Casey: Sirs, You are No Lloyd Bentsen

Columnist Rick Casey tells us why we should note the passing of Lloyd Bentsen.

If nothing else, thinking of Bentsen reminds us what it was like before lockstep partisanship turned Republicans into yammering clones led by cynical, greedy louts.

I didn’t serve with Lloyd Bentsen. I didn’t know Lloyd Bentsen. Lloyd Bentsen was not a friend of mine.

But I think I can safely say to all of today’s Texas politicians: Sirs, you are no Lloyd Bentsen…

Unlike so many of the chicken hawks now in power, Bentsen eagerly signed up to go to war, immediately after finishing law school…

He was a true moderate, liberal on some social issues, and a fiscal conservative. As President Bill Clinton’s secretary of the treasury, he was a key player in balancing the budget…

He carried himself with a courtliness that was both respectful and commanded respect (although he showed, in his vice-presidential debate against Dan Quayle, that he was quite capable of going for the jugular).

It’s impossible to imagine Bentsen saying to a TV reporter who had asked an uncomfortable question, as Rick Perry did after he thought the taping had ended, “Adios, mofo.”

Casey also notes that Bentsen maintained bipartisan friendships and even voters, serving as he did in the pre-DeLay/Rove era. If nothing else, thinking of Bentsen reminds us what it was like before lockstep partisanship turned Republicans into yammering clones led by cynical, greedy louts.

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Shame it wasn’t Bentsen/Dukakis … we might not be suffering through Bush now …

Casey: Sirs, You are No Lloyd Bentsen

One thought on “Casey: Sirs, You are No Lloyd Bentsen”

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Poetic Justice

Verbatim

“The man is afraid of the voice of the people and that the people understand and know what he’s doing. He’s trying to stifle the ability of journalists to let the people of America know what’s really going on with their government.”

— “Kamala Harris called President Donald Trump’s ban of CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House ‘absolutely abhorrent,’” The Wrap reports.

“Not one of them is trained in technical skills. Not one research PhD, as opposed to China, where half the cabinet is science and technology PhDs. We’re led by grifters and fools.”

— Columbia professor Jeffrey Sachs, on X, on President Trump’s 35-person cabinet.

“Mr. President, some of your immigration enforcement efforts have gone too far… The same Hispanics who helped you get to the White House in 2024 feel betrayed today.”

— Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL), breaking with President Trump in a direct-to-camera video.

Numerati

1,000

10%

“The unprecedented spate of mid-decade redistricting for the U.S. House has changed the congressional districts for one-tenth of Americans and significantly altered the makeup of at least one-fifth of districts, according to a new study,” the Associated Press reports.

71%

A new Fox News Poll finds 71% of voters think the Trump administration lacks a clear strategy for ending the Iran War, including 95% of Democrats, 83% of independents, and 43% of Republicans. Sixty percent say U.S. military action against Iran was the wrong decision, while just 37% say it was right.

$9.5 billion

“The Trump administration last year spent $9.5 billion on paid administrative leave for federal workers as part of its plan to shrink the government and save taxpayers money, according to a new estimate by a congressional watchdog,” CNN reports.

470

Reuters has documented at least 470 targets of retribution under Trump’s leadership – from federal employees and prosecutors to universities and media outlets. The list illuminates the sweeping effort by the president and his administration to punish dissent and reshape the government.