1
I wonder if this means that opportunist Chuckles Johnson will be getting ready to flip back too?

2 It's a small win.  Now we need to flip more, and wipe away the veneer of momentum that Botox and The Cadaver carry about them.

3

I was just going to do an 'OT' on this.  Does Parker Griffith's switch to the GOP mean we can see Harry Reid's head explode?

4 haha Blaze

5
Before the R's get all excited -
Will this guy continue to vote with the democrats?  or is he just doing this to save his skin?
Never underestimate the manipulative way of donkey.
*wheeze* - Arlen Specter.

6

1
I wonder if this means that opportunist Chuckles Johnson will be getting ready to flip back too?

Flip back to what?  A fly can't revert to the maggot.

7 The Chuckster is going to have to give the chicken a break first.

8
I wish someone would grow a pair and run against the horrid phony - Jared Polis(D).

9 I checked his record earlier. The ACU has no record for him since he is a freshman. Project Vote Smart shows his record to be somewhat spotty. He did oppose Crap and Tax but he voted FOR other Dem pork bills.

I would say his record is mixed and he will be just another RINO like Lindsey Graham. We can do better in AL.

10 I wonder if this means that opportunist Chuckles Johnson will be getting ready to flip back too?

Homophobe!

11 Damn! For a second, I thought it was a senator.

12
He's not a hot pickup, but its still good to get one more on our side. At any rate the GOP hasn't occupied his seat since 1866. Thats the bigger news. I wonder if that means the tide of sentiment amongst moderate Dems is changing and now they too are starting to rebel against the liberal Democrats on the Hill and their Reps are starting to feel the heat ?

If so, this administration and Congress is getting ready to go down in flames, big time.

13  I had read He had voted No on Stimulus, possibly He is at least a fiscal con. We need that badly now.

14 Hey the way I see it he can't be any worse than some of the Repubs we have there now and its one less vote on health care round 2 use him now and let him hang after the vote it's what they would do to an R.

15 Let's use him like the whore he is.

16 The guy is an MD.  Here's hoping he has better ideas than the idiots in the Senate GOP about defeating ObambiCare.

17 Considering the the only thing Griffith has followed party line on is the vote for Pelosi as Speaker there is no need for him to change his voting pattern now that he is an R. Yeah part of this is opportunism, you would have to be blind to miss the writing on the wall at this point. But I think part of this is simply to keep the Democrat whips at bay. Puting your political career on the line for Party lne votes every Tuesday is not what Rahm pormised these guys when they signed up.

18 Meh.  He's just willing to give up his committee assignments and nice office for a year.

If this guy were a GOPer and the Dems were about to take the majority, would he switch to the Democrats?

I suppose it's a good thing, but I'm ambivalent.

19
1) he's a doc
2) the Republicans don't even run a candidate in that district. Why???
3) read the comments at DU.

20 >>>Let's use him like the whore he is. heh.

21 So when are Snowe and Collins going to flip over to the Blue side? They already vote that way most of the time.

22 First Republican since the Andrew Johnson Administration? That's gotta be a record.

23 Good news just for the signal (along with the retirements) that it sends to the rest of the Blue Dogs. 

24
Hey the way I see it he can't be any worse than some of the Repubs we have there now and its one less vote on health care round 2 use him now and let him hang after the vote it's what they would do to an R.

Posted by: TEE866 at December 22, 2009 11:46 AM (TFoyC)

Someone over at Kos said he voted against healthcare, last time it came up in the House. Like I said, not a hot pick-up, but its better than nothing. Plus his seat is in strong Dixiecrat territory. The Gop hasn't held it in over 140 years !

25 21 So when are Snowe and Collins going to flip over to the Blue side? They already vote that way most of the time.

You can bet if there had been only 58 Dems voting for the monstrosity that Snowe and Collins would have flipped.

26 this guy is pretty awesome. he voted against healthcare, against the porkulus, against cap and trade and voted against making pelosi speaker.

27 1. Blue Dog is elected, gets taste of power. 2. Blue Dog gets jerked around by Pelosi et al., doesn't like it, still wants that sweet, sweet power. 3. Blue Dog reluctantly toes the line, gets nothing out of it, sees polls and nearly has a heart attack. 4. Nice man from the GOP calls on Blue Dog and offers pork and hot and cold running interns. 5. Blue Dog flips. It's not likely, but it could happen.

