Moscow Mitch is starting to sweat:
The #MoscowMitch label that sprung up this week thanks to the traditional media finally recognizing that Mitch McConnell is standing in the way of protecting our elections from the Russians has enraged the Kentucky senator and majority leader. The guy who normally relishes a political fight and turns criticisms into a big joke can't do that this time. That could be because the moniker is hitting him at home.
Kentucky political reporter Philip Bailey, who writes for the Louisville Courier Journal reports that as of Thursday night, the Kentucky Democrats have raised more than $120,00 off of #MoscowMitch T-shirts and other merchandise—in just one day. It's not national sales driving that either; people from more than 64 Kentucky counties bought the shirts. In contrast, McConnell made about $70,000 off of his joke #CocaineMitch shirts in a two-week period. On MSNBC's The 11th Hour, Bailey told Brian Williams that he's talked to McConnell aides and confidants and they "all say this has gotten to him" and that the "issue and the tag line of Moscow Mitch has gotten to Sen. McConnell in a way that previous criticisms have not."This tag line narrative, which has the benefit of truthfulness (and we know the truth hurts Moscow Mitch), needs to be repeated and amplified at every opportunity from now until election day 2020. Moscow Mitch is facing a strong candidate in Amy McGrath. It's a daunting prospect, but defeating him must be a high priority, and it looks like Kentuckians will be getting the message loud and clear:
The attention to the issue in Kentucky isn't going to go away, and will only intensify for this month that McConnell is home. In Friday's Courier Journal Joseph Gerth's opinion column is titled "Why is McConnell so upset about being called Moscow Mitch? Maybe it hits too close to home." He writes "And if you believe this isn't going to come up repeatedly at Fancy Farm this weekend, I've got some ocean-front property to sell you in Severo-Yeniseysky."The Moscow Mitch tag line needs to stick to him like stink on shit for the rest of his rotted- out life.
BONUS: Dana Milbank dives a little deeper into who's been contributing to Moscow Mitch's PAC, and other smarmy details.
