Throwing In The Whip

What's Being Said About Roy Blunt's Decision To Step Down As G.O.P. Whip

"Republicans did not go down for the count, but they had a bad night November 4th. Not all, but some, have to pay. And some have to go." --- John Gizzi of Human Events

"Blunt's move avoids a difficult intraparty battle with protege Eric Cantor, a Virginia Republican who's already campaigning for the job of Republican whip." --- Andrew Taylor of The Associated Press

"Ten years of asking people to do something they don’t want to do is a long time," Blunt told reporters at a press conference announcing his decision." --- Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire

"The decisions of Blunt and Putnam follow disappointing losses for Republicans this election. They gained only four seats in the House races: Florida's 16 Congressional district, Kansas' 2nd district, Louisiana's 6th district and Texas' 22nd district. Democrats gained 24 seats for a net gain of 20 seats." --- All Headline News

"Blunt’s nearly two-year-old letter contained his thoughts on the 2006 mid-term-election failure, he writes, and his ideas on how to jump-start the conservative movement. "I wrote that our ideas didn’t lose the mid-term election, we did," Blunt writes to colleagues. "I also wrote that, were we not successful in recapturing the majority in 2008, it was my intention to serve only two years as Minority Whip." ---The Politico

"Roy has been one of the most effective whips ever to serve our House Republican team," Boehner said. "He has been a tremendous leader for our party, and we owe him credit and gratitude for countless victories we have achieved in the House during his tenure." ---The Politico

"The leadership changes won't mean a lot in getting legislation passed," he said, "but if they have a single, coherent message, it could hurt Obama's efforts to build consensus." --- Michael Tanner of The CATO Institute as quoted in McClatchy Newspapers

"Rebuilding the Republican Party must begin immediately and it must be forward thinking. It must move past the President Bush years and settle the infighting over core principles that has nearly destroyed it. Its leadership must be solidified with members who truly believe in traditional conservative principles and understand that those principles cannot be compromised." --- The Washington Times Editorial Board

Read Blunt's entire letter to his colleagues HERE