Sen. Baucus: "This was the closest thing to a mob that I've ever experienced in my life"

[sabra]

http://dailyinterlake.com/articles/2009/08/12/news/local_montana/news_8749949939_02.txt

<snip>

He said his office has received a flood of calls from the left demanding a single-payer system as well as calls from the right demanding other changes. Baucus said a lot of the nasty calls came from out-of-state, but acknowledged that the volume of calls and e-mails reflects deep concern in the public about health-care reform.

"They only call when they don't like what you're doing," he said.

Baucus said he has met with two single-payer groups, "tea party folks' in Helena, and also attended a conference in Bozeman in the past week. He said he tried to talk with people protesting outside the conference, but said they would not let him speak.

A staff member told Baucus that one person demonstrating said they were bused in from Texas. He said they spoke with a drawl and did not exhibit Montanan civility.

"These people were not civil," he said. "This was the closest thing to a mob that I've ever experienced in my life. But it was fine -- it goes with the territory."

[SoFlaJet]

1. and these are the people

you're enabling by trying to gut HCR Senator Baucus?

[MidwestTransplant]

2. Don't worry Max you and Chuck will surely come up with a fair piece of legislation

for the insurance companies.

[Arkana]

3. That's a little confusing--is he referring in the last sentence

to the teabagging morons or to the folks demanding single-payer?

[SoCalDem]

4. BOTH.. the press is "equating" them, and he's agreeing with the assessment

Max is being Max, compromising away anything that would be truly helpful, so he can keep that IV drip of lobby-money flowing through his veins.

He's a crass opportunist, who only cares about staying elected. When he quits, it will be on his terms, when he's earned enough "street cred" to land a multi million dollar gig at some "Lobby Shop".

This whole "mob" stuff is theater, but as always, the group on OFFENSE, wins.

Had the single payer people been there FIRST, these me-me-mobbers would have been portrayed differently, but since the mobilized FIRST, any actions that WE take are just seen as a counter-to them, and without much validity. THEY are being seen as the "people with concerns", and our side is portrayed as "out to get them", as "union thugs", and as an organized push-back..with little or no mention of WHY we are fighting back.

Max needs to be thrown off his chairmanship seat, and he should be made to take Grassley with him.. They can BOTH go lobby somewhere right NOW, for all I care.

[kenny blankenship]

5. Defeat Max Baucus.

By any means necessary.

[OregonBlue]

6. I'm sure Baucus already knew what was going to happen during the recess and was counting on it.

He is anti-public option and had it worked out with Grassley from the start. A real snake. Unfortunately he is not up for re-election and I'm sure he believes Montanans will have forgotten or forgiven by the time he is. I think he is wrong. I'm from Montana and the Democrats I've been talking to there are really pissed and are planning on working to see that he is defeated. Baucus took a calculated risk and I believe it will cost him.

[depakid]

8. Yep- and this bit just goes to show

The guy's proven to be duplicitous, and the Montanans I know like that about as much as horseflies.

[kenny blankenship]

9. You need a group. We need a group.

A national organization with one goal - to make an example of this traitor.

[Toucano]

7. I don't think it goes with the territory.

The uncivil should be shunned and ignored.