McConnell Fundraising Email: Vote For Me To Fight Obama Presidency

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has sent out a new fundraising email that, at its crux, plays off the assumption of a Barack Obama victory in the presidential election.

Citing media reports that show "an Obama win [as] a real possibility," the Kentucky Republican positions himself as the one man capable of standing up to the Obama/Pelosi/Reid machine" that "will steamroll a host of new taxes and left-wing social policy across the Senate Floor."

It is not uncommon for politicians to use presidents or presidential candidates as a boogeyman to curry votes. But McConnell's fundraising appeal seems to go a step beyond, painting, at times, Obama's election as a fait accompli that voters in Kentucky must consider.

"[L]ocal and national newspapers are already saying that if my opponent were to win this race, he would be a reliable vote for Obama and Chuck Schumer," he writes of Democratic challenger, Bruce Lunsford.

Hinting at the possibility of complete Democratic control of government - again a statement predicated on an Obama win -- McConnell writes: "national liberals want this Senate seat so badly" because "they are making this race a power play for domination of the public debate. They have made no secret that they are fighting for total unfettered domination of the government and its agenda."

This is the second time in as many days that a Republican official has sent out a fundraising letter for the Kentucky Senate race that forecasts a future Obama White House. On Tuesday, Mitt Romney blasted out an email on McConnell's behalf, warning that Democratic challenger Bruce Lunsford "was handpicked by Chuck Schumer and will be a reliable vote for the Democrats. And as we face the very real possibility of an Obama presidency, that's the last thing we need."

The Kentucky Senate race has become ground zero of sorts for Democratic efforts to secure 60 seats in the Senate. And as the election has approached, McConnell's once strong standing has diminished.

Good government groups, who have long viewed the Minority Leader as a thorn in the side of their agenda, are also seeing a real possibility of flipping the seat. On Wednesday, Campaign Money Watch, a national nonpartisan campaign finance watchdog organization, announced that it will spend another $800,000 on a television ad in Kentucky accusing McConnell of being a puppet of special interests.

Comments

[jackmayoff]

I heard they cancelled "King of the Hill". Is that the show that stars Mitch McConnell as Hank Hill? (he he he)

[ikenneth]

McConnell's ties with Ted Stevens

http://pageonekentucky.com/2008/10/28/mcconnells-close-ties-with-corrupt-ted-stevens/#more-2329

[ikenneth]

This comment is pending approval and won't be displayed until it is approved.

As a supporter for Lunsford and a Kentucky resident, I'm going to say that's going to be hard for Lunsford to win. If Lunsford does win, i will be truly surprised.

The reason for this is because Mitch has been in office for decades, literally. Around the beginning of each election cycle, McConnell gives hundreds of thousands of dollars or millions of dollars to small towns all across Kentucky. This money goes to roads, schools, infrastructure, parks, etc. Therefore, when it's time to vote, McConnell's arguement is that he has given a large sum of money to these town and that if they want more funding, vote for McConnell. Across Kentucky, there are streets and maybe even schools named after this guy. In Frankfort (KY capital), there is a building named after him (not sure if that is his office).

MITCH MCCONNELL SUPPORTS STRIP MINING IN SOUTHEAST KENTUCKY, AFFECTING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN THE REGION (WATER, JOBS, ECONOMY, WILDLIFE, ETC)

This guy is sleazy.

STOP MITCH MCCONNELL

[joannericec]

Fingers crossed we won't have ol' Mitch to kick around anymore!

[Donald-Iowa]

This is the same obstructionist pork sucker that swore on the Rush Limbaugh show a month or so back that if he is re-elected he will spend the next four years making sure that nothing that Obama tries to accomplish will ever get through Congress. It is just these kind of partisan obstructionism that has put this country in the position that it's in today. McConnel and a half dozen more Republicans just like him could care less about the good of the people they serve, but only their own selfish ends.

I hope that the people of Kentucky are smart enough to turn this windbag out to pasture and stop him from sucking at the public trough in the future. 24 years is enough.

[MiddleRoadLiberal]

"they are making this race a power play for domination of the public debate. They have made no secret that they are fighting for total unfettered domination of the government and its agenda."

