[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NNoG_eRNuo[/youtube]
I literally bang my freaking head against the wall when people ask me from other states, “What’s up with John Thune?”. He is one of the most hypocritical politicians from our state. He, at times, even makes Janklow look like Santa Claus. At least Janklow isn’t a hypocrite, just a gigantic asshole.
This video is actually better  by Rachel (starts at about 4:20)
Here’s a little transcript on NPR;
REPORTER: So why not ask that they (earmarks) be removed…?
SEN. THUNE:  Well, I — we’re going to — we’re going to try and vote this thing down.  I mean, I don’t know how you — how you get them out now other than amending the bill.  You know, the bill’s infront of us.
‘Uh, well, thanks, uh, for handing me my ass, uh, I hope, like, South Dakotans don’t see this and catch me talking out of both sides of ‘my ass’, something friends and close family members call ‘my face.’
(screenshot from MSNBC)
I love how John Thune blames the Democrats for ‘HIS’ earmarks;
The bill includes 28 earmarks from Thune at a cost of about $38.5 million, according to Taxpayers for Common Sense, a nonpartisan watchdog group.
Thune spokesman Kyle Downey said the senator has not withdrawn his earmarks, which were inserted in the spending bill months ago, because “he didn’t think the Democrats would have the audacity to bring up an omnibus after being rejected by voters this past November. However, the senator plans to vote against the omnibus and will vote to strip out all earmarks if given the chance.”
So you put earmarks in because you didn’t think the bill would pass anyway? John, you say some pretty stupid things, but I think that one tops it. Any bill has a chance of passing, so why put them in there to begin with? What a hypocrite. For someone who claims to be a Christian, you sure lie alot.
Even when caught with pants down, he can smile for the camera. After all I might run for President.
As a general rule, most voters are not paying attention. They hear the sound bites repeated ad-nauseum at election time, and that’s how they vote. If voters had the time to stay on top of things, ironic johnny would have been one and done and back to bein a lobbyist.
I thought he was still a lobbyist?
From the Washpo site:
“Democratic aides noted that the $8 billion earmark sum is less than 1 percent of the entire bill”
and of those 6,000 earmarks Thune has all of 28 of them. Which is also well below the own Democrat threshold of 1% of the earmark total. Same deal if you go by $$ amount.
The only reason they need an omnibus is that the Democrat-led Senate hasn’t passed a single appropriation bill….sounds great to blame the Republicans, but up until January the Dems have the Majority and tie-breaker votes.
L3wis, the press and Maddow are all barking up the wrong tree as per usual.
This how to be a successful pol. Put your ear marks in. Then blast ear marks. Vote against the bill. The be available for photo op when checks are cashed in SD. Sleaze.
Wow, Thune should run for President. Being a senator totally sucks!
Sy. You cannot be serious. Reread what l3wis wrote in his initial intro. Then read post #5. Then THINK ABOUT IT.
Sy – So you are defending Thune’s earmarks because they are less then the Dems? Even though Thune doesn’t defend his own earmarks?
Huh?
poly43 “If voters had the time to stay on top of things, ironic johnny would have been one and done and back to bein a lobbyist.”
wouldn’t he need an opponent first?
It’s the hypocrisy Sy. Thune, McConnell, Cornyn, all those bad boys threw in their pork when they thought no one was paying attention. Then a month later they whine about pork is bad they hate it, but for once the press was doing their job. They got caught.
And today on Ed Schultz’s radio show he and Papantonio dinged Thune and Snooki. It was heart warming. ggg And this http://thinkprogress.org/2010/12/16/gop-earmark-hypocrisy/
Sy, even at “just 28” earmarks, Thune has 2X the direct proportion to the US population to the population HE REPRESENTS.
And also Sy,
The only reason the “Democratically-led” Senate hasn’t passed a spending/budget bill is the same reason they haven’t passed hardly ANY legislation. The legislative blockade that has been put up by the just say no Republican minority. Majority doesn’t rule in the Senate – the minority does.
Just to be clear:
Thunes % of earmarks = .004
SD’s % of US population = .002
It’s a good thing the tea party doesn’t amount to anything in South Dakota, or his goose would be cooked!
More cringe-inducing Thune footage on a different subject: Tax cuts for the rich more important than healthcare for 9-11 responders. http://thinkprogress.org/2010/12/15/thune-911-responders/
Monty, that is just beyond the pale. And he is the Christian guy who was living in the C Street House. Amazing, it would appear those Bible meetings every week were a waste of time. And didn’t Thune go to some Bible college. Another waste of time and money.
Thune received his BS degree at Biola University. http://www.biola.edu/about/doctrinal-statement/
Helga, I have always that that about people that claim to be good Christians.
This is just Thune playing politics as usual. It isn’t about what is right (because he personally believed everyone of those earmarks he proposed was worthwhile when he added them) but it is all about Thune taking orders from the Republican leadership. Those orders include a blanket order to prevent Obama from having any single one of his goals met, and therefore the GOP will stop at nothing to slow, stop, misdirect, or derail every single item put forth on the floor of Congress.
The party of No hasn’t changed much, but it is slightly sad that they have to hold up basic spending bills merely for political gain rather than submitting ammendments to remove the very earmarks they claim to no longer support.
I don’t have a problem with Thune’s earmarks, but fess up.
I believe those 4 years were lost on him. For Thune and the other republicans to oppose the gov’t. paying for healthcare for 911 Responders is heartless. Those people all dropped everything and went to NYC to help. They were told not to worry about toxins, they weren’t a problem. And now many are sick and dying and some have died already. I find it a sorry state of affairs.
Jon Stewart started his show tonight, Wed., with a picture of Thune saying tax cuts come before money for 9/11 Responders. Jon had 4 men on his show all suffering from some form of cancern and getting no help. Great show. Check it out. And then there was Huckabee who knew nothing and had to be corrected by Jon. Huckabee thinks someone needs to do something. duhhhhhhhhhhh
Oh man, the Argus Leader leader is right on top of this…
They did a story (linked above). I love how Stormland didn’t touch this story with a ten foot pole.
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/12/17/thune-never-dream/ Thune comes through again. He is still in the news today, and it doesn’t make him look pretty.
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/12/17/jon-stewart-911-bill/ This is from Jon Stewarts show last night.
Helga, so Thune is opposed to doing what a majority of Americans want because it is a ‘Democratic Idea’
What a Thune-Bag.
That entire episode of the Daily Show stands amongst its best.
When are voters going to wake up to the hypocrisy?