28 Looks like survival mode is kicking in.  It's the smart rats who desert the sinking ship first.

29 As I've said all along, there are those who say the flaming skull is acting stupidly.

30 So when are Snowe and Collins going to flip over to the Blue side? They already vote that way most of the time.

Posted by: Smokey Behr at December 22, 2009 11:48 AM (QyeW7)

Probably never. No one doubts their liberal bonifides. Running as Republican's give's them an aura of being fiscally responsible. They would never run as Rs if they were just trying to get elected but at this point it's a net gain for them.

31

Chuckie is too busy pleasuring himself with his new green windup vibrator to take much notice of anything else these days. 

http://tinyurl.com/y9gdvvd

 

32 Hey, I just heard the Titanic hit an iceberg off the coast of Newfoundland. I'll bet if I can get there and get on the boat that I could get a really good fare for the rest of the trip to New York

33

Good news just for the signal (along with the retirements) that it sends to the rest of the Blue Dogs.

That right there.  More may follow.

34 @9: Are you from Alabama?  If so, do you frequent a local weather forum?

35 I guess this is good news in that it might portend more switchers in the future. A lot of Dems are in the same boat as Griffith--they hear the stampede coming after them. I wouldn't call Griffith liberal or conservative--just an opportunist.

36 Let me be clear, as I've said all along, there are those who say the flaming skull is acting stupidly. FIFY.

37 We have ways of making you talk walk !

38 The republican party has to capitalize on this trend. They are gonna have to sell, sell, sell, all next year. IMO, all these Democrats that are now selling their soul for this health care bill realize that it is a career ender. They know that after their term is up they are going back to the farm and live a comfy life living off their taxpayer funded retirement pay. Nelson? Dude knows it's over but he also knows he won't leave till his term is up so he can make these screwed up decisions...he's leaving, nothing to lose. If I knew that I could live fat after my term I wouldn't give a rats ass either. Harry Reid is another, he knows he's gone and it won't be a loss to him to leave so he could care less what we think, his bill is gonna pass and he will lose his election and live a comfy life. So the Republicans need to get fresh meat into the system to take the places of all these Democrats who are gonna leave, they need to start doing it now, Democrats are gonna ram all they can before they leave.

39 He may already be a DINO and the turn to Republican may not affect numbers much, but he appears to be an accomplished MD who is publically breaking with the Dems over Obamacare.  Also, as mentioned above, this is a big general-trend item: 1st Republican from the district.  Yes, flaming skull-worthy!

40 <blockquote>I wonder if this means that opportunist Chuckles Johnson will be getting ready to flip back too?</blockquote>

He's waiting to see what Kilgore Trout has to say first and will follow along nicely.

41 this guy is pretty awesome. he voted against healthcare, against the porkulus, against cap and trade and voted against making pelosi speaker.

Posted by: hueydiamondpooty at December 22, 2009 11:50 AM (mxBRR)

I read earlier, he said he'll vote against her as speaker next time too. He despises her and can hardly contain his disdain for her.

Paging the LSM, Paging the LSM, Open Civil War In The Democratic Party!!

Hello?

42 After thinking about this for a moment (sometimes I sit and think, sometimes I just sit), I don't think I'm enthusiastic about this guy.

I don't want to see Democrat Members of Congress change to Republicans.

I want to vote all the Democrat Members of Congress out of office.

Is that wrong?

43 We can do better in AL.

Not anymore, you can't. This guy's your new undefeatable (except by a Democrat) incumbent Republican. 'Grats!

44 Let's use him like the whore he is. You from Alabama? Yer awful purty for someone from Alabama.

45

The guy is an MD

If that's true, thats saying something...

46 As someone else who switched from Democrat to Republican, I just donated $100 to his re-election. ..bruce..

47
Ben Night Horse Campbell just called and said...

"What a phony cocksucker!"

48
btw, unless Michael Steele had something to do with this, he is USELESS!

49

Does this mean that Parker Griffith is now one of those Aryan Nation birther types?

50 I didn't know Parker Griffith was a racist.

51 TheQuietman

I hate you.

52
I read a tweet from Tapper earlier saying a top Dem aide in the house says taxing the rich and Cadillac plans off the table for healthcare. Public option?

If so, this may not be only the biggest news before the day is over. Obumbles care may be getting ready to go down in flames as well. Heres for hoping anyway.

53 If they are a DemocRAT they ALL can be bribed.

I got no use for any of the cocksuckers.

spit

54
Sheldon Whitehouse just called. He was wondering if Parker Griffith had any strange fruit up in his trees.

55 This Asshat is my Congressman. I attended two of the rowdy town halls. He took a lot of heat.  The key thing he kept repeating was that his vote is not for sale but then went on to explain the reason he voted for Nancy P was that she promised him a committee assignment.  I called his office everyday this past summer and I always ended the call with this question..... "if he is not for the Dem's agenda why is he a Democrat?"  They always answered with the line that more can be accomplished from within the party than from the outside.  There is no doubt he heard footsteps and decided to jump.  I do not like him but this is a good move for us as a conservative movement at this point in time.

