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Blue Dogs' Demise?
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Chris Stirewalt and Charlie Hurt discuss Blue Dog Democrats.
- Duration 9:03
- Date Apr 25, 2012
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And if you're looking at right there is the soon to be it's -- -- Pennsylvania democratic congressman Tim Holden.
Who currently but not for much longer represented district in the central part of the state stretching east from Harrisburg and this is power play an Internet it was a rough night for blue dog Democrats last night the moderate caucus inside the democratic.
Carcass of the House of Representatives as two more of their members went down to defeat.
Two more liberal challengers in the primaries.
And it's getting -- -- tough to be a moderate Democrat these days.
We're gonna talk about that we're gonna talk about sharpening contrast between President Obama and Mitt Romney as president stays out on the campaign trail and Romney.
These.
Preparing to lose one more Republican challenger.
And we're also gonna talk to one of the leaders inside the democratic house caucus.
About these seemingly stalled transportation bill and Keystone Pipeline attachment they're we will do all that we will do with Charlie hurt your friend -- mine Internet.
He is of The Washington Times he's a man of the right.
And he is he's good people all the same but now -- -- -- waste no more time and saying hello to my friend my colleague Mike Emanuel the.
-- the garden state -- what do you know.
Well Chris -- interesting dynamic as we look at redistricting.
Looking at those two incumbent blue dog Democrats losing last night.
And as you see the population has moved south we've seen places like Pennsylvania.
Ohio Iowa lose seats and so then you have these member on member of primaries which John Larson one -- -- democratic leaders in the house called.
Gut wrenching and heart rendering seeing your own members.
Lose to one another in the primaries.
It's not just -- democratic problem we've seen it in Illinois Don -- low.
Losing -- Adam -- -- that was controversial because the house majority leader Eric Cantor got involved there.
A lot of rank and file but the leadership should -- stayed out of that let them sort it out themselves.
Also as we look at the state of Iowa you've got a guy like Steve King who's been redistributed to you he says his new district is about.
45%.
Existing constituents.
55%.
New people.
He's facing Christie Vilsack the wife of the -- secretary -- is obviously -- well known name across state of Iowa and so.
For some of these incumbents.
It's making their districts perhaps -- there are vulnerable if this district was rewritten to.
Essentially helping stay alive.
If -- guy like Steve -- means a lot of hard work and amusing himself to a lot of new constituents -- -- much more.
I'm Mike Emanuel we thank you greatly have a fantastic -- thank anybody ever tell.
Okay.
Charles -- and we should point out Internet that brother Kurt was today to do battle battle with -- -- -- -- -- friend's -- Gee I guess -- taken a -- it's not I'm not able to be with us at the last moment mr.
Charlie I'm gonna have to ask you to be -- Republican and Democrat today and -- to be two person.
And why am I am a card carrying Democrat are you know I am I living there just oh you live edition of so did you know.
And I literally have a card that has me registered as a Democrat I bet that's that's you can get out on the streets yes and then went ahead when I'm when whenever I'm at a bar or at a party and then somebody challenges me.
I present this card and Democrats blanch deficits -- Horrifying case they can't believe that you share registration with you that I'm allowed to exactly -- -- -- -- That's a good egg and and that's the only reason he's allowed on the show and by the way you can follow him at.
You're at Charles hurt writes something that.
These at Charles -- you should follow in their he's actually tweeting now and -- might enjoy it is it's a more rewarding interactive experience in before the yeah I ask you -- this question.
The president's health care law has been murder.
On house Democrats.
And if you follow along -- thread here so voting for a lot of the moderate members in the house voted for it.
And a lot of them either had to retire were lost in 2010 from swing states in red states where -- represented democratic districts.
That then prompted Republican takeover of a bunch of house.
State houses which prompts -- -- Then cross the Democrats be avoided a big year by the way at the end of the get decades not enough to send me.
All right it's not the best time to do that and then that leaves initially situation which is and you see these guys like all admire.
The other one in Pennsylvania by the way who lost -- All -- -- from the -- her from the far western part of the state suburban Pittsburgh a previously Republican district that he picked up in the wave of 2006 because all liar and Holden who's from the other side of the state both voted against the health care law allowed them to survive -- the redistricting process.
Then left them in a place where more liberal parts of their party couldn't gobble up.
Yeah and we did it really it is amazing to look at the situation now as compared to the Tea Party situation a few years ago.
Where you know you had a lot of Republicans.
Really really this is sort of you know eating they're eating their -- But I think it's all -- had I think you'd probably agree it's all part of the same sort of this dire dire frustration.
-- on both.
Wings.
And you -- where you have people sort of kind of going back to the reason for the -- to keep the Tea Party people.
It's going back to do you austere government and you know attack low taxes and things like that and and for the left it's running -- the left in the end.
You know destroying there there the moderate forces in their -- And what they're -- of course is that these the predicated.
President Obama's reelection campaign.
It is so what David Axelrod his senior political advisor.
Called.
Today.
-- -- By the writing that he says has forced Mitt Romney into it being in Iraq how wild eyed radical.
And the whole party to the right.
And and while that -- case can certainly be made -- the Republican -- is -- is much more conservative than it was a decade ago.
There aren't any moderate Democrats to speak of -- going to be left in the house.
It's a -- lawyer and and -- hit.
But it but it is fascinating to me that.
You have a situation where where -- you President Obama won in 2008.
As a very moderated god.
He -- he he touted wanting to cut taxes -- he talked about wanting to have responsible government.
He was and he did any presented itself as this adult.
And that -- -- that was such a powerful message in that election.
And I think is he's.
Pretty well -- a lot of that territory.
It in these four years in any you know who knows what you know now.
You know Mitt Romney is able to to maintain things but if if he's able to take that meant that simple.
Almost boring mantle away from it I think I have Obama could be in real real trouble and we if we could if convicted he could -- so much trouble that we look back.
Being in December and and and are like what.
We've been talking about this as a competitive election.
Remember that that that's.
There's nothing conventional wisdom don't really know -- but we're that's probably a good thing in this town and and I can I can lecture and -- one thing Internet you know why we always say.
And my business that the race is going to be very tough and very close.
Because it's scarier to say that you think -- going to be a big win or get lost one way or the other so what you say he -- he make some rumbles about eleven looks like very tough very competitive election we expected to be close I think in this case that's actually true.
But the reason that's always a popular position to take is is that it's a lot safer bad.
Then say -- yeah.
-- -- I'm looking for a one handed economists.
I.
Oh yeah you're you're in you're -- and just go just let me read that power play we're hedging our -- Internet and two.
Pieces of business before we get out of the rest of our business here.
I want -- if you should follow me -- -- while.
Because if you do you can read my power play that I tweeted out.
For you Internet -- guys that you can have you can read it -- -- I've heard about this very topic today.
And also you can get in the chat you can talk to me they -- or you can just tweet me.
You can get on my tweet right there and you can tell me whatever you thank.
For example -- -- scribbling says this Charles hurt and I'm fascinated quote unquote I just about burst out laughing in the office hilarious you almost you're gonna get somebody fired.
The other thing I can tell you that you know tomorrow as it is -- a milestone moment for this Internet telecast.
Will be live at Georgetown university for a full hour in front of -- live.
Studio audience full of wild and crazy -- -- students.
It's going to be a lot of fun and it's gonna go from 1130 to 1230 we're very excited about it.
-- make sure that you join us --
