BREAKING: Joe Donnelly is a Cuck

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Don't be surprised if he votes for Barrett to replace Anthony Kennedy as well.

He voted for Barrett's appeals court Nomination (along with Manchin and Kaine), so yeah. I question whether Barrett would want the job after less than a year on the appeals court, however.

Doesn't have to be Barrett, just insert any of the possible contenders.

[Rookie Yinzer]

He's still going to lose.

[#gravelgang #lessiglad]

Ronny Jackson, kind of a dick at work and maybe an alcoholic: beyond the pale.

Gina Haspel, torturer: meh, fine.

Never change, Democrats.

[Pandaguineapig]

This doesn't make sense in that Donnelly is risking pissing off his base supporters with a move that won't win him moderate/conservative voters. Reminds me of Bruce Rauners decision to fund abortions in Illinois (though this certainly is not a suicidal move of that magnitude and Donnelly is still in a very competitive race for his seat

[Person Man]

If Donnely still loses, the moral of the story is that if you meet Republicans half way, you will end up with nothing.

[NEW JERSEY FOR MENENDEZ]

I don't give a sh!t about him voting for Haspel. We need that seat.

[Old Man Willow]

IN isn't as rabidly conservative as some seem to think. Given the national environment, this seat is a tossup at best for Republicans.

[Calthrina950]

The reality is that Donnelly is still going to face millions of dollars in attack ads claiming that he supports terrorism, that he supports illegals etc etc.

Sure I get not pulling a Gillibrand and opposing everyone; but if the Republican Presidential Nominee opposes Haspel, as a Democrat you've got every right to oppose her.

There's nothing worse than this sort of virtue signalling politics (a word I hate to use), if you support torture, if you support the Bush era CIA tactics then great support Haspel. But don't support her because you think it's going to somehow win you some imaginary voter

I agree with you here. Voting for Trump's nominees does nothing to allay the bad feeling against many of these Senators, by many of the voters in their states. No matter what they do, they will still be considered a puppet of Chuck Schumer. Also, just voting for someone like Haspel is morally indefensible.

[Progressive Pessimist]

Yeah this is disappointing. I hate that we need people like Donnelly to get a Democratic majority in the Senate. If he had supported Haspel from the beginning, like Manchin (as much as I dislike that decision) I would probably be slightly less frustrated. But the fact that Drumpf called Donnelly out on it and then he just capitulated so easily, is really infuriating. I don't even think it will help Donnelly that much in his race as much as he thinks it will. People are going to forget about this at some point in the near future and anyone who votes based off of Drumpf's cronies getting approved by a candidate, aren't going to support a Democrat anyway. What's worse is that this may be the vote that decides Haspel's fate and subjects the country to the torturer once again as she gains a promotion, for virtually no reason.

[BenBurch]

Stuff like this is why I hate modern politics.

[ProgressiveCanadian]

Joe Donnelly is a Republican.

[💥💥 brandon bro (he/him/his)]

Ronny Jackson, kind of a dick at work and maybe an alcoholic: beyond the pale.

Gina Haspel, torturer: meh, fine.

Never change, Democrats.

I mean, I get that you're upset (as you should be), but this is an extremely hot take because 1) Jackson was someone who was grossly unfit in general to run a Federal Agency, much like Ben Carson, and 2) one Democratic Senator approving of Haspel's nomination has no real bearing on the opinions of the rest of the party.

I'm super disappointed in this and am wondering what Donnelly is seeing that's making him buckle here in a way that other vulnerable Senators are not. I think that's just as scary as the prospect of Haspel being approved.

[Orser67]

It's funny to me that people use the term "cuck" unironically

[Sestak]

It's funny to me that people use the term "cuck" unironically

I was definitely not using it unironically.

[#gravelgang #lessiglad]

Ronny Jackson, kind of a dick at work and maybe an alcoholic: beyond the pale.

Gina Haspel, torturer: meh, fine.

Never change, Democrats.

I mean, I get that you're upset (as you should be), but this is an extremely hot take because 1) Jackson was someone who was grossly unfit in general to run a Federal Agency, much like Ben Carson, and 2) one Democratic Senator approving of Haspel's nomination has no real bearing on the opinions of the rest of the party.

