mitch mcconnell is, incensed by the name and even more miffed that he has been called a russian asset. for once democrats seem to be getting to a man who has embraced his portrayal as darth vader and the grim reaper overseeing the senate graveyard for legislation he opposes. the kentucky democratic party is capitalizing on this dispute selling items including but not limited to this t shirt with the words. just say niet to moscow mitch. this week the majority leader publicly defended himself on a speech on the senate floor. i was called unpatriotic, unamerican and essentially treasonous. i was accused of aiding and abetting the very man i ve singled out as an adversary and opposed for nearly 20 years, vladimir putin. welcome to modern day mccarthyism. with us to talk about all of it, phillip bailey,
political writer for the louisville courier journal and anita kumar of politico. very good to have you both. philip, special thanks for you for joining us from there. i don t know much, but i know the good people of kentucky don t love russia. with that in mind, how much has this nickname in your view and in your reporting, phillip, taken hold? well, look, senator mitch mcconnell loves a political fight. he brags about how he has 600 cartoons mocking him in his senate office. when don blankenship, the failed west virginia candidate referred to some cocaine being on a shipping port, he embraced that with cocaine mitch t-shirts. so he has a pretty tough skin. but the confidants of senator mcconnell i ve spoking to, current aides, former aids, this has gotten to him a little bit here.
against the russians, it may be thanks to former florida republican congressman and current msnbc morning joe host, joe scarborough. senate majority leader mitch mcconnell is not happy to have this new nickname. not this one. mcconnell is running for his seventh term. of course he has to be re-elected in kentucky first if he wants to stay majority leader, yet he has blocked the legislation that the critics say would stop the kind of interference russia carried out in 2016, hence the moscow mitch nickname. it even got some air time in last night s democratic debate. if mitch mcconnell is the one that lets him off the hook they his friend mitch mcconnell moscow mitch let him off the hook. the new york times reports
with that in mind, how much has this nickname in your view and in your reporting taken hold. well, look, senator mitch mcconnell loves a political fight. he brags about how he has 600 cartoons mocking him in his senate office. and don blackingship referred to some cocaine being on a shipping port, he embraced that with cocaine mitch t shirts. the confidence of senator mcconnell i have spoken with tell me this has gotten to him a little bit here. that s because other than perhaps his fight against campaign finance reform and free speech what senator mcconnell holds dear to him are pro democratic views and hawkish views when it comes to the alliance. it s a key point of his philosophical standpoint.
and the four top leaders in congress, all of them are from new york or california except me. so i m not just representing kentucky, i m representing middle america. it s a different type of rural politics. so most of us here in kentucky still have mitch mcconnell as the favorite. the kentucky democratic party has noted they have raised about $135,000 off those nyet t shirts. they are seeing a lot of engagement from their party base which could be an early indicator of the importance of the race for the kentucky democrats. i think if anything mcconnell may be worried about that being the early narrative which may explain why he is going up against radio attack ads. anita, republicans just aren t going to like this. tonight i note linen grad lindsay has started up towards senator graham because of his