The Cognitively Dissonant Eleanor Norton / Darrell Issa / Vincent Gray press conference.

I have been doing this gig for over a decade now; and I was engrossed by this press conference. Short version: DC Delegate Norton joined with DC Mayor Gray and House Oversight Chair Issa to rip Senate Democrats a new one over their refusal to pass a special House bill that would release DC’s funds.

Almost forty six minutes, and not a dull moment throughout.  I kept waiting for the Democrats to start screaming about Republicans, I am ashamed to say; but no.  It was all smiles and nice things said about Chairman Issa and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and how House Republicans have passed a bill and when Darrell Issa made his speech – yes, he got to talk – Issa tossed in a Tea Party reference and nobody booed.  It was surreal.  Especially the parts where local Democrats used the elderly, the poor, the poor elderly, the poor with children, the poor with long-term mental health issues, the poor with kids on food programs, and of course the charter school system to beat on Senate Democrats.

Hell, the speakers skated up to the line of using the word ‘slaves.’  They did say that DC was in bondage a couple of times, though.  Used the term ‘hostages,’ too.  And it wasn’t aimed at us!

Wow.

Moe Lane

PS: In case you’re wondering, Delegate Norton then went to go find Obama:

Norton attended the meeting in the White House East Room with nearly 200 House Democrats and was one of a handful given the opportunity to ask the president a question. When she was called upon, Norton pressed Obama to support a House-passed bill that would permit the District to use its locally raised tax funds to maintain operations until Dec. 15.

[snip]

Making her point, Norton spoke over the president and refused to yield the microphone, according to a lawmaker who attended the event. The lawmaker described Norton as “strident,” “self-absorbed” and “parochial” in her exchange with Obama.

Yeah, tell me again how badly this shutdown is hurting the GOP.  We got all of this for free.

PPS: By the way, the DC government is in fact correct that the Obama administration is acting poorly in this issue.  I’m just shocked that they’re admitting it, which is probably as much a reflection on me as it might be on them.

8 thoughts on “The Cognitively Dissonant Eleanor Norton / Darrell Issa / Vincent Gray press conference.”

    1. It’s very likely we won’t win “this”. We have gotten some marvelous P.R. out of this, but we only have one half of one branch of the government. We are not in the driver’s seat, and the press and the president did a much better job of “shutdown theater” last time. Cut Mr. McCain a little slack. Hurting people (and this is hurting people) for political gain is a Democrat game. We should not follow their lead unless the need is very great (and honest men can differ on when, exactly, the need is great enough).

  1. I think Republicans should side with greater DC autonomy out of principle anyway. Put the politics aside. No Statehood or Senators, but I’d give them 1 rep in the house that can actually vote outside committee. Let them control their own budget, etc.

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