{First, a cheap plug for my blog Senate Guru.}
I typically don’t enjoy trafficking in conspiracy theories, but this one just makes too much sense. Are conservative activists going to blackmail Senate Republican “Leader” Mitch McConnell into filibustering the confirmation to the Supreme Court of Judge Sonia Sotomayor? A whole bunch of conservative activist leaders co-signed a letter pushing Senate Republicans to filibuster the confirmation of Judge and Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. So where does blackmailing McConnell work its way into this? Well, take a look at this possible clue, stoking my conspiracy theory (emphasis added by me):
But in an interview with POLITICO, Manuel Miranda – who orchestrated the letter – went much farther, saying that Mitch McConnell should “consider resigning” as Senate minority leader if he can’t take a harder line on President Barack Obama’s first Supreme Court nominee.
Miranda accused McConnell of being “limp-wristed” and “a little bit tone deaf” when it comes to judicial nominees.
“Limp-wristed”? Yeah, it’s a synonym for “weak,” which works in Miranda’s context. But “limp-wristed” is also a slur against gay men. Of course, rumors have circulated over the years regarding Mitch McConnell’s sexual orientation. Given that, I find it very noteworthy that Miranda would use that particular terminology. I can’t imagine that it was by accident. Would Miranda and other conservative activists leak personal info about McConnell’s past, possibly substantiating the ongoing rumors, if he doesn’t take a more aggressive stance against Judge Sotomayor’s confirmation? Yeah, a conspiracy theory, but an interesting one, and one that makes sense given how some of these folks operate.