APNEWSBREAK: MCCONNELL HIRES TEA PARTY STRATEGIST

[xchrom]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MCCONNELL_CAMPAIGN_MANAGER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-09-13-11-07-08

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) -- Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell has hired some tea party credibility.

The Kentucky Republican has hired Jesse Benton, who steered the presidential campaign of Texas congressman Ron Paul, to head McConnell's reelection campaign in 2014. McConnell says he's committed to running a presidential-level campaign, and Benton's hiring shows he's acutely aware of the need to win support from conservatives. The hire, along with McConnell's $6 million campaign war chest, could also scare off potential tea party challengers.

In 2010, McConnell backed Trey Grayson for the state's then-empty Senate seat, but Paul's son, Rand, won instead-with tea party support. Now a hero of the small-government movement, Rand Paul says he supports McConnell's hiring of Benton.

[Panasonic]

1. McConnell will go down in 2014, Rand in 2016.

That should end the Tea Party invasion, short lived as it should be.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

2. As a Kentucky resident, I will volunteer for the Democratic campaign. nt

[Z_California]

3. Hopefully...

...Benton will be as successful with McConnell's campaign as he was with Paul's.

[sakabatou]

4. Let's Yurtle goes down in flames.

[Aristus]

5. "...And Yertle the Turtle, that marvelous he,

is king of the mud.
That's all he can see.
And the turtles, all the turtles are free,
As turtles, and maybe, all creatures should be."

Pretty good, huh?

From memory!

[sakabatou]

6. Yup

[HopeHoops]

7. That's news? I thought they were already cockroaches in his office.