He's apparently out:
Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) plans to announce his retirement today, Democrats briefed on his decision said. Stupak, the leader of a pro-life faction within his party, had received death threats and was under intense political pressure after he agreed to support the Democratic health care reform legislation, even though pro-life groups insisted that it would allow federal funds to be used for abortion.
Stupak negotiated a compromise with the White House, which resulted in President Obama's issuing of an executive order clarifying the executive branch's view of the subject. For that, Stupak was called a traitor to the pro-life cause. Stupak has represented Michigan's first congressional district for 18 years. He will make public his decision at a press conference later today.
Stupak hinted at this course in a letter to constituents on Wednesday. His district, representing parts of the state's upper peninsula, is marginal: President Obama received 50% of the vote there.
Hasta la vista pal... hope you're the first amongst many.
H/T Andrea Shea King via email.
Crossposted at Brutally Honest.
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Comments (26)
This is not a great as ever... (Below threshold)1. Posted by drjohn | April 9, 2010 9:28 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
This is not a great as everyone thinks. Stupak is now free to vote as the Obaam sock puppet he really is without pretending to give a damn about his constituency.
1. Posted by drjohn | April 9, 2010 9:28 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 09:28
2. Posted by recovered liberal democrat | April 9, 2010 9:40 AM | Score: 10 (10 votes cast)
He would have voted with San Fran Nann anyway. At one time I thought I had developed into a "conservative Democrat", been there, got the t-shirt. Don't wear that one anymore. Too many holes and frayed around the neck and sleeves. Sort of like the democratic party today.
2. Posted by recovered liberal democrat | April 9, 2010 9:40 AM |
Score: 10 (10 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 09:40
3. Posted by Cheney W. Halliburton | April 9, 2010 9:45 AM | Score: 8 (12 votes cast)
He's only free to vote far-left if he plans on retiring to someplace far away from his home district after undergoing extensive plastic (and possibly sex-change) surgery.
3. Posted by Cheney W. Halliburton | April 9, 2010 9:45 AM |
Score: 8 (12 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 09:45
4. Posted by dnb | April 9, 2010 10:04 AM | Score: 7 (7 votes cast)
Wish he was staying. Now the democrats can put up another "conservative democrat" and dupe the voters again.
4. Posted by dnb | April 9, 2010 10:04 AM |
Score: 7 (7 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 10:04
5. Posted by Clint | April 9, 2010 10:05 AM | Score: 8 (8 votes cast)
He had to know he'd never be able to run for reelection when he agreed to vote for Obamacare without getting any real concession on abortion.
This really makes me wonder what he was threatened with that made him torpedo his career rather than stand up to his party's leadership.
5. Posted by Clint | April 9, 2010 10:05 AM |
Score: 8 (8 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 10:05
6. Posted by sam | April 9, 2010 10:15 AM | Score: 9 (9 votes cast)
"Stupak is now free to vote as the Obaam sock puppet he really is without pretending to give a damn about his constituency."
So how is that different from what he has been doing?
6. Posted by sam | April 9, 2010 10:15 AM |
Score: 9 (9 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 10:15
7. Posted by bobdog | April 9, 2010 10:15 AM | Score: 8 (8 votes cast)
I'm heartbroken. I'm so distraught I don't plan to go to work tomorrow. Or Sunday either. What a tragedy for America.
Also, I found my car keys. They were in the recliner, right where I thought they would be.
7. Posted by bobdog | April 9, 2010 10:15 AM |
Score: 8 (8 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 10:15
8. Posted by JAT0 | April 9, 2010 10:27 AM | Score: 10 (10 votes cast)
Full pension and medical (still paid by us) - come on. Bad egg gone but still on the payroll for life.
And he will not have to have ObamaCare when he retires anyway.
8. Posted by JAT0 | April 9, 2010 10:27 AM |
Score: 10 (10 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 10:27
9. Posted by drjohn | April 9, 2010 10:39 AM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
So how is that different from what he has been doing?
In a sense, it's no different, but he had them fooled. Now he doesn't have to pretend.
9. Posted by drjohn | April 9, 2010 10:39 AM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 10:39
10. Posted by GarandFan | April 9, 2010 11:06 AM | Score: 8 (8 votes cast)
So what's going to be his 'new job' in the Obama Administration?
10. Posted by GarandFan | April 9, 2010 11:06 AM |
Score: 8 (8 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 11:06
11. Posted by Justrand | April 9, 2010 11:15 AM | Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
the myth of the Moderate Democrat has died...and with it the career of Bart Stupid.
Bart "wants to spend more time with his family". Of course, no one asked his family if they WANT him to spend more time with them.
