Political Climate

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. McCONNELL. Now, Madam President, on an entirely different matter, with the bipartisan progress the Senate has made this week, it is hard to believe what was happening just a few days ago right inside this Capitol and right outside the building. It is hard to believe it was less than a week ago that far-left protesters were literally storming the steps of the Capitol and the Supreme Court, running my colleagues out of public places and attempting to shout over their voices right here in the Senate Chamber. Of course, it didn't work. The Senate stood tall and did the right thing.

The far left isn't done yet. If we take them at their word, this may have only been the warmup act. Here is the advice former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave to her fellow Democrats just a few days ago. She said: ``If we are fortunate enough to win back the House and/or the Senate, that's when civility can start again.''

``That's when civility can start again,'' she said, when they win back the House and/or the Senate.

Just yesterday, we saw President Obama's Attorney General Eric Holder offer his own version of a slogan made famous by our former First Lady, Michelle Obama. This is Mr. Holder's new vision for civil discourse. Here is how the former Attorney General of the United States urged Democrats to treat the other side. He said:

Michelle always says, ``When they go low, we go high.'' No. No. When they go low, we kick 'em.

He said:

When they go low, we kick 'em. That's what this new Democratic Party is about.

The ``new Democratic Party,'' he said.

Remember, these comments come less than a year and a half after Republican Members of the House and Senate were literally shot at by a politically crazed gunman. Our colleagues were nearly killed just a few minutes from the Capitol. In just these past days, there have been graphic death threats, Senators and staff have needed extraordinary police protection, and the Democrats are calling for more incivility and more rage? They are calling for more incivility and more rage?

There isn't a firmer defender of the First Amendment than I. It is vital that citizens be heard. Americans with strong opinions on both sides of last week's debate spoke up in a civil and respectful way, and our Nation was better for it. But only one side--only one side--was happy to play host to this toxic fringe behavior. Only one side's leaders are now openly calling for more of it. They haven't seen enough. They want more.

I am afraid this is only phase 1 of the meltdown. We are already seeing desperate voices on the far left explain that, well, because they lost this fight, even more drastic steps are in order.

There is crazy talk--crazy talk--about impeaching Justice Kavanaugh. There are left-wing writers demanding that Democrats pack the Court--a zombie idea from the 1930s they have dug up just in time for Halloween.

How about this: One columnist for a national newspaper called the result a coup--a coup--and implied that the Founders got it wrong and designed the Senate incorrectly. They want to rewrite the Constitution? The Founding Fathers got it wrong? Handling defeat badly is one thing, but regretting the Constitution itself because you don't like how a vote turned out--really? This is something else. But I guess it is not entirely surprising given the outright embrace by many on the left, including elected officials, of radical concepts like open borders and socialism.

Anyone who thinks that intimidation and scare tactics might rule the day must have missed the Senate's vote last Saturday. Maybe they weren't tuned in. This body will not let unhinged tactics replace reasoned judgment. We will not let mob behavior drown out all the Americans who want to legitimately participate in the policymaking process on all sides. The Senate, I assure you, will not be intimidated.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source