How Josh Hawley's political ploy backfired massively - CNNPolitics
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
(CNN)Josh Hawley looked like he had seen a ghost.
The 40-something Missouri Republican senator was clearly shaken and uncertain of himself Wednesday night as he spoke on the Senate floor -- decrying the violence that had led to the seizure of the US Capitol by pro-Trump forces earlier in the day, even while still trying to defend his much-publicized plan to object to the Electoral College results in several states. Watch:
Watch Sen. Josh Hawley speak after Capitol riots07:07 "Violence is not how you achieve change," Hawley cautioned. "Violence is not how you achieve something better." Well, yes. But, maybe -- just maybe -- Hawley should have realized that BEFORE he decided to become the first senator to sign on to the objection to the Electoral College, ensuring that there would be both debate and votes on these objections.
It was more than a little ironic then that the man who let the genie out of the bottle was suddenly condemning what that genie did. Who could have known that encouraging false -- and debunked -- claims about nonexistent fraud could lead ardent Trump supporters to act on their dissatisfaction and anger when gathered in a large group in Washington? Man, what a shock! Not.
The Kansas City Star's editorial board penned a blistering op-ed -- headlined "Assault on democracy: Sen. Josh Hawley has blood on his hands in Capitol coup attempt" -- slamming Hawley for his role in starting this fire. Here's the key bit: "No one other than President Donald Trump himself is more responsible for Wednesday's coup attempt at the U.S. Capitol than one Joshua David Hawley, the 41-year-old junior senator from Missouri, who put out a fundraising appeal while the siege was underway."This, Sen. Hawley, is what law-breaking and destruction look like. This is what mobs do. This is not a protest, but a riot. One woman was shot by Capitol Police in the chaos and died while lawmakers were sheltering in place."No longer can it be asked, as George Will did recently of Hawley, 'Has there ever been such a high ratio of ambition to accomplishment?' Hawley's actions in the last week had such impact that he deserves an impressive share of the blame for the blood that's been shed." Hawley's calculation here was simple. He has made no secret of his ambition to run for national office as soon as he can. But at 41 years old and still not a known name in conservative circles, he saw his chance to change that by being the first one to step forward and carry Trump's election fraud nonsense in the Senate.
He immediately won praise from the Trump media for his bravery and willingness to stand up to the mainstream media. And more importantly for Hawley's future national ambitions, he raised money off of his move. "As you can imagine, I am being pressured from the Washington and Wall Street establishment to ignore the will of the people and avoid raising this issue," he wrote in a fundraising missive shortly after he announced his decision to object to the results. "But I do not answer to any establishment, I answer to hardworking American people." And as the Star noted in its editorial, Hawley sent out another fundraising appeal Wednesday morning -- just an hour before the Capitol was stormed.
While Hawley will still remain a hero to the most ardent pro-Trumpers -- and there are still a bloc of them both in and out of Congress -- it's hard to see how this episode did anything but tarnish his chances of ascending to higher office. Hawley would have done well to have followed the lead of the man sitting behind him as he tried to explain away his actions (and their impacts) on Wednesday night on the Senate floor: Mitt Romney. "Those who choose to continue to support his dangerous gambit by objecting to the results of a legitimate, democratic election will forever be seen as being complicit in an unprecedented attack against our democracy," said Romney. "They will be remembered for their role in this shameful episode in American history. That will be their legacy."
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This one that needs to face the music of losing his senate seat, and facing charges for inciting a riot. Care to add sedition and insurrection to this ambitious little prick?
As I just posted on another thread - Hawley, Gaetze, Cruz and company should be made examples of within the Republican Party. They should be stripped of any committee positions and a promise of being challenged during their next primary. This should be a big show with party leaders on every damned talking head show everywhere. The spineless bastards won't do that, of course because losing power in Washington is worse than having our Democracy threatened by assholes.
A disgusting POS.
Boy, the Kansas City Star ate his balls, didn't they?
The KC Star has been a bit right of center in it's reporting. For their editorial staff to come out this hard is saying something.
Do you have a link to that Giggles? I'd love to read what they said.
Some of it is quoted in Fly's seed
Try this RW
MO Sen. Josh Hawley to blame for mob, Capitol coup attempt | The Kansas City Star
Bravo Kansas City Star!
Thanks Fly. That was some speech by Hawley. Too bad he made such a fool of himself. Loser.
But, the speech by the Senator from PA was very admirable. He not only put Hawley in his place with his lie, but, shed light on other areas of untruth and/or areas of misconstruance.
Well worth seeing and hearing.
some OG republican icon from Missouri took him down in the media this afternoon
"Those who choose to continue to support his dangerous gambit by objecting to the results of a legitimate, democratic election will forever be seen as being complicit in an unprecedented attack against our democracy," said Romney. "They will be remembered for their role in this shameful episode in American history. That will be their legacy."
