The Note
Washington's Original and Most Influential Tipsheet
Rick Klein is ABC News' Senior Political Reporter and author of The Note's morning look at the upcoming day in politics. Throughout the day, ABC News' political team contributes to The Note with the very latest news and analysis from the nation's capital.
To email Rick Klein, click here.
RECENT POSTS
- Pro-Sotomayor Ads Tie Limbaugh to Republicans
- The Note: A Bit Outside -- Sotomayor Hearings Could Boost Obama Agenda
- The Note's Must-Reads for Monday, July 13, 2009
- ‘Top Line’: ‘Mini-Revolt’ in Congress on Health Care
- LIVESTREAMING THE SOTOMAYOR HEARINGS
- Republicans Stepping up Anti-Stimulus Rhetoric
- The Note: Verdicts & Visits -- Agenda delayed, Obama seeks to grab back narrative
- The Note's Must-Reads for Friday, July 10, 2009
- Embattled AIG Hoping to Avoid Backlash When Paying Out More Bonuses
- Newest Senator Meets High Court Nominee
THE NOTE CATEGORIES
- 2010
- Afghanistan
- Bill Clinton
- Congress
- Democratic party
- Environment
- Financial Reform
- GOP
- Gov. Mark Sanford
- Gov. Sarah Palin
- Guantanamo
- Health Care
- Iran
- Iraq
- John McCain
- Mitt Romney
- North Korea
- Obama Agenda
- Politics Live
- President Obama
- Republican Party
- Ronald Reagan
- Sen. John Ensign
- Senate
- Sonia Sotomayor
- Stimulus
- Supreme Court
- The Note
- The Note Must-Reads
- Top Line
- Vice President Biden
- Virginia
MONTHLY ARCHIVES
« Previous | Main | Next »
Cornyn: Obama Helping Senate GOP in 2010
January 14, 2009 12:37 PM
ABC News' Teddy Davis Reports:
Sen. John Cornyn, the Texas Republican tasked with helping his party bounce back in the Senate, argued Wednesday that the Senate GOP has been inadvertently helped by Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats.
"President-elect Barack Obama has given us some opportunities," said Cornyn.
Cornyn, the newly installed chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said the GOP went from having no chance in Illinois to a fairly good one.
"I don't see how Mr. Burris can separate himself from the circumstances of how he was appointed," said Cornyn.
Cornyn did not name any specific Illinois Republicans who are planning to run for the Senate in 2010 but Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., is considered a top contender.
In New York, Cornyn thinks Republicans could be helped if Gov. David Paterson appoints Carolyn Kennedy, a political novice, to replace Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., Obama's nominee for Secretary of State.
"Caroline Kennedy has never run for office before," said Cornyn.
Cornyn cited Rep. Peter King as a New York Republican seriously weighing a Senate bid now that Clinton is expected to become the nation's top diplomat.
Cornyn is also eyeing Colorado where Obama's selection of Ken Salazar to be Secretary of the Interior removes a seasoned politician from the seat.
Gov. Bill Ritter has chosen Michael Bennet, the well-regarded Superintendent of Denver public schools, as Salazar's replacement.
The NRSC is also hoping to put Delaware, the home state of Vice President-elect Joe Biden, into play.
Democrat Beau Biden, the state attorney general and son of the vice president-elect, is expected to seek the seat which will be held for the next two years by Ted Kaufman, a former Biden staffer who agreed not to run in 2010.
The NRSC chair said Republicans have also been helped by Obama's nomination of Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano to be Secretary of Homeland Security and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack to be Secretary of Agriculture.
The appointments remove Napolitano as a possible challenger to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Vilsack as a possible challenger to Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.
Cornyn downplayed speculation that Grassley would be the next Senate Republican to retire by saying that the Iowa Republican has held eight fundraisers since the new year.
Cornyn, who was sporting a pair of black boots with his business suit, made his comments in Washington, D.C., during a pen-and-pad briefing with reporters.
January 14, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (11)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Cornyn is a disgrace. i cannot believe he ever sat on the supreme court of the state of texas. he is a tolal partisan and thrives on the politics of division. it's no suprise he is making his ignorant "predictions." he also predicted John McCain would win the election. so much for bi-partisanship he promised during his re-election.
