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Could Republican Soldier Who Wanted to Put NYT Editors ‘Behind Bars’ Unseat Arkansas’ Senior Democratic Senator?

Feb. 1, 2013 8:10am Mytheos Holt

Can a freshman congressman instantly become a favorite to snatch a U.S. Senate seat after barely a month in the House of Representatives? According to some political experts, the answer could be yes when it comes to Tom Cotton of Arkansas.

The 2012 election was, in many ways, depressing for conservatives. However, one oft-overlooked fact about that election is that aside from sweeping Barack Obama back into power, it also swept an encouraging number of conservative rising stars into power for the first time. Cotton, who managed to turn Arkansas’ House delegation into a solid Republican sweep, is probably the best kept secret of 2012′s new Republican blood, though his status as the dark horse to end all dark horses can’t be expected to last for long, given the amount of publicity Cotton has been getting. In fact, despite barely being in office for a month, Cotton may have already achieved frontrunner status in the 2014 race to succeed Arkansas’s senior senator.

Republican Rep. Tom Cotton Could Be First in Line to Unseat Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas

Credit: AP

For those who are familiar with his record, it shouldn’t be surprising that Cotton’s been getting so much attention, nor that his rise should be meteoric. His background contains elements that would appeal both to hip, urban liberals and to traditional, rural conservatives, and indeed, to everyone in between. A graduate of Harvard Law School who paid off his student loans in one year with a job at the prestigious law firm Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher, as well as a former consultant at McKinsey, Cotton’s educational and civilian background radiates Ivy League privilege.

However, between his Gibson Dunn job and his post at McKinsey, Cotton also held a post that endeared him fiercely to conservatives: that of a platoon leader in the famous 101st Airborne unit. What’s more, while he still held his military post, Cotton endeared himself to conservatives who are suspicious of the media by writing a brutal open letter castigating several journalists at the New York Times for publishing information about a secret government program. Here is the letter in full:

Dear Messrs. Keller, Lichtblau & Risen:

Congratulations on disclosing our government’s highly classified anti-terrorist-financing program (June 23). I apologize for not writing sooner. But I am a lieutenant in the United States Army and I spent the last four days patrolling one of the more dangerous areas in Iraq. (Alas, operational security and common sense prevent me from even revealing this unclassified location in a private medium like email.)

Unfortunately, as I supervised my soldiers late one night, I heard a booming explosion several miles away. I learned a few hours later that a powerful roadside bomb killed one soldier and severely injured another from my 130-man company. I deeply hope that we can find and kill or capture the terrorists responsible for that bomb. But, of course, these terrorists do not spring from the soil like Plato’s guardians. No, they require financing to obtain mortars and artillery shells, priming explosives, wiring and circuitry, not to mention for training and payments to locals willing to emplace bombs in exchange for a few months’ salary. As your story states, the program was legal, briefed to Congress, supported in the government and financial industry, and very successful.

Not anymore. You may think you have done a public service, but you have gravely endangered the lives of my soldiers and all other soldiers and innocent Iraqis here. Next time I hear that familiar explosion — or next time I feel it — I will wonder whether we could have stopped that bomb had you not instructed terrorists how to evade our financial surveillance.

And, by the way, having graduated from Harvard Law and practiced with a federal appellate judge and two Washington law firms before becoming an infantry officer, I am well-versed in the espionage laws relevant to this story and others — laws you have plainly violated. I hope that my colleagues at the Department of Justice match the courage of my soldiers here and prosecute you and your newspaper to the fullest extent of the law. By the time we return home, maybe you will be in your rightful place: not at the Pulitzer announcements, but behind bars.

Very truly yours,

Tom Cotton
Baghdad, Iraq

The letter caused a stir among conservatives and, more impressively, among liberals, who predictably reacted with horror when Cotton first announced his run for Congress. They must have felt even worse when he decisively beat the competition.

And things look set to get much, much worse for Cotton’s detractors, if his present trajectory continues. Cotton has been on a whirlwind tour of national media, and doing everything from giving advice on future GOP strategy to the National Journal to talking up Arkansas-specific issues on local TV stations.