I have noticed that even the people that are supposedly condemning this, they in the same breath keep saying that there are things that need to be looked at, that people's concerns need to be addressed.
Assholes. They themselves caused all the doubt and put the concerns in their heads.
No matter how they try to spin it, they are (still) complicit in perpetuating lies about the election.
That is it right there. Pricks like Hawley are the ones who were telling people that there was fraud and blah blah blah, then turn around and say "see, these voters think there was all this fraud and shit, we need to investigate!"
It would be like me claiming the senate can't get anything done, then getting elected and filibustering everything and saying "see, I told you."
He's a fucking douche canoe
Sorry, but I can't help myself here...
I really want to learn ASL and this is just a funny one.
Funny..... I never saw those hand signals on the flight deck, although the one for the tampon looks similar to the hand signal to raise the tail hook.
same thing ...
LOL....!!!!!
The look on Mitt Romney's face as he listened to Hawley's dog-do was priceless. It alternated between 'I wonder if I can kick hard enough to send at least one of your nads out of your left nipple.' and 'Wait until I have all 25 of my grandchildren prank-call your silly behind 'round the clock for the next 13 days...'
It was definitely an "If looks could kill" moment.
I noticed that Romney did mention his 25 Grandchildren several times, as if to let some know that they could be facing more than they bargained for.
Dammit, Sister, I just bought a new monitor, and you almost made me trash it.
The same way this kind of shit ALWYS backfires. Assholes like Hawley think they can use extremists to get to the top and then realize WAY too late that "oh damn, the extremists were actually serious?!" I have zero respect for people like Hawley, personally I wish the mob would have torn him up when they realized he is a posing ass motherfucker who was never actually with them and just trying to use them.
Just like Trump, and Trump Jr. Losers ALL
"Violence is not how you achieve change," Hawley cautioned.
He is a Trumpturd and he therefore by definition condones violence. I don't give a shit if he says otherwise. He slept with a dog and now has its fleas.
Hope he goes down in flames....!
It would be great if the good people of Missouri recalled him...but it will never happen
He is finding out that his actions have consequences. Simon And Shuster just cancelled his book deal due to his involvement and that picture.
to SAS.
"He is finding out that his actions have consequences. Simon And Shuster just cancelled his book deal due to his involvement and that picture.
to SAS."
Hit these hypocrite scumbags in their wallets where it counts! Yes!
I read now he is pissed saying he is going to sue them.
Funny how they continually call for a business to be able to do whatever they want, unless it somehow impacts them.
Typical hypocritical jackass.
He should use Rudy as his lawyer. That way his lawsuit will be tossed in the circular file.
We never thought that GA would go blue either. So it might happen.
People keep saying that but we achieved our independence from England through violence
Very true indeed.
it definitely works best on zealots.
Hawley made a bet.
I think he lost.
I think he's about to lose a whole lot.
His publisher, Simon & Schuster, has cancelled its plan to publish his book.
The Kansas City Star editorial board said he: “has blood on his hands in the Capitol coup attempt.”
His biggest early supporter, retired Senator John Danforth, said: “ Supporting Josh and trying so hard to get him elected to the Senate was the worst mistake I ever made in my life."
Even the local Mizzou Law Student Bar Association called on him to resign for: "the sake of our state, for the benefit of our country, but most importantly, for the protection of the rule of law."
I wonder how this ass feels now that a Capitol police officer died from his wounds defending a POS like Hawley.
It's hard to understand. He's supposedly a very smart guy... but it was really, REALLY stupid to persist with the challenges when the Capitol had just been invaded.
He's gonna need years to live this down.
It's all a show to become relevant for a 2024 Presidential run. I doubt he'll survive the next senate race for him
Correct from Reuters on the death of the officer.
(Reuters) — U.S. Capitol Police said in a statement on Thursday that media reports that an officer had died after the storming of the Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump were inaccurate.
The agency said that several officers were injured and some hospitalized after the unrest Wednesday, but that no officers had died as a result.
Outlets are reporting the officer is on life support and they are waiting for their family before removing them.
NewsNation reported earlier the officer had died after multiple sources confirmed their death; we apologize for that inaccurate report.
Do you really think he would give a rats a$$ about anyone else's life anymore than his idol Trump would? It is obvious that, like Trump, the only life that is of any importance to him is his own.
I don't know if this jackass is a lawyer or not, but his actions demand disbarment if he is.
I had a mole removed once and even that mole was smarter than he is. I hope he never lives it down. This is his albatross and he should wear it around his neck until the day he dies.
He is a lawyer.
DISBAR/JAIL HIM!!!