Roadblock Blog

Republican Senators prefer French Aircraft où, "La Droit Parole Express"
A day after John McCain undermined Chicago-based Boeing's bid for a $35 billion contract for the Air Force's next-generation aerial refueling tankers, his then struggling campaign began receiving a steady stream of contributions from Airbus lobbyists (coincidentally, Airbus lobbyists also serve on McCain's campaign team). Now, Elizabeth Dole touts her commitment to a strong defense and the continued operation of North Carolina's military bases with campaign ads featuring video of a Dissault Super Etendard, a French fighter whose name roughly translates as "I also am drinking your milkshake, Monsieur Boeing!" You may have seen the Super Etendard in action -- being flown by Saddam Hussein's air force.

After Sen. Mel Martinez's (R-Florida) debunking and Dick Cheney's retraction, some Republicans continue to advance the lie that Cuba and or China are drilling for oil within 100 miles of the Florida coast. While the GOP has rallied around this new talking point for the fall's elections, the distance changes depending on who you talk to:

Senator Norm Coleman (R-Minnesota) claims that China is drilling 90 miles from the coast of Florida.

We're running a deficit
Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) uses tax dollars to fly from Washington, D.C. to Kansas to film a campaign ad, missing two key votes in the process.

For everything in moderation
So-called moderate, Susan Collins (R-Maine), voted against banning partial birth abortion in 2003, but her other vote to confirm Justice Sammy Alito helped ban it anyway.

An inconvenient truth
As former Chair of the Permanent Subcommiattee on Investigations, Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minnesota) is all for government oversight, unless those investigations would reveal Republican incompetence and corruption.

Good boy, here's a treat
John Sununu (R-New Hampshire) was one of a minority of Senators to vote to uphold Bush's veto of the recent Medicare bill to halt paycuts to doctors.

Jeeves, bring me the good scotch
Is Gordon Smith (R-Gordon Smith) too rich for Oregon voters? He reportedly spent $1.3 million on a set of four antique golf clubs.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) enthusiastically propagates every Republican meme, especially the outrageously false ones. In the Fall of 2007, as troop deaths approached 4000, Republicans sought to minimize the significance of those we had lost. Mitch McConnell asked us to remember that our troops were not drafted - that they volunteered - as if it they asked for it or that their lives were worth less. Boehner said that our human losses would be "a small price to pay" if we were able to stop Al Qaeda in Iraq.

Recent fundraising numbers for Kentucky show that Mitch McConnell has raised $3 million this past quarter, while Bruce Lunsford has raised $3.1 million. How did Lunsford raise this money? He put $2.5 million of his own into the race. Of course, do to a June 26, 2008 Supreme Court ruling, McConnell will not be able to increase the amounts of donations he can accept to keep up with Bruce the Goose's dipping into his own personal fortune.

This is just latest outrage by lilly-livered liberal court-appointees -- legislating from the bench -- to permit Democrats to spend, spend, spend, without allowing their opponents to keep pace...

The funhouse mirror
Republican running for Senate, Bob Schaffer, selectively distorts Democratic opponent, Mark Udall's, record on the Iraq War to try to show hypocrisy, exposing his own in the process.

A promise made is a promise not kept
It just so happens that the negative campaign ad Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) is running against Jim Slattery directly contradicts a promise Roberts made in late 2007 not to detract from his opponent in 2008.

Throw out the life preserver, she's jumped ship
Susan Collins' (R-Maine) new energy plan calls for a number of measures she just happened to have voted against before she was in a tough race for reelection.

The little rubber stamp that could
John Sununu (R-New Hampshire) might claim to be independent, but he has voted for confirmation of all of Bush's extreme right-wing judicial nominees.

Switching horses midstream
In a surprise political maneuver, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) spoke out against Medicare before realizing that last week's bill to stop cuts would pass. When it became apparent that the bill would pass, Cornyn simply switched his position and voted yes instead of no.

One step forward, two steps back
Republican running for Senate in Colorado, Bob Schaffer, was already haunted by scandal, but now there is a new ghost in the campaign. Turns out the illustrious former Congressman helped negotiated an oil contract in Iraq with an authority other than the federal government, dealing a blow to American foreign policy.

I'm not a crook
Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) may have violated FEC law in his latest round of attack ads against his Democratic opponent, Jim Slatterly.

We challenge you to a duel
Senate Guru reported on it first, but Idaho Democratic Senate candidate, Larry LaRocco, and Independent candidate, Rex Rammell, are holding ten debates, whether or not Republican candidate Jim Risch joins them.

Like a weathervane
Former Democratic turned Republican candidate for Senate, John Neely Kennedy has changed his position on privatizing social security.

Getting credit when credit isn't due
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has taken credit for creating the office for the Special Investigator General for Iraq Reconstruction, an effort spearheaded by Senator Feingold, not Collins.

Roadblock the Republicans
Despite overwhelming bipartisan support to halt Medicare pay cuts for doctors, Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) still tries to obstruct the bill.

The peasants are revolting!
While Democratic challenger Bruce Lunsford shook hands throughout the Murray, KY 4th of July parade, Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) maintained a safe distance from the rabble.

Source: Pound, Edward T. (June 28, 2008). "Friendly Dealings: Will Norm Coleman's relationship with a well-connected GOP operative hurt him in his tough battle for re-election?" National Journal Magazine.