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GOP Sen. John Kennedy Freaks Out When Reminded He Used To Be A Democrat (www.huffpost.com)

submitted 4 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world

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“I’ve never been a Marxist!” the Louisiana senator shouted angrily after his attempt to smear one of Biden’s judicial nominees backfired.

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) on Thursday tried to smear one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees by repeatedly calling her a Marxist, an accusation rooted in nothing other than this nominee being a Democrat.

But his effort backfired spectacularly when the Louisiana Republican was reminded that he, too, used to be a Democrat.

“Are you still a Marxist?” Kennedy asked Melissa DuBose, Biden’s nominee for a U.S. district court in Rhode Island. It was his very first question in DuBose’s nomination hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and he gave zero context.

“I am not nor have I ever been a Marxist,” replied DuBose, who is now a state district judge.

They went back and forth. Kennedy suggested she was lying under oath about being a secret Marxist, citing an interview she did in 2000 when she was working at a coffee shop and said she was “in my Marxist phase.”

...

And then Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) reminded Kennedy that even if it were true that DuBose had been in a “Marxist phase,” people sometimes take new positions on issues over time. Even him.

“This was many, many, many, many, many years ago,” Whitehouse said of DuBose’s interview. “Perhaps during the time when my colleague Sen. Kennedy was a Democrat, showing that people can change their views, even if it were true that you were in a Marxist phase.”

Whitehouse smiled. Laughs were audible in the room. Kennedy was furious.

“I’ve never been a Marxist!” he shouted. “I’ve never been a Marxist! And I’ve never admitted I was a Marxist and then not turned a document over to this committee!”

top 21 comments

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[-] marx2k@lemmy.world 91 points 4 months ago

Do republican voters seriously never grow tired or embarrassed by this clown show? I don't get it

[-] Mycatiskai@lemmy.ca 33 points 4 months ago

They only hear good things from their side, if they heard something bad coming out of a Republican it would sound like a Charlie Brown trombone adults.

[-] marx2k@lemmy.world 4 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

I really just don't get it. The arguments from the right aren't even convincing or remotely logical half the time. At this point it just feels like the politicians are treating their constituents like they're morons and they may be right since the voters not only keep voting them back in but defend these politicians like they're literally fighting the forces of darkness on their behalf.

wtf happened to the American right??

[-] maniacal_gaff@lemmy.world 34 points 4 months ago

Not only did he change parties, his cartoonishly ridiculous accent showed up out of nowhere. Go listen to him speak before the figured out he could get more votes as an (R).

[-] escapedgoat@lemmy.world 32 points 4 months ago

I think it's only fair that from now on every interviewer of Sen. Kennedy ask him how long he's secretly been a Marxist.

[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 14 points 4 months ago

Just like they should repeatedly ask Trump if he's ever paid for any abortions.

If only the press had balls.

[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 31 points 4 months ago

This guy has literally coasted through election after election purely because ignorant people associate his name with JFK's. So sure, he can claim he was never a "Marxist" when someone reminds him he used to be a Democrat because his constituents don't remember anyway.

[-] LopensLeftArm@sh.itjust.works 24 points 4 months ago

"I did not ever admit to being a Marxist! I did naaaaht! Oh, hi Mark."

[-] Theprogressivist@lemmy.world 24 points 4 months ago

Glorious.

[-] b3an@lemmy.world 5 points 4 months ago

This was a great article

[-] ULS@lemmy.ml 5 points 4 months ago

Politics are lamb.

[-] theotherone@kbin.social 22 points 4 months ago

I’d disagree but a bit of mint sauce couldn’t hurt at this point.

this post was submitted on 10 Feb 2024

354 points (98.9% liked)

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