Reasonable Republican Statements

In the interests of objectivity- or being "fair and balanced," in the words of an apparently self-delusional* cable network- I am going to praise two Republicans.

Brian Bilbray is a very conservative member of the House of Representatives from California. A Republican, he talked to Ed Schultz of MSNBC on Thursday, October 1 about the comments on the House floor of Democrat Alan Grayson of Florida, who was (justifiably) extremely critical of the GOP stance on health care reform. And Bilbray told Schultz's audience:

He wanted to push the envelope far beyond what I know anybody would have to say that—a Congressman saying today that there‘s a Holocaust occurring in America on American soil today is going over the limit. I think anyone would agree. He went over that line.

There‘s a lot of times that goes over the line, but those of us in Congress have to remember with those special rights comes some responsibility.

Also on October 1, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, amidst an interesting (especially his comment about Obama not being a Muslim) interview, told Chris Good of The Atlantic that he hopes the GOP gives political cover to military action President Obama may take in Afghanistan. Whatever the merits of the case for that policy, Graham's expression of bipartisanship veered sharply from today's Republican style when he commented

There is a chance for the loyal opposition to become President Obama's biggest ally. The Republican leadership must stand behind this president, and if he loses that...he's in a bad spot when it comes to Congress....

Savor these remarks, folks. Given that Bilbray's remark could be turned against a few of his ideological brethren and Graham's remark was, for his party, uncharacteristically civil, there probably won't be many more like them.