Perhaps more worrying for liberals, though, is the fact that many conservatives view Cotton as a legitimate challenger when the long-time Democrat from Arkansas, Sen. Mark Pryor, comes up for reelection in 2014. And Cotton himself has been unusually bold in announcing his willingness to consider the prospect.

Cotton would have vulnerabilities, however. His short tenure in office would almost certainly be one, and the controversial nature of some of his votes/statements has already led some observers to label him as an extremist. Moreover, Cotton has at least one quote that could dog him with Republicans – namely, his explicitly expressed wish that Hillary Clinton had been nominated by the Democrats in 2008, instead of Barack Obama, possibly implying that he wishes she’d been President:

Pryor also has one serious trump card up his sleeve, in the form of the support of former President Bill Clinton, who has announced that he will be headlining fundraisers for Pryor, probably due to the latter’s perceived vulnerability. It certainly would be consistent with Clinton’s past record, as this is the second time during President Obama’s term that Clinton has fundraised for a vulnerable Arkansas Democrat, the last time being for Senator Blanche Lincoln, who went on to lose.

Still, these factors could be a wash, so we reached out to Kyle Kondik of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, who also works with longtime election predictions specialist Larry Sabato of Sabato’s Crystal Ball, to see if Cotton could stand a chance against a veteran Senator with barely a month in office under his belt.

“Tom Cotton was being talked up as a potential statewide — or even presidential — candidate during the 2012 election cycle, even before he even won his House seat,” Kondik wrote via email. “The retirement of Rep. Mike Ross gave Cotton a path to the House, and he dispatched primary opponent Beth Anne Rankin — who had the endorsement of Mike Huckabee — and general election opponent Gene Jeffress with relative ease.”

But this didn’t mean Cotton was a lock for victory. Kondik continued, “Pryor is going to be hard to beat, but Cotton seems more well-regarded by national Republicans than the other top possibility, Lt. Gov. Mark Darr. Arkansas’ rightward-leaning trajectory also cannot be ignored; the House delegation is now all Republican and the GOP captured the state House and Senate in 2012. If Cotton ran he would have little trouble raising money, although it might strike some as presumptuous for a freshman congressman to turn around and immediately run for the Senate — such sentiments probably hurt ex-Rep. Rick Berg (R-ND) in his ill-fated Senate run last year.”

But despite Cotton’s quite short time in office, Kondik didn’t rule him out completely, which should worry Pryor’s backers. ”

Is Cotton for real?” Kondik wrote. “Who knows, but there’s one way to find out — a tough Senate race against a statewide institution.”

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

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Comments (64)

watashbuddyfriend
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 3:16pm
After Four, maybe Eight, Must Vacate!

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singray
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 2:05pm
I don’t post often, but I do read. And the one thing I can’t figure out is why you try to explain to these Liberal Trolls. The can’t reason, or more accuratly they reason on a 6 yr. oldlevel. Trying to convince them of something is like trying to convince a 6 yr. old there is no Santa Claus. How could there not be, as the gifts there in the morning proves there is.

These are the ones claiming only their 2nd amendment right, not yours. They are the ones that claim the Bush tax cuts caused all this, yet want to keep their share as in the 98%.

You see, a 6 yr. old will shout you down when they don’t want to hear it. Will lie to the gills to prove their innocence, and will blame others for their failings. And when all this fails, they will just take their ball and go home. And you want to reason with them.

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crispycritter
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 8:08am
Well here’s an Arkansan who very much would love to vote AGAIN for this man Tom Cotton to oust Pryor. Pryor has got to go and all Arkansas knows it. Stand back and watch. Hey Tom Cotton. If you read this please by all means RUN. Make our Day.Blanche was voted out because of her votes on the health care law. Pryor took the same votes as she did. We remember. We do not forget. We are not liberals. We are the tenth most Conservative state in this union. YiHaaaaaa

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Keatonc333
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 2:49am
So this guy wanted to put NYT editors in jail for exercising their freedom of the press. and yet you support him.. doesn’t that seem just a tad but hypocritical?

