January 19, 2018 01:14 PM UTC

Gardner Doesn't Play "Shutdown Politics?" Is That a Joke?

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• by: Colorado Pols

USA TODAY’s Herb Jackson points out something really, really obvious that we haven’t seen noted anywhere else as Sen. Cory Gardner presents himself as a peacemaker in the high-stakes battle over a short-term continuing resolution to prevent a shutdown of the federal government as early as tonight:

Sen. Cory Gardner could not have been clearer when asked during a sit-down with reporters Thursday which party would be to blame if there’s a government shutdown.

“I don’t want to play shutdown politics,” Gardner, R-Colo, said during a discussion of immigration reform with fellow Coloradan, Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet.

“I think it’s a bad idea, a pox on both parties,” Gardner continued. “And the American people, I think, will blame Washington. I don’t think they’re going to be able to say, ‘Hey, this is a Republican or a Democrat,’ I think they’re going to look at it and say, ‘You bozos can’t do your work.’”

As has become a familiar refrain, Sen. Gardner has received lots of love from the local news media this week as his partnership with Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet on both children’s health care and undocumented residents not responsible for their childhood immigration stood in stark contrast to President Donald Trump’s vulgar and racist headline-making. That’s good politics for Sen. Gardner, who has seen his public approval in Colorado badly erode under Trump’s first year.

But as Jackson continues, Cory Gardner is who he is–chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC):

But that message must not have reached the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the party’s political operation that Gardner chairs.

And a quick look at the NRSC’s Twitter feed reveals a whole lot of “shutdown politics” going on.

.@SherrodBrown has decided to join the #SchumerShutdown and take health insurance away from 223,583 Ohio children. #OHSen https://t.co/IgYSFiCmbx

— The Senate Majority (@NRSC) January 19, 2018

.@HeidiHeitkamp is out of excuses. Time to tell us if she’s opposing CHIP funding and supporting the #SchumerShutdown. #NDSen https://t.co/1ElWzvVW63

— The Senate Majority (@NRSC) January 19, 2018

.@RepSinema just voted against funding health care for 88,224 kids in Arizona. #SchumerShutdown #AZSen https://t.co/6dh3D9gQGO

— The Senate Majority (@NRSC) January 19, 2018

This is one of the clearer-cut cases we’ve seen of Sen. Gardner saying one thing in a bipartisan press conference, then doing the exact opposite once the cameras are elsewhere. The NRSC attacking Democrats is not even something we would bother to criticize but for the fact that Gardner so brazenly contradicted himself–condemning the exact same behavior he’s engaging in. After all, everybody expects the leader of the GOP’s U.S. Senate campaign operation to “play politics.”

But this is trying to have it both ways to an extent that simply can’t be excused. It’s totally ridiculous.

And we’re glad somebody with a large readership called BS.