56 And he's a doctor. 

Perhaps something the GOP should make a big deal about?  That a doctor switched parties two days before a monumental vote in the Senate on health care that will bounce back to the house?

57 I read a tweet from Tapper earlier saying a top Dem aide in the house says taxing the rich and Cadillac plans off the table for healthcare. Public option?

If so, this may not be only the biggest news before the day is over. Obumbles care may be getting ready to go down in flames as well. Heres for hoping anyway.

Posted by: Blazer at December 22, 2009 12:03 PM (+FzLa)

Frankly reconciliation is silly at this point. Any major changes to it and Reid loses a vote and passage. The House either swallows or spits at this point, it's to late to change positions.

58 "Let's use him like the whore he is."


That probably isn't the most diplomatic way to put it, but I support this idea whole-heartedly.  Too bad the current Republican "leadership" doesn't have the equipment.

59 If he runs, what is the margin necessary to beat ACORN and Holder?

60 I can't believe that we EVER allowed ANY DemocRAT to be seated in our government after the Civil War.

I really wouldn't mind Round Two either.Fucking bastards...all of 'em.

61 Let me add this little note. During his town hall meeting in Florence, Al the local union members we out in number and they were very vocal. They said that they would no longer support him and after making this statement a number of the walked out of the townhall. They said that when he visited the union hall when running for congress he promised to support health care reform and universal health care.  He let em down, LOL.  He is not to be trusted as a dem or a repub. 

62
Guess who's quote this is ?

"Fox is not a news outlet, itÂ’s an openly partisan opinion factory and the Democrats should not be legitimizing them (and allowing them to recruit Democratic viewers to propagandize to) by doing this."

63 Cant get thru to any of his offices right now, all lines are busy.

64 TheQuietman

I hate you.

Posted by: libbyt at December 22, 2009 12:03 PM (GrCXY)

I have that affect on people.

65

I wish someone would grow a pair and run against the horrid phony - Jared Polis(D).

Short of some extremely creative gerrymandering or a plague that wipes out half of Boulder County, Polis is going to have that seat for as long as he wants it.  The guy is a classic noblesse oblige Boulder leftist and is completely representative of Colorado's 2nd district (same thing with Degette in the 1st--Pat Schroeder's Mini-Me will NEVER lose her seat as long as she continues to run for the office).

66

Griffith is a doctor.

So of course Obama would know more about health care than he would

67 I've noted that there wasn't any public "Hamleting" with him.  No deals, no whining that he's going to switch.  At least, not that we could see.

I don't know, but it seems like one of those straggler districts that still has yet to get out of the Solid South days.  Meaning it was going to go GOP eventually, just a lot of good ol' boys have to get used to the idea.

68 Blue Dogs and Blue Balls - I don't like either of 'em.

69
Guess who's quote this is ?

Dr. Parker "traitorous whore" Griffiths?

70
Gerry Rivers?

71 No, the quote is Jane Hamster's.  But I don't know what the context is.

72
I know!

Michael Steele said it.

73 This area is changing but strong Union. TVA etc. This keeps the district a Dem stronghold.  This next race is going to be interesting.  May mean that he will lose due to people not liking his switch and we get another Dem.  This will be a nasty race.

74 I can't believe that we EVER allowed ANY DemocRAT to be seated in our government after the Civil War.

Anyone else seen the picture of the Indiana Civil War veteran's headstone, declaring he had never seen anything as treacherous as the Democrat party?

75 No, the quote is Jane Hamster's.  But I don't know what the context is.

Posted by: AmishDude at December 22, 2009 12:18 PM (T0NGe)

Yep, its Jane Hamsher's quote.

Guess who appeared on Fox & Friends this morning bashing Barry's healthcare?

Thats right, Jane Hamsher.

AAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!!

The Kos kids are fuming over Hamsher and Griffith right now. Yep, we're the ones involved in civil war alright.

76

Probably never. No one doubts their liberal bonifides. Running as Republican's give's them an aura of being fiscally responsible. They would never run as Rs if they were just trying to get elected but at this point it's a net gain for them.

I think the Maine twins actually have a lot more influence as left-leaning Rs than they would as Ds.  The Dems are pretty much forced to give them whatever they want to get Dem-introduced bills passed, so in a lot of cases legislation ends up running through their filter.  If they switched to Dems, their leverage would pretty much be gone because northeastern Democrats are a dime a dozen and there's plenty from that region who would end up gaining even more clout if such a switch occurred.

