pop in. stand out. republicans who stoked tea party outrage at town halls four years ago now find themselves in the situation of having to explain governing to the anti-government crowd. here is republican congressman robert pittinger at a town hall in north carolina. real quick, easy question, this is what the tea party wants to know. will you vote to defund obama care? yes or no. [ cheers and applause ]
i want yes or no. no. no. not the thoughtful answer. i don t want the thoughtful answer. that was republican congressman robert pittinger of north carolina facing off with some constituents this week over his unwillingness to join the small but vocal republican caucus that thinks it can kill obama care by threatening to shut down the government. it is the kind of scene that is playing out at lots of republican town halls this week. and when the member of congress in question is allowed to give the thoughtful answer, this interparty conservative between members and constituents plays out in a really interesting way. just watch what happens when republican congressman tom cole of oklahoma and aaron schock of illinois have to explain to fairly unhappy conservatives in their home districts why they re not about to shut down the government over obama care. you need to represent us and we re tired of having this come down on us again an again. first of all, do you want to
fantasy. a commentary talked about marco rubio s folly. it is a folly built on a fantasy. a fantasy that doing this is going to get the approval of the senate and barack obama. it s never going to happen. so you re going to shut down the government for no reason. yesterday mitt romney weighed in. the former presidential candidate told a group of donors at the new hampshire fund-raiser that the plan led by conservative senators cruz, rubio and lee, would hurt military families, senior citizens and national security, but that doesn t make it any easier for some republican lawmakers like north carolina congressman robert pittinger who are facing angry voters back home. this is what the tea party wants to know, will you vote with mike lee to and meadows here, to defund obama care? yes or no?
reform became law, tea party republicans clashing with democrats at rowdy town hall meetings. his days, it s republican lawmakers starting to get an earful from conservative activists calling for a government shutdown to stop obama care. when you make a stand, get back on board. shut down the government. do you think harry reid is going do pass that? the senate? it s the tea party battle cry of 2013 defund obama care even if it means shutting down the government. at this town hall meeting, freshman republican congressman, robert pittinger was pressed on whether he would join the conservative movement s latest cause. yes or no? i want the thoughtful answer. i want yes or no. no. a response he defend dodd cnn. the reality is, that if we go and we say we re willing to take a government shutdown unless we
the pressure is building on syrian president bashar al assad who is no doubt watching his back this evening after an attack struck the heart of his regime. a regime that s been in power for over 40 years and has launched a brutal crackdown on rebels over the last 16 months, killing more than 16,000 people, according to one opposition group. whether today s bloodshed is the result of a rebel attack or an inside job, one thing is clear assad s security perimeter has been breached. state tv reports those assassinated at a high-level meeting in damascus include the defense minister, the deputy defense minister who s also al assad s brother-in-law, and his security adviser. rebels danced in the street following the explosion. the opposition forces have come a long way since the uprising began. that has deputy defense secretary leon panetta worried the situation is quickly deteriorating. the violence there has only gotten worse and the loss of lives has only increased. which te