Steele's Bling Bling Talk: Kaine Levels The Axe (VIDEO)

For what seems like the first time since he took over the reins of the DNC, Tim Kaine is taking the axe to the opposition. The Virginia Democrat called out RNC Chairman Michael Steele Tuesday for referring to the stimulus package as "bling bling."

"I got to say it is insulting to people that one of the core three elements of this plan ... is tax relief for working families that make $150,000 or less. And tax credits so they can better afford to send their kids to college. You know, what's bling bling about that? I mean, it sounds like tax cuts are okay if it's for the wealthiest or biggest businesses but offering them to 90% of American working families, suddenly that's a bad thing. I don't get it. Infrastructure spending, fix the roads and bridges and retrofit schools and buildings so they can save on energy costs? What's wrong with that? What's wrong with trying to make sure that the millions of people that lost their jobs in the last two months, three months will have unemployment benefits and Medicaid? So I hear them using the phrases that are inside the beltway phrases but I ask them, what are they talking about? In that that's not what this bill is."

The remarks come at a time when Democrats from the White House on down seem to be reading off a more aggressive script for defending the stimulus. Whether this is a coordinated effort (likely) or the party simply feeling liberated by Obama's new posture (also possible) is of secondary concern to defenders of the stimulus package, who have been waiting several weeks for a more combative approach.

Kaine has generally kept to the bipartisan message that helped propel him into Obama's inner circle and made him the president's choice to head up the DNC. But during his round of appearances on cable news Tuesday, he seemed comfortable making the case for the stimulus and taking the gloves off when it came to Steele. Here, courtesy of the RNC, is a clip of the two squaring off in a largely-wonky debate over the recovery package.

Comments

[iheardthisbefore]

It is WAY BEYOND THE TIME for the Senate Democratic Leadership to change
Senate Rules for "cloture" from "super majority" to "simple majority".

The current obstructionist mood of the GOP will not end until they are
marginalized by a rules change.

The people who will argue against this with reference to "historical
precedent" are not thinking this thing through. There is no logical
argument against this rules change.

[WhosKiddingWho]

Bling Bling in the "stimulus package" (and I use the term loosely) was referring to all of the appropriation spending that the Dems tried to cram into the bill. Even many of the realistic Dems couldn't tolerate them. That's what Obama gets for letting Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid lead the effort on this stimulus package. Tim Kaine did not talk about all of the crap (water parks, petting zoos, etc.) that the House tried to cram through...that is the Bling Bling the Michael Steele is talking about. I haven't heard one Republican argue with the need for tax cuts, job creation, job training, etc. The Republicans just don't want all of the other stuff that is riding along in the bill that will not stimulate the economy. Nancy P., you can try to get your San Francisco waterpark through the normal appropriations process....but if you haven't realized...this is not it!

[FlamingLibrul]

Glad to know Rush has settled the matter for you. We're supposed to believe Steele was talking about "Certain Parts" of the Stimulus package, just like Limpaugh wants President Obama's "Bad policies" to fail, which is what he 'really' meant when he said he hopes Obama fails. Riiiight. Your monicker is so perfect for your post. However, being a "Liberal Elite," I would have said "Who's kidding whom?"

[noplankplatform]

"The Democrats out number us so why are you trying to sell it to the public." This is the stupidest statement and it is aimed at the less fortunate viewers. By less fortunate I mean uneducated. The Republicans throw this out there and Kaine does not respond, please. The Senate threatened filibuster from the onset and the Democrats do not have enough votes to break it. Majority might mean something in the House but 60 means something in the Senate.

[forcaff]

if dnc chairman kline had used bling bling to describe the stimulus package black people would be calling for his head,well micheal steele should not be treated any different everyone knows that bling bling is a term that's mostly used by black people and by the way i'm a black woman so there is no racism involved in this mr steele seems to be a loose cannon.

[itsme23]

well how about this then, I am calling for Michael Steele to knock that riduclous shuck and jive nonscense off..it's embarrassing and beneath the intelligence of the American People and for the record, he makes a mockery of his descendents who went through hell to make it possible for someone like him to be in a posistion like the one he is in now...feel better?

[Pegalys]

Why do all the Republicans have crooked lips? Gretchen, Shelby, Morris, to name a few.

posted by swan1


Because demons have permanent sneers.

[swan1]

Why do all the Republicans have crooked lips? Gretchen, Shelby, Morris, to name a few.

[shadow322]

If the Republicans had gotten their way and privatized Social Security, almost all of our senior citizens would now be destitute and without any chance of recovery. And now these geniuses want us to believe that after 8 years of plunder, they have the answers we need to repair our economy and regain our integrity - Not in my life time!

[Margary]

Bling Bling is a rapper term! A rapper term has no place in talking about this stimulus! It's also insulting, and that is how steele meant it!

[bogues]

Tim Kaine is going to do a wonderful job for the DNC. He knows how to make the intelligent points and with dignity and style he exposes the lies that are coming from the Republican party. We the people no longer feel compelled to believe every word that comes out of the Republican party. we know beyond a doubt that they do not care about the country, they only care about what will give them political power. I would caution Mr. Kaine when he appears on CNN with wolf Blitzer in particular, he needs to listen carefully to the way Wolf phrases is questions and comments. Yesterday Wolf prefaced a question to Kaine by saying that President Obama says we should start to see results of his plans very soon. That is an outright lie and I have no doubt that Wolf knows it. President Obama has said it will be a long process and will take a lot of work.

[americanexile]

I saw that too, sometimes Wolf just chaps my hide with his crap "journalism"

[goodmarina]

All the tax cuts in the world will do us no good if we do not make the income to pay for those taxes.

[goodmarina]

"Bling-bling" ... is this code for Inner City a.k.a. poor people who fit a certain ethnic stereotype? Republicans like Steele are spineless nincompoots who lack the courage of their misguided convictions to say what they really mean.

[itsme23]

You get the gold star award for the day....the Republicans new thought is that if they get enough african american robots out on the air waves to spout this stuff, then no one will be able to claim it's racist thinking...however, all african american's know what this is...we can see it with Steele the same way we saw it with Justice Thomas...it's offensive to think that getting any old black guy to speak is going to change our minds...Obama isn't just a black guy...if that were the reason he won, then I guess Flava Flave has a chance next time around too right? It's insulting and guys like Michael Steele, Joe Watkins and Ron Christie are embarrassing to say the least.....sorry thinking of all three just made me throw up in my mouth a little bit!

[Shashi0224]

The difference....Kaine KNOWS what he is talking about while Steele is repeating talking points that have no basis in reality.

[jacobomorales]

Steele should be getting on his hands and knees and begin kissing Obama's feet. If it wasn't for Obama, Steele would still be cleaning the republican committee toilet room.

[MalloMel]

You.ve got it.

[quidam56]

Wish I could have a do over on voting for Kaine, he has been a huge let down. Wise County is being decapitated to the point Appalachia and Pound are 3rd world American towns. The environment and health care standards are of no consequence to him. Politicians and Profit care comes ahead of People. http://www.wisecountyissues.com

[jnah]

i wanted to kick steele in the face for that idiotic comment