Obama Visit Shows Perriello's In Trouble, Says Opponent

The Republican vying for the House seat currently held by Rep. Tom Perriello (D-Va.) called President Barack Obama’s visit to Charlottesville, Va. this evening a sign of desperation for the incumbent Democrat.

Polls show Perriello, who was elected to the House in 2008, running neck and neck with his challenger, Robert Hurt. Virginia’s 5th District has historically voted Republican, creating much vulnerability for Perriello in his bid for reelection. The nonpartisan Cook Report recently moved the race from “toss-up,” to “lean Republican.”

Hurt and Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) held a conference call with reporters on Friday to discuss the significance of Obama coming to campaign for Perriello just four days before voters cast their ballots. Hurt said the President is rewarding Perriello for being a “a loyal foot soldier” for the White House’s agenda.

“I think it’s refreshing to see that [Periello] is now embracing the President in this late hour, and it shows that he recognizes that his campaign, up to this point, is not convincing people of his commitment to the fifth district,” Hurt said.

Cantor, meanwhile, lauded Hurt’s pro-business approach to growing the nation’s economy which is currently mired in a years-long recession.

“[Republicans] ought to cut spending, we ought to reduce uncertainties that surround the Obama/Pelosi agenda and we ought to focus on putting small business people back into the game, so that they can create jobs.”

GOP Leaders: Extend Tax Cuts For All

On Wednesday, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and fellow Republican House leaders reiterated their commitment to extending tax cuts for all Americans. 

With the economy in the tank and unemployment still high, the series of tax cuts, which are set to expire at the end of this year, have been the subject of great debate in recent weeks.

Boehner, who said on Sunday that he would be willing, if necessary, to vote not to extend the tax cuts for top earners, took a different tone with reporters on Wednesday.

“Raising taxes on anyone, especially small businesses, is the exact wrong thing to do in a struggling economy,” he said.

When questioned as to whether or not he would be willing to compromise and allow those cuts to expire, Boehner emphasized his party’s unified message.

“I want to extend all of the current tax rates, and that’s what the American people want.”

Boehner’s number two in the House, Eric Cantor (R-Va.), put his party’s message into succinct form. “Cutting taxes, cutting spending, and creating jobs. It’s that simple,” he said.

Boehner Says Barton Will Remain Ranking Member

Robert Hune-Kalter-Talk Radio News Service

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) told reporters Wednesday that Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) will continue to serve as Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee despite the Texas Republican’s widely criticized apology to BP.

“Joe Barton recanted his apology to BP last week, and apologized to colleagues today,” Boehner said during a press briefing at the Republican National Committee headquarters.

The White House had suggested that House Republicans reconsider Barton’s status, pointing out that it may be unwise to let somebody with the Congressman’s views to have such a prominent voice in shaping energy policy.

Boehener was joined at the briefing by House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Republican Conference Chair Mike Pence (R-Ind.). The Republican leaders blasted the Democrats’ for declining to submit a budget.

Barton’s apology came during BP CEO Tony Hayward’s Capitol Hill appearance last week. Barton described the White House’s attempt to have BP set up a $20 billion escrow account to handle claims arising from the Gulf Coast spill as a “shakedown.”

“I do not want to live in a country where any time a citizen or a corporation does something that is legitimately wrong is subject to some sort of political pressure that … amounts to a shakedown. So I apologize,” Barton said.

Democrats Must Stop "Fanning The Flames" Of Threats Against Congress, Says Cantor

By Monique Cala
University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said Thursday that Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chairman Chris Van Hollen are making a ‘partisan issue’ out of recent security threats against members of Congress who voted 'yes' to healthcare reform.

“It is reckless to use these incidents as media vehicles for political game. That is why I have deep concerns that some, Chris Van Hollen and Tim Kaine in particular, are dangerously fanning the flames by suggesting that these incidents be used as a political weapon,” said Cantor.

Cantor insisted that threats to Members, such as angry letters, emails or voicemails, should be treated as security issues and dealt with by the appropriate law enforcement officials.

“I am not naive enough to think that letters, statements or press releases will prevent anyone disturbed enough to commit violence, from acting,” said Cantor. “But I do know that such letters, statements and press releases can very easily fan the flames. Enough is enough, it has to stop.”

Cantor, Kyl Rail Against Reconciliation

A pair of leading Republican lawmakers said Wednesday that Democrats are attempting to bend the rules by using reconciliation to try and pass health care reform.

“If the Senate bill was acceptable to most Americans...we wouldn’t even be having a discussion about reconciliation,” said House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.), who added that Democrats are making a “deliberate attempt...to circumvent the rules.”

Cantor suggested that Democrats favor using the quickest means possible to pass healthcare in order to have it finished before the Easter break. Failure to do so, he said, would produce a repeat of what occurred last August, when members who held town-hall meetings were confronted tempestuously by constituents who peppered them with questions over the bill.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding reconciliation,” said Cantor. “If [the Democrats] ram this bill through the House...they’ll lose their majority.”

Senate Minority Whip John Kyl (R-Ariz.) said the debate over how to pass healthcare has created an even larger wedge between the two parties, and has shoved several other important issues, such as energy, non-proliferation and immigration reform to the back-burner. According to Kyl, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is to blame for imposing a “take-it-or-leave-it” approach on the GOP.

Turning to face Cantor, the number two Republican in the Senate said he understands why House members might be leery of the Senate passing a healthcare bill that meets their wishes. “I can see why House members don’t trust the Senate to go along with this charade.”

In fact, Kyl might have been right. In late January, House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) told Talk Radio News Service that "The House, as you know, has some problems trusting the Senate."

While Kyl admitted that his party’s objective moving forward is to defeat the bill, he refuted the notion that the GOP is simply the ‘party of no’

“We are actually willing to work with [the President],” Kyl said. “We’re in conversations with [Democrats] all the time,” added Cantor.