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- IAMTHEWRECKER
  Posted on February 2, 2013 at 9:23am
  Moron, He is not taking there right to free speech. He is stating that treason is not free speech, despickable jackshit!
  
  Report this comment
- IAMTHEWRECKER
  Posted on February 2, 2013 at 9:31am
  Moron, He is not taking there right to free speech. He is stating that treason is not free speech, despicable jackshit!
  
  Report this comment
tyuchic
Posted on February 2, 2013 at 12:31am
mark pryor inherited his dad’s political machine which has been a force in arkansas for the last 50 years, so let’s hope cotton can get this clown out and we finally get someone that actually will stand behind his principles, not just sway with whatever way the political wind happens to blow, for the sake of being in office. everything i’ve heard about cotton so far has been impressive, so i just hope he has the intestinal fortitude to withstand the corrupting influence of washington.

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Libertyluvnmomma
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 4:43pm
Oh come on..who didn’t wish Hillary had been nominated?
only liberals deeply imply so they can have their feeling s hurt and lash out in fear.

I hope he condemns this eternal “peacekeeping” effort in the Middle East, both Left and Right love the war machine. keeps workers making bullets,planes, gear,gear and more gear, (+generic body armor at senate approved wholesale prices), food/food service and cheaper than dirt medical care..it’s ” American capitalism”!…… bet he loves it.

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LawyersRock
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 2:43pm
Re: Putting the Times editors behind bars: Yes, great idea, Mr. Cotton. Then we can depend on “unbiased” sites like The Blaze and Fox for all our news. So much for the Fourth Estate.

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- Lawyersuk
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 4:07pm
  Did you not hear ? ………..Years ago there was an “estate” sale and the 4th estate was sold to the democrat party.
  
  Report this comment
- jscottkemp
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 4:12pm
  The 4th estate is not above the law. (Neither are the first three, for that matter.)
  
  If they committed a crime, then behind bars is precisely where they belong.
  
  No one is above the law.
  
  Report this comment
Nepenthe
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 1:07pm
Sounds like someone I would have voted for. However, if he honestly believes that governmet officials who violate the constitution and break federal and international law should not be exposed, I simply cannot offer my vote.

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- MisterSarcastic
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 1:30pm
  Where the heII did that come from. He was talking about Journalists who aided and abetted our enemy and put military personnel at risk. Sounds like you’re OK with that?
  
  Report this comment
The Third Archon
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:48am
“The 2012 election was, in many ways, depressing for conservatives. However, one oft-overlooked fact about that election is that aside from sweeping Barack Obama back into power, it also swept an encouraging number of conservative rising stars into power for the first time.”
Neglecting to mention the fact that Republicans lost ground in BOTH houses, DESPITE having the power to gerrymander from the 2010 midterms coinciding with the regular redistricting. So yes, even with AMERICA’S highly distorted unrepresentative electoral institutions, conservatives are STILL up against the ropes. Oh the times they are a’ changin’. XD

“However, between his Gibson Dunn job and his post at McKinsey, Cotton also held a post that endeared him fiercely to conservatives”
…was that ******** about privilege supposed to endear him to the Left? So far, I’m no seeing the ‘broad appeal’ of this little goose-stepper.

“some of his votes/statements has already led some observers to label him as an extremist.”
WHAT?! NO–where EVER did you get an idea like THAT. I mean, it’s perfectly NORMAL to **** all over the first amendment by suggesting we should jail members of the press for publishing information that might make the sitting administration uncomfortable and, GASP, lead to oversight–yeah, forget the press DOING THEIR JOB. What a disgusting little fascist.

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- AvengerK
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 12:56pm
  LOL….yeah ARCHIE..because nothing says “Not extremist” like a self described “ANARCHIST” (your emphasis) like you right?
  
  You lefty lick-spittle..you don’t even realise how banal you are.
  
  Report this comment
- RANGER1965
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 1:22pm
  Oh….did you not get the memo Third Archon?
  
