AP – During the 2010 special election to fill the seat left vacant by the death of U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, then-candidate Scott Brown vowed to be the “41st” vote against President Barack Obama’s sweeping health care overhaul.
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In Mass. Senate race, GOP’s Brown embracing Obama
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**Written by Doug Powers If you need it, here’s a hint: Another hint: It’s not Olympia Snowe. By now you might have guessed it : U.S. Sen. Scott Brown said he supports President Barack Obama’s decision to name Richard Cordray as the nation’s chief consumer watchdog despite the objections of Brown’s fellow Senate Republicans. The Massachusetts Republican said in a statement Wednesday that while he would have preferred that the appointment go through the normal confirmation process, the political system is “completely broken” in Washington. Obama said he was tired of Senate Republicans stalling his nominee to lead the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and put him in charge Wednesday over their opposition. “I refuse to take `no’ for an answer,” Obama said. Brown said he agreed with the Democratic president. “I support President Obama’s appointment today of Richard Cordray to head the CFPB. I believe he is the right person to lead the agency and help protect consumers from fraud and scams,” Brown said in a statement. “If we’re going to make progress as a nation, both parties in Washington need to work together to end the procedural gridlock and hyper-partisanship,” he added. Capitulating to a president who said “I refuse to take ‘no’ for an answer” is working to end hyper-partisanship? Brown voted for Dodd-Frank , which contained the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, so I guess he’s only trying to be consistent (if it weren’t for Dodd-Frank, a company like MF Global might have been allowed to run away with itself and lose billions — oh, wait …) At this point it’s clear that Scott Brown’s purpose in the Senate is to give Massachusetts Democrats a Republican to semi-appreciate until it’s time for them to vote for Elizabeth Warren and send him packing in November. **Written by Doug Powers Twitter @ThePowersThatBe
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One Republican Senator Supports Obama Recess Appointment of Cordray
Rick Santorum enjoys Guiness beer. Just like Newt Gingrich . Sen. Scott Brown is also making bets . Was MSNBC’s Chris Matthews sniffing pepper before going live? Rick Perry has a favorite phrase : “I would suggest to you…” Sen Barbara Boxer says “literally” when she really means “figuratively.”
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Midnight snacks 12.13.11
At Wall Street Journal , ” Scott Brown’s Strategy “: This week Senate Republicans blocked President Obama’s nomination of former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Only two Republicans broke ranks — Olympia Snowe of Maine and Scott Brown of Massachusetts — and both senators are up for re-election next year. Ms. Snowe should win handily if she isn’t toppled by a primary challenger. Mr. Brown’s re-election prospects, by contrast, are shakier. Two new polls show the GOP freshman trailing Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard law professor who helped establish the CFPB and is expected to be the Democratic nominee. The University of Massachusetts-Amherst gives Ms. Warren a four-point lead and a University of Massachusetts-Lowell/Boston Herald poll has her up by seven points. Three months ago, most polls showed Mr. Brown slightly ahead. The senator’s approval rating has also fallen by eight points to 45%, though his favorables are still in positive territory and exceed Ms. Warren’s. While the poll results may be disconcerting for Mr. Brown and Senate Republicans, they’re not unexpected. Ms. Warren’s campaign has spent $1.5 million on an ad that portrays her as a defender of the middle class. And the League of Conservation Voters has dumped $2 million on spots that tar Mr. Brown as a Washington insider. The real surprise is that Mr. Brown still leads Ms. Warren, 53-37, with independents. Because Republicans constitute less than 15% of the Massachusetts electorate, Mr. Brown will probably have to win more than two-thirds of the independent vote and probably pick up some Democrats as well. Continue reading . VIDEO HAT TIP : Los Angeles Times , ” Elizabeth Warren blasts ‘ridiculous’ charge in ad by Karl Rove group .”
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Scott Brown Faces Tough Challenge From Elizabeth Warren
Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) tried his hand at stand-up comedy last week, but he’s probably not laughing at this: One of his staffers reportedly referred to him as “D*ck Larsen” over Twitter in late November. Tweets from other staffers of his weren’t much better. Via the NW Daily Marker : Over several months, according to online messages allegedly made by staffers with Democratic Congressman Rick Larsen, the D.C. office of Washington State’s 2nd District has been the setting of a staffers-gone-wild bash, a binge of embarrassing behavior including insults lobbed by legislative aides at the Congressman himself and accounts of on-the-job drinking, all broadcast for the world to see on via Twitter. Though the tweets were made (and are continuing to be made) from personal – not official congressional – accounts, the messages describe on-the-job drinking, frivolous misuse of office time and resources, and contain public insults aimed at the boss himself – Congressman Larsen. If accurate, the tweets – made during and after working hours – raises questions about whether Larsen and his senior staff are paying close enough attention to the workplace behavior of personnel on the public payroll. The tweets came from staffers Seth Burroughs , legislative assistant (@therocketship1); Elizabeth Robbee , legislative assistant (@betsysbites); and Ben Byers , legislative correspondent (@byers_remorse). Here’s a few for your enjoyment: h/t Washington Times
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Rep. Rick Larsen’s staffers go insane on Twitter, call boss ‘idiot’
VP Joe Biden ‘s family Christmas card is straight out of “Awkward Family Photos.” Sen. Scott Brown scores a date with Wonder Woman. If Mitt Romney had picked a different Kid Rock song for his campaign theme, he could have won the rocker’s endorsement . Newt Gingrich was 11-years-old for his earliest news mention. The Capitol Christmas Tree is 118 years old.
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Midnight snacks 12.07.11
Sen. Scott Brown found himself in some deep water recently when he made a casual joke about his Democratic opponent Elizabeth Warren not taking her clothes off to pay for school. He got a chance to redeem himself at Wednesday night’s “Funniest Celebrity in Washington” where he was asked, along with a handful of other politicos and national news media types, to perform stand-up comedy. Brown declined to do a whole routine, but did offer up the ceremonial opening joke. Before he did his thing we spotted him drinking a Bud Light. We asked if he was nervous. He said he wasn’t. And actually, the joke wasn’t bad. The set up: While boarding a plane back home from D.C to Boston last week, he helped an elderly woman stow her luggage away. She thanked him and asked if he was “that handsome politician from Massachusetts.” Scott replied, “It’s nice to meet you, ma’am.” She said, “It’s nice to meet you too, Gov. Romney .” Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) also performed. Before taking the stage, he told THE BLAZE that “everything will be fine” because “when you’re standing in front of a bunch of soldiers that are cold, wet and hungry and mad at you for some odd reason, there were a few times I’ve had to tell a few jokes.” (West served in the Army for more than 20 years.) He added that his two daughters called him and warned him not to embarrass them. Most of his routine made fun of being a black conservative in Washington. He said it feels like “being on National Geographic.” A couple other noteworthy performers and their best joke: President of Americans for Tax Reform Grover Norquist : “When midgets play miniature golf, do they know?” Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.): “Pepper spray is ‘essentially’ a food product like Rick Santorum is ‘essentially’ a presidential candidate.” Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.): He called the GOP primary “The Gong Show.” “Funniest Celebrity in Washington” is hosted each year to benefit ” Susan G. Komen for the Cure,” which donates money to breast cancer research.
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‘Handsome’ Sen. Scott Brown jokes he was mistaken for Romney
A battle between Republican Sen. Scott Brown and likely Democratic challenger Elizabeth Warren in next year’s election is already drawing millions in out-of-state money because it could decide the Senate’s balance of power.
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Massachusetts: Senate Battleground
