are representatives sent to DC as OUR voice – not to promote their own agenda
rethuglicans, grow up and stop childish statements and behaviour.!!!! Nothing makes sense in your eyes, you dont make sense in our eyes either. you sound like a broken record! Do your job without making bogus statements everyday! YOU are elected officials, who elected you anyway. Lord have mercy!
Raise your hand if you DID NOT know that this objection was coming from the GOP.
HA! What a surprise. This only would've been news had the headline stated, "GOP supports Kirk appointment". I always assume that the headline for any democratic appointment is going to be, "GOP slams ___ appointment". The Republicans automatically take the opposite opinion of anything the democrats do. It you take the party line 100% of the time you have zero credibility. It's the party of "no" and the party of "sheep".
You know you are doing the right thing when the GOP says it's bad.
I think this is a great move, welcome Sentor Kirk
What is Rob Jesmer, Executive Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, talking about?
Democratic health care reform proposals are NOT unpopular.
They do NOT call for government-run health care, any more than is the VERY popular Medicare. They call for CHOICE!
And Democratic health care reform proposals are NOT on the brink of failure.
The Republicans are just angry because they're no longer able to do the bidding of the health care industry and won't be getting any more of those health care industry dollars into their coffers.
The leadership of the FEARFUL, ANGRY AND CONFUSED Republican Party is pathetic.
Pretty tough words from the party that politicizes everything.
Mr. Jesmer – it's a politcal position, duh. It's all politics.
It is a disgrace that the dems just throw the rules out the window and rewrite new ones as they go along. It is an outrage,. But no surprising that they will do anything to pass Healthcare even if it is illegal, unconstitutional, and not in the best interest of its citizens.
Not letting us read the bill !!Everyone LEft and Right should be outraged. Jut like the Stimulus. Can't believe this goes on in ths country.
Of course, the dems move to change the rules in order for Kirk to replace Kennedy has everything to do with politics! And it's exactly what the GOP would be doing if they had control of the state legislature.
as a life-long resident of MA and life long democrat, I feel this was sooooo wrong to do. Mitt Romney should sue the state. The republicans are right on this one. they should be angry.
Oh, boo hoo. Just more whining. Since when are politics not about politics. How disingenuous.
There should never be an appointment to the
U.S. Senate. There should be a special election.
This is not a third world nation....PERIOD !!!
By the way ,that ex -governor of Alaska all the libs
hate had a law change in Alaska to support an
election over an appointment to a senate seat.
It was done to avoid C O R R U P T I O N .
This is mind baffling.
While Romney was Gov., the state law was changed (under Kennedy's influence) that a special run-off in January following the year of a deceased U.S. Senator so that a Republican Gov., could not influence that seat. NOW, and before Kennedy died, he again, influenced MA's state politics to have it revert back to a 'special appointment' if he was to die before the January run-off date.
This is why Federalism stinks!
wah, wah, wah... I smell a Republican Whiney Bird! after the 2000 "selection" stunt that gave us 8 glorious years of GWB, the Republicans have ZERO moral high ground to whine about democratic maneuvering.
That Republican statement nails it pretty much on the head. Hard to argue with the truth.
Please, ya big drama queen. . . filling TED KENNEDY'S seat with a like minded vote for a major Health-care reform bill while holding the special election is simply Honoring the Late Senators opinion, values, and memory. He would like the same for himself. . .But No, it's all a communistic conspiracy and a outrageous act by the Dems. . . because the Right is Happy Mr. Kennedy is dead and gone plane and simple. Behave and let Kennedy's seat vote for a bill he has tried to pass his whole life. . .
Why is this news? You can bet the farm that had it been a GOP Governor appointing a GOP Senator, you'd hear nothing but praise. Just what millions of us expected from the "Grumpy Old Philanders".
Kirk is an outstanding choice with the good will of a vast majority of the residents of the Commonwealth. He also seems to lack the "qualifications" the GOP most values (i.e. vote "no" on everything, rant at every opportunity, be as boorish as you can and, if some "sweet young thing" passes by, drop'em!)
great statement. great, awesome. At least the GOP is telling the truth in Wash. someone is telling it like it is. Way to go, to the GOP!!!!!!!