Moderate Dem rejects invitation to meet Trump aides at WH

[L. Coyote]

Moderate Dem rejects invitation to meet Trump aides at WH
By Rebecca Savransky - 03/29/17 11:53 AM EDT

Moderate Dem rejects invitation to meet Trump aides at WH

Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) said he is not accepting an invitation to meet with President Trump's top congressional aides. “I was asked if I would be interested in going over to the White House for a meeting,” Lynch said in a statement to the Boston Globe.

“They said they were looking for ‘moderate’ Democrats — which I am. But under the circumstances I felt like they were trying to divide our party so I declined the invitation.”
Lynch was invited to the White House to meet with the president's director of legislative affairs, Marc Short, according to The Globe.

The Massachusetts Democrat said he thinks Trump's White House has "taken a 'scorched earth' approach so far."

“I am usually someone who looks for middle ground, but Mr. Trump’s opening position, especially as reflected in his budget, has been so extreme that there is no middle ground," he said. "It’s a non-starter for me.” ..............

[OnDoutside]

1. Good man. Give the pig nothing.

[iluvtennis]

12. Agree +100 nt

[Kittycow]

2. Good move, Rep. Lynch!

[Justice]

3. Don't eat the snails Rep Lynch!

[OldHippieChick]

4. It does not appear as if they were giving very many details on

what/why/who the meeting was about. Do they really think we are that stupid?

[roscoeroscoe]

5. Hooah

Right move, Sir!

[Cha]

6. tulsi gabbard went to meet trump.. Good on Stephen Lynch for

Not falling for trump shit.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

7. If I were a pol, I'd say "I talk to everyone. Talk is cheap."

Talking is not endorsement. I'd be confident in my ability to withstand blandishments. Information is really important in politics and it's good to take the measure of opponents up close and personal. There is a saying "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer". It would be interesting to see just what they would offer in return.

You could always say when asked later that "tRump and his staff were so faux and untrustable that there was no common ground this time. Nor is any expected any time soon."

[Blanks]

21. I agree, however...

They can come to his office if they want something from him.

If it were me, I'd say: "What time should I tell my staff to look for you?"

[radical noodle]

22. After the way they've made fools of even some of the Republicans?

No... talk to a bunch or to none. One at a time leaves too much open to trump's lies.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

23. They only can make fools of someone who agrees to something. Talk is cheap, commitment is not.

Talk (and listen) to everyone. Commit to few people and only if you assess them as trustworthy. tRump is not trustworthy, period. Therefore no need to commit to anything with him. You can even say that up front before going in, even publicly.

Hear what he has to say, hear how he says it, hear what his staff says & how they say it, take their measures, commit to no agreement, and walk away. It's not possible to be made a fool of after that unless you say something foolish afterward.

[magicarpet]

8. Frog's legs and crocodile claws.....

.... blanched in a nice alligator broth.

Then sit down and have a nice lunch with Steve Bannon.

What could be more fun than that ?

(snark)

[luvMIdog]

9. That's right stick together!

[pecosbob]

10. Undoubtedly an attempt at a photo op with a Dem

so they can paint other Dems as obstructionists.

[kairos12]

11. Scorched earth. No accommodation with evil. Ever.

[YOHABLO]

13. Eww and have to shake his hand? No way.

[FuzzyRabbit]

14. "But under the circumstances

I felt like they were trying to divide our party so I declined the invitation."

That's exactly what they are trying to do.

[progressoid]

15. Heh, he calls him "Mr. Trump". Not "President Trump"

[klook]

16. Leave a mic glued to the underside of his desk after a struggle

-- like the Don Cheadle character in Traffic.

[Honeycombe8]

17. Smart guy. nt

[Tarc]

18. Sorry, but fuck Lynch, a conservative hiding behind the Democratic Party

because the R's rarely get elected in Massachusetts.

Voted against the Affordable Care Act.
Voted to support government intervention into the Terri Schiavo affair.
Has failed to do anything actually meaningful for labor, his professed greatest strength.

If I lived in Mass, I'd be 100% behind Brianna Wu's campaign to primary his sorry ass in 2018.

[radical noodle]

24. Not really

He votes with Democrats most of the time. He was once president of the Ironworkers Union when he was working as an Ironworker. He opposes corporate bailouts. Most of his issues were pretty much in line with most Dems.

[Tarc]

28. Yes really

A conservative Democrat sucking up to his Catholic constituents.

[radical noodle]

29. I guess it never occurred to you

that it's his job to represent his constituents?

[Tarc]

30. I guess it never occurred to you

that this is the kind of Democrat that is no longer welcome in this party.

[radical noodle]

31. Frankly, if you want to primary a Dem

who wins the general election 75% to 25% (approx) and who is popular with the people who vote for him/her, then maybe you should rethink that. Most Democrats are tolerant of differences. Obviously, you may not be.

[Blue_true]

34. Lynch's district is still predominantly Irish Catholic.

But it has been gentrifying dramatically over the last 15 years. He has more minority voters there and young professional Whites. Lynch has actually become more progressive as a result, he can't win now as a conservative Democrat given the current makeup of his district. I don't know much about Wu, but if she is younger and a professional, she could primary Lynch and win with the young White and minority vote, I would expect Lynch to get most of the declining Irish Catholic vote. As things are, I have no serious issues with Lynch, he votes right when we need him to.

[Cryptoad]

19. ,,, and he Wonders

why planning a rally to lead them in the "Lock her up" chant is bad idea??

[ehrnst]

20. Being tarred with the label "moderate"

is reason enough for many to gnash their teeth and primary you, no matter how effective on progressive issues you are.

Some, like Tulsi, will be immune, but few others.

Smart man.

[NastyRiffraff]

25. Excellent. Democrats win when we are united

I just hope ALL Democrats, including those farther left, will do the same. I hope Independents will also, but one never knows about them.

[louis-t]

26. For what? So he can threaten them?

I don't think anyone's buying his reach around...I mean, reach out... I mean...

[Thrill]

27. He just knows no Democratic voter wants to hear

He's working with Trump. Especially since there are rumors of him getting a primary challenger

[Blue_true]

33. Lynch is smart. His base area is gentrifying, but a lot of people

in it are poor and will be hurt by Trump policy.