11. Posted by Justrand | April 9, 2010 11:15 AM |
Score: 6 (6 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 11:15
12. Posted by Caesar Augustus | April 9, 2010 12:13 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
The real irony is that the people who've been getting duped by the Stupaks of the world won't even learn the obvious lessons. They'll get duped again and again, and will continue to vote Democrats into office, against their own interests, for decades to come.
12. Posted by Caesar Augustus | April 9, 2010 12:13 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 12:13
13. Posted by jennifer | April 9, 2010 12:19 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
I liked the reader comment on Instapundit: Michael Graham emails: "The Tea Party is the most pro-family org. ever! Everywhere they go, Dems decide to 'spend more time with family.'" It is funny that he announced his decision in the face of a visit from the Tea Party Express. Who's next? Barney Frank?
13. Posted by jennifer | April 9, 2010 12:19 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 12:19
14. Posted by 914 | April 9, 2010 12:20 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
"So what's going to be his 'new job' in the Obama Administration?"
Cleaning up the prompter before and after each knob job!
14. Posted by 914 | April 9, 2010 12:20 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 12:20
15. Posted by Eric | April 9, 2010 2:04 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
So I wonder how long it will be now before Obama rescinds the Executive Order he signed to get Stupak's vote? Will O even wait until November?
15. Posted by Eric | April 9, 2010 2:04 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 14:04
16. Posted by 914 | April 9, 2010 2:32 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
"So I wonder how long it will be now before Obama rescinds the Executive Order he signed to get Stupak's vote? Will O even wait until November?"
No
16. Posted by 914 | April 9, 2010 2:32 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 14:32
17. Posted by JLawson | April 9, 2010 2:35 PM | Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
"So I wonder how long it will be now before Obama rescinds the Executive Order he signed to get Stupak's vote?"
Why rescind it? Just 'circular file' it.
17. Posted by JLawson | April 9, 2010 2:35 PM |
Score: 4 (4 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 14:35
18. Posted by 914 | April 9, 2010 2:37 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Ha ha
18. Posted by 914 | April 9, 2010 2:37 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 14:37
19. Posted by sam | April 9, 2010 3:12 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
"So what's going to be his 'new job' in the Obama Administration?"
Bart Stupid will not have a job in the Obama admin. Stupid served his useful idiot purpose for Obama, and has no practical utility left.
After the HC bill is done, and Bart retires, what is his value to Obama? None.
It's not like Stupak Shakur is a vote magnet or a mega fund-raiser.
""So I wonder how long it will be now before Obama rescinds the Executive Order he signed to get Stupak's vote?"
There's nothing to rescind. The EO was a convolutely-worded doc basically reaffirming the weasel passed by the Senate.
19. Posted by sam | April 9, 2010 3:12 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 15:12
20. Posted by SER | April 9, 2010 3:25 PM | Score: 8 (8 votes cast)
bryanD,
"Long-short: Stupak is being eased out by his own party since his stance is not unique to his winning in PA."
Is "PA" the new abbreviation for Michigan? BTW, get on President Obama for his continued cover up of the "fake" moon landing.
20. Posted by SER | April 9, 2010 3:25 PM |
Score: 8 (8 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 15:25
21. Posted by Oyster | April 9, 2010 3:58 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Under the bus you go!
I hope he doesn't think any of the Democratic leadership really gives a damn. They got his vote. They couldn't care less what happens to him now.
21. Posted by Oyster | April 9, 2010 3:58 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 15:58
22. Posted by Jeff | April 9, 2010 4:06 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
I wonder how much he is walking away with in his re-election campaign account?
22. Posted by Jeff | April 9, 2010 4:06 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 16:06
23. Posted by Upset Old Guy | April 9, 2010 5:03 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Ok, so Bart's gone (no surprise there). Question is: do they throw him in the recycling tub, or does he go out in the solid waste stream?
23. Posted by Upset Old Guy | April 9, 2010 5:03 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 17:03
24. Posted by epador | April 9, 2010 11:04 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Don't worry, the Youpers will find another nutcase to send to Congress,eh?
24. Posted by epador | April 9, 2010 11:04 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on April 9, 2010 23:04
25. Posted by Brian Richard Allen | April 10, 2010 8:21 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Meet the abjectly amoral Bart Simpson Stupak: Soon to be awarded a life-time feral gummint sinecure that'll lead him to a Couple-Hundred Thousand Dollar his own and his spouse's lifetime feral-gummint pension.
25. Posted by Brian Richard Allen | April 10, 2010 8:21 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2010 08:21
26. Posted by Truth | April 10, 2010 10:41 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Stupak was hurrying to collect his 30 "pieces of baby" bribe money and help the DEMONcrats run another hypocrite ... besides he is now fully vested in the Congressional separate AND unequal real health care and has no need to work the rest of his life to pay for it.
26. Posted by Truth | April 10, 2010 10:41 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on April 10, 2010 10:41