The daytime crowd for a townhall here in Kansas can be a rough one. It's normally the die hard Republicans who turn out, giving the party members an audience that goes rah-rah and eats up what they are serving. Here in Kansas, that's especially true.
But on February 19, in Olathe Kansas things didn't go quite according to plan. When you spend years building together the idea that the other side isn't just wrong - it's evil... well, sometimes that comes back to bite you.
This week's Town Hall in Olathe, featuring Senator Pat Roberts, Senator Jerry Moran, and District Representative Kevin Yoder drifted in a direction that none of the men involved had to want.
But they should have expected it. The crowd turned quickly to the kind of questions that the senators didn't want to go on the record with and Representative Yoder had to feel a bit uncomfortable.
Asked repeatedly: Why can't we impeach Obama? The dismissive response as given by the members resulted in furious facebook posts to their pages:
https://www.facebook.com/...
I attended and was disappointed as well. Congressman Yoder keeps talking about upholding the Constitution but when pushed about impeaching Obama he is very noncommittal. If the president is refusing to uphold laws of the United States then that is malfeasance of office which is impeachable!
Yep, that's right pushed. Not once, but repeatedly the question came up: will you back impeachment? In a free flowing discussion broadcast online, the crowd during and after the event began to ask about why they couldn't commit to impeachment.
It would be one thing if it was just one person.. but no, the questions and rumbling kept coming up, repeatedly, leading some to make comments like:
Tina Tribble I was embarrassed by the multiple questions and even more appalled by your responses to questions regarding impeachment of the president and the president being a lawbreaker. It is a shame you found the need to cater to that.
Oh, but they did cater. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough of a commitment to say talk in circles around the issue.
Now, Kansans are back to calling for Senator Roberts to "Drop Out" in favor of Tim Huelskamp (District-1) or Chris Kobach as Republican nominees. If Roberts won't drop out, a committed group told him in no uncertain terms at the townhall meeting: "Back immigration reform, and you are TOAST"
Ah, this is what happens when the chickens come home to roost.
Sat Feb 23, 2013 at 6:57 AM PT: Kansas Democrats Rally in Topeka Today at 2PM, Kansas Democrats, along with the Kansas Association of Teachers and AFL/CIO have their rally on the capital steps for "Stand Up, Fight Back!" rally. Several prominent state Democrats will speak as a kick off to try and blunt Brownback's attention and work on the recent stories in the KC Star, Wichita Eagle/etc. This is going to be your best chance to see potential contenders for 2014. I'll go and record it.
Sat Feb 23, 2013 at 5:26 PM PT: We had a good time today at the rally in Topeka. For pictures and some video of that event, follow here:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
This town hall definitely was a point of discussion, but "Spirtually Dark" is now absolutely a part of the Kansas lexicon.