The only way I can actually see them making it official is if, like Specter, they think they're about to get waxed in an upcoming election.

77

I've actually met the guy.  I can vouch for the fact that he is an MD (radiation oncologist, actually) as the place where I met him was at the annual convention for our specialty society.  Incidentally, there was another radiation oncologist there from the Mayo clinic who ran for Congress as a Republican in Minnesota and lost rather badly in a district that nominally leans conservative. 

This guy probably saw the handwriting on the wall as his district was an old Southern Democrat holdover that was going to go "R" the next election anyway.  Opporunist - yes.  Will he start voting more like a typical "R" - probably also yes.

78

It's huge.

When was the last time that a guy jumped from the (huge) majority party to the (tiny) minority party? They usually jump to the majority or jump to become the majority or a swing vote (Arlen Sphincter).

The Dems are scared.

79 Cant get thru to any of his offices right now, all lines are busy.


He's probably having to replace his entire staff, stat.  One of the tricks the beltway establishment has for pulling southern Dems left is to "help" them find a staff, and load it with wacko libs.  There are always pleny of those available, after all.

80

RINO.

Here's to hoping he gets to run against a conservative. That's a matchup I want to see.

81

Rob Crawford

Grigsby  10th Indy Cavy.

82
Barack Obama in,


DUDE,
WHERE'S MY
CONGRESSMAN ?

83 Parker Griffith is a weasel and opportunist. Calling him a doctor is giving him a little too much B.O.D. There was a lot of dirt about his time as an oncologist at the Huntsville Hospital. His opponent was Wayne Parker in the last election. Wayne Parker was a weak Republican. I doubt how much he could have helped over Griffith other than he would have fallen in line with Republican leadership on cue. Parker Griffith is too chicken shit to even appear on the local morning radio show. Griffith pledged to come on the air routinely to address local issues but hasn't appeared once. Plenty of info/links on the Dale Jackson tab at WVNN dot com

84 ROLL TIDE! Oh. You mean this isn't the football thread?

85 Dems are America-hating lunatics who have pushed this nation to the very brink. None of them are trustworthy and all of them should be in jail or exile. I don't care what this Griffith says, he is scum and has been part of the effort to destroy America. Let him become an independent. The GOP doesn't need back-stabbing imbeciles like this.

86 Let him become an independent. The GOP doesn't need back-stabbing imbeciles like this. Posted by: progressoverpeace

He's useful in the short term. If the district is is more Blue than Red, he'll lose and we move on. If it's split, then another GOP challenger can take him on in the primary.

I understand that it's cathartic but going into a shit-flinging rage at anyone not 100% GOP isn't going to win us that 20 - 30 % apolitical middle of the electorate.

87

"... then another GOP challenger can take him on in the primary. "

Unless the GOP made a deal to flip him.  GOP pledges to actively support Griffiths in primary; discourage and work against all others.

88 I understand that it's cathartic but going into a shit-flinging rage at anyone not 100% GOP isn't going to win us that 20 - 30 % apolitical middle of the electorate.

Posted by: Iskandar at December 22, 2009 01:09 PM (t19oz)

There's a difference between someone who is a "GOP moderate" ("not 100% GOP") and someone who is a dem. Anyone who ran with The Precedent is a traitor and an idiot who cannot be trusted in any way, whatsoever.

The major damage to this nation has already been done. All of our country's institutions have been raped and turned into hostile entities set on destroying us and the dems are fully responsible.

If Griffiths actually felt some guilt over the havoc he has helped wreak, then he would just resign (as he should). This isn't a question of catharsis for me. It is a rational examination of what sorts of allies can be trusted and should be trusted. I have written off everyone who has participated with this America-hating Washington junta and it seems imminently reasonable to me (I wrote that so that our wise Latina would understand my meaning).

If Griffiths feels bad about the awful things he's done, being allied with those who are out to destroy the US (and have just about done it) then let him rail at them until he changes the minds of others. Let Griffiths apologize in public for the un-AMerican nature of the dems and how he is heart-broken by the damage he has helped cause our nation. Let Griffiths tear The Precedent apart and explain how the US is being led by an ineligible, third-world retard. Other than that, I have no use for Griffiths and no desire to have him allied with me in any way whatsoever.

89 He's not too bright: "We have nothing to fear from radical Islam." http://tinyurl.com/y95a2tz

90 GOP pledges to actively support Griffiths in primary; discourage and work against all others.

That would be a violation of the GOP rules which forbids them from supporting ANY candidate in a contested primary.