Posted by: Paul Wall | Jan 14, 2009 1:11:46 PM
So, the Republicans got what they wanted: a tainted Democratic senator tied to the impeached (and soon to be convicted) governor. Even though they lost to Obama, they get a do-over against his replacement in the Senate. Burris has the added bonus of being black, which should excite some in the Republican base. On the other hand, the Democrats get a chance to pick up 4 seats left open by Republican senators who are not running for re-election in 2010, so I think they come out ahead.
Posted by: anthony | Jan 14, 2009 1:14:34 PM
Obama has the task of saving this nations economy and keeping the US safe and all Cornyn can do is see what he can get politically out of the President-Elect's (and our nation's) challenges. absolutely pathetic.
Posted by: Paul Wall | Jan 14, 2009 1:15:33 PM
The Republicans have brought the
the United States Down to a Low Point
in our History,,,,,,,,,,,
Do THE COUNRTY A FAVOR AND JUST
VEGETATE ON THE SIDELINES FOR
SAY 50 MAKE IT 100 YEARS!......NO JOKE
The party has made itself a disgrace !
Posted by: Anita Yova | Jan 14, 2009 1:30:51 PM
Cornyn is a typical Republican who is marginalizing himself.
1st we need to make it to 2010. He is to ignorant to see that. Big John; Little penis!
Posted by: Thinking | Jan 14, 2009 1:39:26 PM
The way back for Republicans is term limits for all Federal offices. There is not one person in Congress who is there for any lenght of time who is not coorupted by the system we currently have in place. One term for the Senate
(6 years ) 3 for the House (6 years) 2 for the President (8 years).
People who see federal office as a lifetime career will never work for the betterment of the country only for their re-election and fund raising. People who really want to do service for the country will never enter the the political sewer we have created with our current election charades.
Posted by: John Smith | Jan 14, 2009 1:40:03 PM
What about the 4 GOP senate retirements?
I guess if Cornyn wants to spin it that way when he will have 4 incumbents gone from the GOP Senate seats.
Posted by: Amoreena | Jan 14, 2009 1:50:00 PM
We New Yorkers would vote for Peter King over Carolyn Kennedy....pardon me, I have to call my Chiropractor, I just laughed so hard my sides are contracted....
Posted by: OnTheGloryRoad | Jan 14, 2009 2:04:58 PM
we shall see. Personally, I hope Burris has some good democratic primary opponents. The former seat of Moseley-Braun and Obama will NOT go republican.
Posted by: dem in chicago | Jan 14, 2009 2:07:47 PM
That article states that Congressman Mark Kirk (R-IL) (my congressman) might run for the U.S. Senate, in 2010. If he doesn't run for re-election, his replacement, in the U.S. House, should be St. Rep. Elizabeth Coulson, a Republican whose district includes Glenview and parts of Northbrook, Wilmette, and Winnetka. She's been a legislator since 1999.
Posted by: Phil Collins | Jan 14, 2009 4:46:12 PM
Anthony went for the throat. John Cornyn is not what he discribes. Look, ask and Get Involved,
Posted by: CharlesJr | Jan 14, 2009 7:30:04 PM
Post a comment
POLITICAL VIDEOS
THE NOTE BLOG ROLL
- ABC News -- George Stephanopoulos
- ABC News -- Jake Tapper
- ABC News Politics
- ABC News -- The Blotter
- The American Prospect -- TAPPED
- The Atlantic -- Politics Channel
- The Boston Globe -- Political Intelligence
- Center for American Progress -- Think Progress
- Center for Responsive Politics
- The Chicago Sun-Times -- Lynn Sweet
- The Chicago Tribune -- The Swamp
- Drudge Report
- FactCheck.org
- FiveThirtyEight
- Heritage Foundation -- The Foundry
- The Hill -- Briefing Room
- The Hotline
- The Huffington Post
- The Los Angeles Times -- Top of the Ticket
- NPR -- Political Junkie
- National Review -- The Corner
- The New Republic -- The Plank
- The New York Times -- The Caucus
- Political Wire -- Taegan Goddard
- Politicker
- Politico -- Ben Smith
- Politico -- Mike Allen’s Playbook
- PolitiFact
- Real Clear Politics
- Talking Points Memo
- Time -- The Page
- USA Today -- On Politics
- Variety -- Wilshire & Washington
- The Wall Street Journal -- Capital Journal
- The Washington Post -- The Fix
- The Washington Post -- 44
