Author: Heidi Noonan

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on “Fox News Sunday” that while he supports Florida Governor Charlie Crist today, he will not continue to support him if he decides to leave the party.  Crist, who is trailing Republican Marco Rubio for Florida’s U.S. Senate seat, has indicated he may skip the GOP primary and run as an independent.  Crist only has until Friday to decide what letter is going to fall behind his name, but that hasn’t stopped Republican heavy hitters from weighing in early.

The Kentucky Republican, who endorsed Crist a year ago, suggested he should, “compete as a Republican. He has been a Republican all of his life and to remain within the party.  I hope he will do that.”  So will he take back his endorsement?  McConnell said, “Not today…I think if the governor were to decide to run as an Independent, he’s not going to have any Republican support.”

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, who endorsed Rubio, said in a statement earlier this week, “Lately it seems Charlie Crist cannot be trusted even to remain a Republican…I strongly urge him to either stay in the Republican Party or drop out of the race. The only winners from an independent bid would be Barack Obama and Harry Reid.”  McConnell seems to agree saying, “I would be troubled if the governor decided to run as an Independent.  I think that would be a serious problem.  And he would certainly not have my support and not have the support of any other Republicans that I know.”

Click here to view the full exchange:

Department of Transportation Secretary Ray Lahood defended his decision to back President Obama’s health care bill on Sunday saying, “I was in the house for 14 years and it’s not a matter of flipping, it’s a matter of voting for a good bill.  The health care bill is a good bill and it really provides health care for people who don’t have it.”

He also made the argument in an op-ed piece that ran in the Chicago Tribune, saying that although he’s been a Republican all his life and still considers himself to be fiscally conservative, he would support the bill.  “If I were still a member of Congress, I would proudly vote for the bill that President Barack Obama is championing and I would urge my colleagues to do the same, not because I don’t believe in fiscal discipline, but because I do.”

Lahood told Fox News it’s an important bill that will provide “affordable health care for people who have jobs, but don’t have access to health care or perhaps work in jobs where they can’t afford it.  As Americans we should be looking out for people so they have access to the very best health care in our country.”

In his op-ed, he pitched bipartisanship to Republicans saying, “During my time in Congress, I was known for reaching across the aisle. I did it not for the sake of bipartisanship alone, but in order to get important things done.  Now, my former colleagues have the opportunity to change the lives of their friends and neighbors for the better by voting for health care reform.”

Lahood predicted the health care vote would advance through congress, “I think it should be passed and I think it will be passed.  All of us are working very hard to find the votes and I think by a week from today, we’ll have a bill that’s passed.”

President Obama and lawmakers in Washington D.C. had largely positive things to say about the election in Iraq this past weekend.  Senators Evan Bayh, Mitch McConnell, and Lindsey Graham stopped by stake out cameras after Sunday show appearances to share their thoughts about the milestone election and troop withdrawal. 

The president spoke about how the elections show stability for Iraqis and the timetable for withdrawing American troops from the region saying, “We will continue with the responsible removal of United States forces from Iraq…By the end of August the combat mission will end…And by the end of next year, all U.S. forces will be out of Iraq.”

Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) agreed with the president that a successful election will only help in removing U.S. troops from the area, “Ultimately in both Iraq and Afghanistan, it’s up to them.  There has to be a functioning government, based on the consensus of the Iraqi people, if they are going to have a stable country, that will allow us to leave.”

When asked if Iraq is moving closer to being a democratic country, Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, took a small swipe at the Obama administration saying, “As the vice president, an earlier supporter of the Iraq war indicated, it could well be one of the big accomplishments of this current administration.”  McConnell was referring to Vice President Biden’s comments made on February 10^th on CNN’s Larry King Live.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham commended on the Americans and Iraqi’s who made it possible, “The Iraq elections are a result of a lot of blood and sacrifice on part of the American people and Iraqi people.  The fact that we’re having this election today is a great testament to the Iraqi people who have paid a heavy price to fight the insurgency to reject Al Qaeda.” 

Graham said looking back and looking ahead, “To the men and women who have served in Iraq, this is a testament to your service.  To the Iraqi people, well done.  Keep trying, democracy is hard, but there is a better way for your children if you continue the course that you’re on.  It will be a moderating force in the Mideast at a time when we desperately need it.”