  While trading jabs with all those right wingers, Christians, Bankers, Veterans, and just plain ole’ Gun Lovin’ God Fearing folks who bitterly cling to their values,
  
  The left was taken over by the hyper-wealthy who are using socialism, not to provide some fair future utopia for mankind, but to enslave what propagandists and Stalin called “useful idiots” You might have noticed OWS and dear old Black Bloc being shut down with nary a whimper when they became an embarrassment to the left.
  
  You have often characterized the right as being oppressive war mongers. And considering some of the RINOS in the GOP you would be correct…
  
  But let me clue you in. The Reagan Conservatives, The Tea Party Conservatives, The Libertarians, The Constitutionalists, these people that you constantly chastize and attack. These are really your people.
  
  They are the ones that want smaller government, more personal freedom, more personal choice, and many believe it strongly enough that they will fight and die for it. The left will never give you that. They will promise you heaven on earth while they chain your A** to the rowing bench. And when you complain, they won’t be worried about due process, or constitutional rights.
  
  Because in their minds there is no honor in man. There are no natural God given rights. Your just a bag of evolutionary meat. Welcome to the hell you defend.
  
  Report this comment
- Kregneva
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 1:25pm
  yawn..another turgid “lefty lick-spittle” repetition by AVENGERK/KREGNEVA. You remind me of Crocodile Dundee with your foreign sounding knee jerk bleating …but just like Rain Man, he was a script written for a movie role and does not exist any more than Batman in The Dark Knight Rises does, who I also see you quote a lot. Dingo Cur. (Soon, my precious, we need to leave the Blaze, we does, – so Hurry it ON, my precious.)
  
  Report this comment
- AvengerK
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 2:06pm
  I understand that metamucil will help when you have more of your “teenagers” to “drop off” MONICNE/SLEAZY HIPPO/KREGNEVA/ENCINOM/MOST INTERESTING TROLL/YOURSENSEI. Oh and light a match when you’re done..there’s a good troll.
  
  I’m pleased that “turgid” and likening you to the character in Rain Man found it’s mark on you, I knew it would. You have easy to read patterns and they’re even easier to manipulate MONICNE because you’re ruled by your compulsions. This is something I’ve warned you in the past to curb but your spite and hatred for me prevents you from listening. You hate it when I call you a cur so you repeat it on me often. And today your liberal elitist sensibilities can’t handle being likenend to an intellectually handicapped film character so you attempt to throw it back at me like a churlish, scolded child…your laughably feeble version of “I’m rubber, you’re glue”.
  You really have no idea how much I’m enjoying watching you unravel on these boards MONICNE. TO watch an elitist cur like you expend so much time and effort trying to unsettle me is quite entertaining.
  Hey…get out that word file you’ve put together for me about the “Lakemba Mosque” and how it’s “viral” now..(oooooohhh scary) and post it a few hundred more times. Or perhaps that “Virgin Birth” one you keep linking to. You know..the one no one cares about except you and your other screennames? How perfectly sane of you to keep repeating all that stuff for
  
  Report this comment
Tom70
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:46am
I certainly hope so we need patriots not Obama, Reid, Pelosi, sycophants

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- Keatonc333
  Posted on February 2, 2013 at 2:50am
  a patriot who would jail someone for expressing their freedom of the press?
  
  Report this comment
budahbabe
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:29am
Lets start contributing now to Mr Cottons campaign.

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- turkey13
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:50am
  When the Clinton’s get involved in politics in Arkansas most voters rember Bill’s embarrassement to the state. There was Jennifer Gate, White Water Gate, Vince Gate, Travel Gate, Monica Gate and M_aster B_ate Gate. Of course there was all those Gates the Democratic Party swept under the rug.
  
  Report this comment
sapper
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:16am
@ the moron who wrote the article……senators are also congressmen. Congress is both houses you idiot.
By the way, the senate was designed by our founders as the least important house of Congress so I’ve never understood why they are treated as more important or more prestigious. I view my reps in the House much higher than the senate.

