Scandinavian = Wuss?
Seems that Rahm's brow beating sessions with Senate Banking Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) have paid off. While Conrad last week was adamantly opposed to including reconciliation instructions in the budget, this morning he told reporters on a call that he's pretty much expecting to get rolled when the bill goes to conference with the House. House and White House Dems want the provision in the budget -- just in case health care reform fails to make it through regular order. Budget reconciliation only requires a 51-vote threshold in the Senate, thus avoiding a filibuster.
Here's Conrad's odd explanation (what does being Scandanavian have to do with anything?) in an amusing exchange with Roll Call's Emily Pierce on the call:
Emily Pierce:
Senator, saying prefer -- you would prefer not to do reconciliation is not very strong language. It leads me to believe that you're leaving the door open to signing a conference report that has it in there.Senator Conrad:
You know, Emily, I'm Scandinavian. What can I tell you? I'm -- I don't control the outcome of the conference. You know? I'm a participant, but I don't control the outcome. And so -- you know, I've stated by strong preference is not to have reconciliation. I will argue that position strongly in conference, but I can't control the outcome. And one thing I've learned around here I'm not going to commit to outcomes that I can't control.
-
1
I don't know what the Scandinavian thing means either, but this is a good piece of news.
-
2
As a long time Prarie Home Companion listener, I think I know, but am checking with two friends of Scan descent.
-
3
Prairie Home Companion is a good start to understand this. Check with anyone who has lived in the upper midwest. Scandinavians are a humble lot.
-
4
"Scandinavians are a humble lot."
.
Take my word for it those hoopleheads aren't humble, just passive-aggressive. -
5
They CAN be passive-aggressive, but I've seen NYers be that way, too! It's the understated, humble, I don't want to stand out too much or claim to much for myself kind of thing that is quintessentially upper-midwest Scandihoovean.
-
6
That's fantastic, Jay Newton-Small.
.
What in God's name does he mean by "I'm Scandinavian"?
.
What if I were negotiating the minimum amount due on an unpaid credit card bill with Visa on the phone, and I suddenly mentioned "You know, I'm a Viking..."? -
7
sz - then Visa would tell you to call Capital One!
.
I'm of norse decent and I don't have a clue what he means except maybe he's "fishing" for support? -
8
Maybe it's just code for Lutherversalist (Lutheran->Unitarian Universalist). (His Wikipedia bio says his parents were German American, and he's now a UU.) But he also attended Exeter, same class as Judd Gregg.
-
9
Visa would tell you to call Capital One!
.
LOL Got me! -
10
I don't know much about Scandinavia but was there ever a time when they were ruled by someone else or weren't in control of their own destiny? That would seem to be the only way that reference would make sense.
-
11
Uff da! Anyone who'd eat lutefisk will swallow anything!
-
12
I think the Scandinavian refers to Minnesota nice way of behavior and talk. Easy going, don't get excited, don't raise your voice.
-
13
A lot of wussy Scandinavians in Malmo, given the current cave to radicals on the issue of Israel's tennis team.
-
14
So even thoroughly modern, intelligent-looking, young, journalist women are seduced by our ever-so-serious political press to look at any compromise (by a Democrat anyway) in testosterone-laden, “wussified” frames of reference. Say, when do you kids graduate middle-school? Neato.
-
15
One of my Scan friends said it sounded like he was trying to avoid being blamed if it went wrong. That and the passive aggressive humility!
-
16
[...] meet to hammer out the differences between the two versions – though by late yesterday a consensus was emerging on most of the main issues. And then the real fun begins: appropriations, universal [...]
- jnsmall DesireeRogers 2 testify! Er, no. WH cites sep of powers. Cause she needs 2 b able 2 speak freely on social stuf 2 prez: http://tiny.cc/uluW3 - 1 hour ago
- jnsmall @greebs the whole story was about cng reax to obama's speech! - 1 hour ago
- jnsmall @greebs also- if global warming's so urgent- why's the bill virtualy DOA in the senate? Noone thinks cap&trade'll pass b4 midterms, if @ all - 2 hours ago
Most Popular »
- "Personal Sins Should Not Require Press Releases"
- Congress's Tepid Reaction to Obama's Afghanistan Plan
- False Economy: Think You're Saving Money? Think Again
- The 'Alice' Interview: A Very Different Brand of Wonderland
- Tiger Speaks
- State Dinner, Uh, Fashion
- Gleeks and Shrieks: Fox Unveils Midseason, Glee Gone Until April
- White House Hypocritical Attack on Politico
- The Dreaded X
- First Look: 'Lovely Bones' and Peter Jackson's Virtuoso Vistas
- Can Attack Dogs Be Rehabilitated?
- Helicopter Parents: The Backlash Against Overparenting
- Italian Town Dreams of a White (No Foreigners) Christmas
- Rachel Uchitel: Tiger Woods' Alleged Affair Connection
- Europe's Secret Nuclear Weapons: What Should NATO Do?
- Why Fritz Henderson Resigned as GM's CEO
- Ireland: Lack of New Catholic Priests Spurs Campaign
- Study: Loneliness Can Be Contagious
- The End of the 2000s: Goodbye to a Decade from Hell
- Could White House Party Crashers the Salahis Go to Jail?
Quotes of the Day »
RSS