Vin Weber
FameRank: 3

"John Vincent "Vin" Weber" is a former Republican Party (United States)/Republican Congressman from Minnesota.

More Vin Weber on Wikipedia.

There are a lot of people in leadership just because they were the first in.

190

If you look at the whole, they didn't have a bad year. But unfortunately, what matters politically is not the whole, but the end. And the end didn't end very well.

186

I do think we're at a critical, pivotal moment for the Republican Party right now. The problem we're facing today is that that hard-work effort to define a reform conservative agenda has taken a back seat to simply political, tactical efforts to retain power.

178

In the short run, members of Congress will get allergic to lobbyists. They'll be nervous about taking calls and holding meetings, to say nothing of lavish trips to Scotland. Those will be out. For a period of time now, members of Congress will be concerned about even legitimate contact with the lobbying world.

147

I don't think you want to send a signal that this is a crisis bigger than it is. This was a bad week obviously, but you cleared the board of a couple big problems or question marks hanging over us. It's unfortunate for the individuals involved, but it gives us a chance to start rebuilding, clawing our way back.

106

This vague issue of corruption hanging over Republicans is not good, because it is the one thing on which Democrats don't have to have an alternative policy. I don't want that cloud over us going into [next year's] elections.

100

I think that the Democrats are unable to exploit issues like energy, taxes and Iraq because they have nothing to say. The problem with the issue of corruption is the opposition party doesn't have to have anything to say. All you've got to be is the other party, so it worries me.

95

He has sent a loud message to the people who raise and give political money that the Democrats are no longer in charge.

73