When you show us you can play nice, you can have your toys back. Maybe.

[siney]

and this is why we need hillary as majority leader....mcconnell is that persistent rock in your shoe that irritates to no end and harry reid, while a good man, is no match...

[jaslyn]

Oh wahhh. All the big babies are coming out of the woodwork with the same old tired rhetoric. Look around fellah, we're sick and tired of your brand of governing. You suck at it. Now move over and let someone younger , smarter and not on the take try their hand at it.

[Nikola Tesla]

Crush the Beetch.

[KarateKid]

In the business world, if you over promise and under deliver, or if you help turn a profitable operation into a quagmire of red ink, guess what happens? You lose your job; you get fired, and if you do what the Republicans have done, you get fired WITH cause.

Only in government do people who fail their constituencies keep their jobs or even get a promotion. I don't see how ANY Republican should NOT be fired.

Terminate Mitch McConnell, Kentucky; show some values you keep telling us about.

[KarateKid]

I meant to say balls.

[TheVertMan]

I'm in the minority here I know. But I as a native Kentuckian will be casting my vote for Mitch McConnell, why? One reason...Dr. Ernie "Mini-Bush" Fletcher. This is the man that Bruce Lunsford helped get elected in 2003 as our Governor (you have no idea how horrible this man was for our state). Old Bruce was mad because he lost the DEM primary to a REAL Kentuckian, Ben Chandler. So what does Bruce do? He turns on his party and helps get the worst Governor in the history of this state elected. He doesn't deserve your support or anyone's and I refuse to vote for him regardless of how slimy Mitch McConnell is.

- Just My Opinion

[KarateKid]

This just shows what a back woods mind you have.

[Kram]

There you go. Keep the corporate fascist filibuster machine around so he can use 41 votes to stop the next New Deal? Yep, that makes good sense?

[Judy109]

As a voter in Kentucky that is eligible for early voting, I voted for Obama and Lunsford. NO way No how would I vote for McConnell

[Bdwyre]

I live in Kentucky and believe there are plenty of us who are ready to ditch Mitch. But this state is deep, dark red and if he gets beats I will be surprised. We do have a popular democratic governor so that might help Bruce Lunsford (McConnell's opponent) somewhat. I would love to see McConnell booted out - he's a hard-line right winger who was in cahoots with DeLay and the other repuke creeps.

[unite4change]

Bdwyre - Hi, I grow up in Louisville. Please tell me why the uneducated blue collar workers still vote for republicans. Do they not realize they are voting against their own interest? Has any of the tax breaks for corporation and millionnaires trickled down on them yet?

[Woodn88s]

I also live in Ky. I've been walking around with my Obama button for weeks now, I have been persecuted every day for it, and it's the poor uneducated working class that the McConnels and the McCains have in their pockets. These folks truly believe that The repubs are there to save them from the great evils of the world. Little do they know that it is the mindset of the repubs that hammers these blue collars down, throwing them a bone once and awhile from their over flowing plate.
I truly believe that slavery is still alive and well, it just has a new face down here, the face of the working class.
This McConnel is truly the scum of the earth and it would be a Godsend to Ky. and the country if he were defeated.

[darthmaul]

Unfortunately, this guy is a real threat. He's very conservative and very smart, certainly smarter then Harry Reid, who's favorite words are "I regret" to explain away the senates failure to get anything done.

Mark my words, if McConnell wins, we will be hearing allot more "I regret's" from Harry!

[parkboyns]

I will donate to lunsford. Hope he wins. Mitch Mconnell is one of the biggest proponents for specials interests and dirty energy this country has ever seen.

go to pbs.org and watch the documentary "Heat"

Watch the whole thing. You will see. There's a dirty coal plant in washington that they wanted to change to clean natural gas and McConnell stood right up against it. He's doesn't believe in climate change, and has consistently voted down every single piece of clean energy legislation that has crossed his path. This man is real version of what comes to people's minds when they think about a dirty, crooked politician in Washington.

[lynjs]

I don't buy it. Remember this guy is a Republican and probably has Karl Rove's number on speed dial. Don't fall for it. It is an election ploy.