John Ensign is clearly a man capable of incredible moral rationalizing, what with the whole Promise-Keeper/best-friend-wife-seducer dichotomy he’s got going on. But in an interview with the Review-Journal‘s man in Washington, D.C., Nevada’s junior senator shows he’s become a master of the yoga art of intellectual contortions.
Speaking of an infamous “non-aggression pact” between him and U.S. Sen. Harry Reid that’s been in place for more than a decade, Ensign claimed he didn’t violate that agreement when he called former Congresswoman Barbara Vucanovich and urged her to support Republican Senate nominee Sharron Angle, because, “We need to beat Harry Reid.”
Here’s an excerpt from a blog posted by Steve Tetreault:
“I didn’t say anything, even in the private conversation,” Ensign said. “I never criticized him. I don’t criticize Senator Reid and I did not criticize him then.”
“As a matter of fact, I said positive things about Senator Reid in that conversation with Barbara,” Ensign said. “I just said his party is doing damage to our country.”
Oh, to be able to listen to those phone calls instead of the ones in which Mel Gibson demonstrates how he’s still the worst human being on the planet. Can you imagine how that conversation went?
“Hey, Barbara, it’s John Ensign calling. No, sure, I understand you’re married. Right, but … I’m not calling about that … OK, but seriously … even if I was the LAST man on earth? Now you’re not even serious. OK, but … all right, but what I’m really calling about is Harry Reid. You know, Reid’s a great guy and I really like him as a person, but he’s the head of a party that’s screwing our country like … well, I probably shouldn’t have used that phrase. OK, anyway, well, this is awkward. Anyway, they’re really bad and could you please support Sharron Angle? Thanks, bye.”
Although Reid has been criticized plenty — including by yours truly — for failing to help Ensign opponents Ed Bernstein (2000) and Jack Carter (2006), and Reid foe Richard Ziser (2004) was so bad he actually lost in the primary to “none of these candidates” in several rural counties and thus posed no real threat to Reid, Ensign maintained getting involved in the first real race Reid has had since their infamous 1998 matchup is fair game.
“I am just campaigning for his opponent,” Ensign said. “That is okay to do. That is part of the agreement and has been from the beginning.”
Does anybody have this agreement in writing? I’d love to see that.
Tags: Harry Reid, John Ensign, Sharron Angle
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Too much is made of the idea that Reid and Ensign have a unique sort of “non-agression pact”/ love affair/ civil partnership.
The reality is that its pretty standard for Senators from the same state but different parties not to criticize each other publicly, since their offices have to work closely together. Its just little noticed these days because the polarization of so many states has produced few states that elect Senators from different parties.
Its really not news that Rs support other Rs and Ds support other Ds. Its just campaign business. And its typical. NOT supporting your own or crossing over (Rs for Reid), now that’s news. So Ensign’s conversation with Barbara V, I call no big deal. Maybe Ensign’s tired of playing second fiddle…
I agree with Gus, too much is being made over this so-called non-aggression pact. What’s wrong with a little civility among fellow same-state US senators? Anyway, supposedly Harry had a talk with John and its all good.
I hate it when mommy and daddy fight.
I’m going to go over to Gleaner where real bloggers post without being called SPAMMY by CAPCHA because we link to website.
Funny how this spammy post is not detected by CAPCHA.