91 When a congress critter flips party it usually isn't a big deal. Sorta rare but not a big. When a Congress Critter joins the minority party in a context where that party will probably remain the minority through the next election ... that's huge.

92

Not sure why this guy is getting so much grief here ... see this excerpt from the Politico article:

... Griffith plans to blast the Democratic health care bill as a prime reason for his decision to switch parties—and is expected to cite his medical background as his authority on the subject.

While the timing of his announcement was unexpected, GriffithÂ’s party switch will not come as a surprise to those familiar with his voting record, which is one of the most conservative among Democrats.

He has bucked the Democratic leadership on nearly all of its major domestic initiatives, including the stimulus package, health care legislation, the cap-and trade energy bill and financial regulatory reform.

He was one of only 11 House Democrats to vote against the stimulus.

So Giffith voted against healthcare overhaul, against cap-and-trade, against the regulatory mess, against the stimulus ... how does that make him a leftist scumbag?  Maybe he is a bad doctor and an opportunist, etc, etc, but his voting record says his politics are pretty conservative. 

93 What I'm hearing (I'm in huntsville, AL, voted for his opponent, Wayne Parker) is that he's seen polling that has him losing as a "D". His voting is mixed, he voted for Pelosi as speaker, did reject stimulus, but is "less conservative" than some other "D's". Local conservative radio host hates him, the Republicans spent half a million to try and defeat him... I think its a move on his part to garner support, not a true ideological staking. A lot of people around here are hoping he'll get defeated in the primaries and not make it to the general election.

94 Let Griffiths apologize in public for the un-AMerican nature of the dems and how he is heart-broken by the damage he has helped cause our nation.

Posted by: progressoverpeace at December 22, 2009 01:19 PM (A46hP)

He did that pretty well. Now, he needs to be debriefed. Why did he align himself with a Precedent who ran around the world bad-mouthing the US and lying about all sorts of stuff? Why did he align himself with a leadership that was hostile to the American people and breaking through all traditions and common sense, showing no respect for our governing traditions - making us act more like the Indonesian parliament than the US Congress - with the child King babbling on incoherently and goading the imbeciles on. I am truly interested to hear how he justified being allied with such for all this time.

95 Other than that, I have no use for Griffiths and no desire to have him allied with me in any way whatsoever. Posted by: progressoverpeace

You'd do well to read the comments of Mr Natural and ep above and save the bitter cynicism for someone more deserving.

96

I'd rather vote the Dims out.  It's nice to have turncoats, but after one yr in his seat, how could you ever trust him.

I wonder if any of the Alabama natives could chime in on his voting record in the Alabama Senate?

Just think - what if Arlen had stayed a GOP?  He'd have voted for ObamaCare and the Dims and the media would be declaring a bipartisan bill.

97 You'd do well to read the comments of Mr Natural and ep above and save the bitter cynicism for someone more deserving.

Posted by: Iskandar at December 22, 2009 02:17 PM (t19oz)

I think my cynicism is well-justified. "Bitter"? I don't know. I don't trust anyone who was a dem this whole time, aside from his voting record. Call me silly.

Griffiths gave a nice explanation, just now, but I do want to know the answers to the questions I posted above. Don't you? What was he thinking in being part of the most unbelievable, un-American, lunatic band in control of the federal government, ever? It has been a very, very long year, and just now he's coming around?

98 Griffith's my congressman --- here's the local flavor on his switch.

99 Thanks Cuffy

100 Sure, they're almost gimmes. Right up until Michael Steele, John Cornyn and Jeff Sessions trot out their pet RINOs...

101 It's a blockbuster. In this supposedly one-party iron clad rule, the first defection from Teh One. I predict more. I even have hope that Obamacare will not pass.

102 At the very least, this guy is coming from the OTHER TEAM and he is now in a position to spill his guts to the GOP on what the Socialists have been chatting about in private.  Boo-yah.

103

Every single sumbitch in the House--and in the Senate--just wants to get re-elected so he or she can sit on their fat ass and continue to gorge themselves at the public trough and at our expense.

This doofus was just a little smarter than some of his brethren and he decided to jump off to the right so the coming steamroller won't hammer him in November 2010.   Other doofii (the plural of doofus) have announced that they won't run for re-election.  But this one was just a young 'un in his first term and he wants to get re-elected.  The gambit may work for him.  On the other hand, it may not much matter next year whether there is a "D" or and "R" after your name.  If you are an "I"ncumbent, you're likely to get pitched out on your ass where you belong.

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