Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) speaks on stage during the Protecting Working Families Rally to stand up against the GOP tax cuts at Santander Performing Arts Center in Reading, Pennsylvania. (Photo: Lisa Lake/Getty Images for MoveOn.org)
Sanders Says McConnell Cancelled August Recess Because He's "Scared to Death" GOP Will Lose Senate
"I think everybody knows why he's doing it. He wants to keep Democrats in Washington rather than campaigning."
Responding to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) abrupt decision on Tuesday to cancel most of the Senate's August recess, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said in an interview with the Washington Post on Wednesday that the move clearly shows McConnell is "scared to death" that the GOP might lose control of the Senate in November.
"McConnell doesn't want the PR nightmare of dozens of negative town halls in August."
--Sam Quigley, Patriotic Millionaires
"It's very clear, I think everybody knows why he's doing it. He is scared to death... that Republicans might lose control over the Senate," Sanders said. "Given the fact that there are a lot more Democratic incumbents [up for reelection] in the Senate than Republicans... he wants to keep Democrats in Washington rather than campaigning. I think, you know, that's pretty petty. But that's the way it is."
Watch:
In order to take back the Senate from the deeply unpopular Republican Party--which is headed by the "least popular first-year president on record"--Democrats must both defend all 26 of their current seats and flip two Republican seats.
While analysts have argued the Democrats are less likely to take back the Senate than the House, recent polls have indicated that their chances of retaking the Senate "are looking stronger" as the November midterms approach.
Echoing Sanders' assessment of McConnell's apparent hardball political maneuver in a statement on Tuesday, Sam Quigley of Patriotic Millionaires argued that "McConnell doesn't want the PR nightmare of dozens of negative town halls in August."
"Senate Republicans are running scared," Quigley concluded. "Mitch McConnell's decision to cancel the August recess doesn't come from a full legislative agenda and a busy schedule, it comes from a place of fear. Fear of Democrats reclaiming the Senate in November, and fear of him and his colleagues being held accountable by their constituents in August town halls."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. In a few short weeks, US voters will have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Responding to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) abrupt decision on Tuesday to cancel most of the Senate's August recess, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said in an interview with the Washington Post on Wednesday that the move clearly shows McConnell is "scared to death" that the GOP might lose control of the Senate in November.
"McConnell doesn't want the PR nightmare of dozens of negative town halls in August."
--Sam Quigley, Patriotic Millionaires
"It's very clear, I think everybody knows why he's doing it. He is scared to death... that Republicans might lose control over the Senate," Sanders said. "Given the fact that there are a lot more Democratic incumbents [up for reelection] in the Senate than Republicans... he wants to keep Democrats in Washington rather than campaigning. I think, you know, that's pretty petty. But that's the way it is."
Watch:
In order to take back the Senate from the deeply unpopular Republican Party--which is headed by the "least popular first-year president on record"--Democrats must both defend all 26 of their current seats and flip two Republican seats.
While analysts have argued the Democrats are less likely to take back the Senate than the House, recent polls have indicated that their chances of retaking the Senate "are looking stronger" as the November midterms approach.
Echoing Sanders' assessment of McConnell's apparent hardball political maneuver in a statement on Tuesday, Sam Quigley of Patriotic Millionaires argued that "McConnell doesn't want the PR nightmare of dozens of negative town halls in August."
"Senate Republicans are running scared," Quigley concluded. "Mitch McConnell's decision to cancel the August recess doesn't come from a full legislative agenda and a busy schedule, it comes from a place of fear. Fear of Democrats reclaiming the Senate in November, and fear of him and his colleagues being held accountable by their constituents in August town halls."
Responding to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) abrupt decision on Tuesday to cancel most of the Senate's August recess, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said in an interview with the Washington Post on Wednesday that the move clearly shows McConnell is "scared to death" that the GOP might lose control of the Senate in November.
"McConnell doesn't want the PR nightmare of dozens of negative town halls in August."
--Sam Quigley, Patriotic Millionaires
"It's very clear, I think everybody knows why he's doing it. He is scared to death... that Republicans might lose control over the Senate," Sanders said. "Given the fact that there are a lot more Democratic incumbents [up for reelection] in the Senate than Republicans... he wants to keep Democrats in Washington rather than campaigning. I think, you know, that's pretty petty. But that's the way it is."
Watch:
In order to take back the Senate from the deeply unpopular Republican Party--which is headed by the "least popular first-year president on record"--Democrats must both defend all 26 of their current seats and flip two Republican seats.
While analysts have argued the Democrats are less likely to take back the Senate than the House, recent polls have indicated that their chances of retaking the Senate "are looking stronger" as the November midterms approach.
Echoing Sanders' assessment of McConnell's apparent hardball political maneuver in a statement on Tuesday, Sam Quigley of Patriotic Millionaires argued that "McConnell doesn't want the PR nightmare of dozens of negative town halls in August."
"Senate Republicans are running scared," Quigley concluded. "Mitch McConnell's decision to cancel the August recess doesn't come from a full legislative agenda and a busy schedule, it comes from a place of fear. Fear of Democrats reclaiming the Senate in November, and fear of him and his colleagues being held accountable by their constituents in August town halls."