House Republican Falls Apart On MSNBC When Confronted With Poll Showing GOP Blame For Shutdown

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Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) tried to suggest that Democrats would be blamed for the shutdown, but when confronted with a poll owing that his own party will be blamed, Cole retreated to discussing his belief that Democrats will take the blame.

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Here was the exchange with MSNBC’s Chris Jansing:

Rep. Cole: It is Democrats who have taken something that is unrelated, an immigration issue that frankly we’ve got until March to deal with and they linked to on funding the government. I think they have done it pretty cynically because they think they won’t take the blame. Frankly, having lived through my party making the same mistake I see Democrats making now, they will take the blame in the end.

Jansing: That is not what the polls show. I’m sure you know this.

Cole: Intervening events.

Jansing: This is a brand new poll. 48% of Americans will put the blame on you and the president just 28% would blame the Democrats. What makes you think the polls are wrong?

Cole: I think the event will change the polls. That’s what always happens.

Republicans have bought Trump’s line on the government shutdown. They think that the American people will blame the party that is completely out of power over the one that is.

History has shown that the party in control of Congress, specifically the House, when a shutdown happens gets blamed. The American people aren’t stupid. They know who is at fault if there is a shutdown, and they aren’t going to blame the Democrats.

The fact that Rep. Cole couldn’t come up with a decent factual argument to rebut the poll speaks volumes. Republicans are hoping that they don’t get blamed instead of facing the reality that they will be.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association