I'm super disappointed in this and am wondering what Donnelly is seeing that's making him buckle here in a way that other vulnerable Senators are not. I think that's just as scary as the prospect of Haspel being approved.

Right. The way I see it is that Schumer and Durbin are able to whip when desired and selectively allows for defections at certain times. In Haspel's particular case, effective whipping would have meant the difference between success and failure, with McCain unavailable and Paul against.

Contrast this situation with the tax bill, when Republicans had the votes regardless and Schumer and Durbin whipped opposition so that the vote is completely partisan. The ability to whip is there, but it's selectively deployed. Democrats knew that the tax bill would be a contentious issue in the midterms and politics took over; they whipped the votes to create a clear contrast. Which is good politics, of course!

I'm disgusted with Democrats because foreign policy, foreign affairs and civil liberties are my prime motivation for generally voting for Democrats. Democrats, in turn, do not share those priorities (views generally align, but it's rarely a driving force or top priority) and it's a frustrating experience. They never particularly have, outside of a handful of libertarian minded Democrats.

They pay lip service to it when it's convenient (like in 06 and 08) but it isn't a core part of the party. The party does not enforce ideological discipline on this issue the way it does more prominently with e.g., abortion. There's zero chance any group affiliated with the party will go after Donnelly or Manchin for this issue the same way EMILY'S list went after Heath Mello. Why continue to support a party if it doesn't advocate for one's issues?

Obligatory apology for hot take too. Ronny Jackson is in no way qualified and Haspel, in terms of experience and not morals technically is.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Donnelly is just doing this to get reelected. If that is what he red state Dems need to do, then have at it. There's always a worse nominee down the road and we need as many Democrats in the senate as possible.

[Xing]

Yuck, but I don't actually think this will influence his re-election chances one way or the other. Super bold and edgy, I know.

[BuckeyeNut]

If this is what Donnelly needs to get re-elected, let him have at it.

IT'S NOT.

Who are all these undecided swing voters whose vote is pending on how he votes on CIA director?  Tell me.

This 100%. Donnelly doesn't gain anything from this aside from damnation.

In all honesty, this might cost him votes on the left, and it wouldn't be undeserved. You need moderates and somewhat conservative independents to win statewide as a Democrat in Indiana, but there is an outsized Quaker contingent in Indiana politics, and you need them to vote Democrat to up the margins in some otherwise pretty conservative parts of the state. He could lose them over this.

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Yuck, but I don't actually think this will influence his re-election chances one way or the other. Super bold and edgy, I know.

I think he's trying to eliminate all of the possible ways Trump could attack him at any of his unhinged rallies.

[Skill and Chance]

Don't be surprised if he votes for Barrett to replace Anthony Kennedy as well.

You really think he's retiring with a same party president/senate situation?

[ProgressiveCanadian]

If this is what Donnelly needs to get re-elected, let him have at it.

I didn't realize supporting a war criminal was the key to get Indiana voters.

[Young Conservative]

I really doubt people will base a their senate vote on a cabinet confirmation vote.

[IndustrialJustice]

Yuck, but I don't actually think this will influence his re-election chances one way or the other. Super bold and edgy, I know.

I think he's trying to eliminate all of the possible ways Trump could attack him at any of his unhinged rallies.

No one gives a crap about Gina Haspel.

Congrats to Joe Donnelly on his shrewd political calculation that will net him zero votes. He only had to endorse torture to do it.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Don't be surprised if he votes for Barrett to replace Anthony Kennedy as well.

You really think he's retiring with a same party president/senate situation?

I have said previously I think it is very unlikely. I considered putting some caveat to that effect in the post, but I figured it was more attention grabbing to focus on Donnelly's likely behavior.

[Skill and Chance]

Don't be surprised if he votes for Barrett to replace Anthony Kennedy as well.

You really think he's retiring with a same party president/senate situation?

I have said previously I think it is very unlikely. I considered putting some caveat to that effect in the post, but I figured it was more attention grabbing to focus on Donnelly's likely behavior.

I think his best opportunity would be something like 2021 with a Dem President/Republican Senate/Dem House.  There would be too much pressure to try and leave it open for 3 years.

It wouldn't surprise me if Thomas retired this year, though.