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- tyuchic
  Posted on February 2, 2013 at 12:12am
  no argument, just a comment… you are correct, but call a senator a congressman, and watch him bristle. relative power, ie, 1/435, vs 1/100, vs 1/9, vs 1/1, tends to coincide with their feelings of self-importance. they all seem to be cheerfully giving up that power to the executive branch, tho’.
  
  Report this comment
perry1980
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:08am
Heck Yeah

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DZ-015
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:06am
I could see joining the Cotton club if it would make Mr. Pryor the prior Arkansas senator.

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banjarmon
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 10:52am
Mr Cotton Stay strong and true to your believes! But there are others that need to be removed from office first starting at the TOP!! Than you for your Service!

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- SLOWBIDEN
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:04am
  The new NAACP slogan will be ” blacks don’t pick Cotton!!!”.
  
  Report this comment
- Anonymous T. Irrelevant
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:21am
  My only problem with him is that he is another lawyer. We have too many dam# lawyers in Congress to begin with and they don’t think like common sense people.
  
  Report this comment
- Fubared
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:33am
  Anon
  With the caveat he has served though. But yeh, you are correct on the frickin lawyers/land sharks entrenched in office. Too many of them and too many tax peeps. Shouldn’t need that many of either.
  
  Report this comment
- The Third Archon
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:58am
  “My only problem with him is that he is another lawyer. We have too many dam# lawyers in Congress to begin with and they don’t think like common sense people.”
  Then don’t vote for lawyers. Realistically though, it’s hardly surprising that most of the Congress is lawyers since they are making LAWS. Though they really don’t need to be, since the institution has a lot of staff (also many lawyers, or at the least individuals with some knowledge of the legal profession) that helps with legislative drafting. However, if they actually want to be PERSONALLY involved in drafting legislation (instead of delegating all or most of said drafting), then they pretty much HAVE to at least have SOME expertise in the law and jurisprudence, even if they aren’t formally trained as attorneys.
  
  Report this comment
- justangry
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 12:51pm
  @Anonymous T. Irrelevant, And a HARVARD lawyer to boot.
  
  Report this comment
VApatriot2
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 10:44am
Oh those “Cotton” fields back home! Go, Sir and godspeed!

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noslave
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 10:27am
we need to restock the RINOS in govt with those the have balls to go against the liberals who castrate the republicans,who act like nice guys,useing political correctness keeping them at bey?? when liberal comedians,politicians,etc. slap you in the face so to speak,you dont have to TURN THE OTHER CHEEK,EVERYTIME TO BE THE NICE GUYS,WHEN THE LIBS WILL NEVER GIVE YOU THE SAME COURTESEY??YOU NOT ONLY TURNED THE CHEEK YOU NOW BEND OVER?? FIGHT BACK.

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- charliesouth
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:14am
  And thus, the conundrum with the Christian right. Those who don’t turn the other cheek…well, stop using your religion as a basis for any type of issue you take a stance on.
  
  Report this comment
Whatmeworry-never
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:54am
We need to begin to hold the media accountable for the truth of their stories, statements but without supressing the freedom of speach. We can no longer allow them to print, televise information that is false or endangering to the public, such as names and addresses of weapon permit holders. Further more we need to push townships, states to no longer register weapons as that will one day lead to confiscation. Now is the time to push them back. We need to stand firmin locked arms against this abomination that has become our government run by Obamunists.

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- encinom
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 10:47am
  Wow, gun nuts are running scared, like cockaroaches running from the light. A public list is public. Its time to expose the cowards that need to hide behind a gun. Its time to disarm the paranoid fringe of America, the ones that justify killing government officials if they come to enforce the law by quoting the founders.
  
  Report this comment
- spfoam1
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:41am
  @encinom….Speaking of cockroaches, I thought I crushed you by the convenience store dumpster when I threw my coffee cup away. It must have been your daddy.
  
  Report this comment
- Flag-Man
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 12:31pm
  encinom; what we really need is to publish a list of those
  that don’t have guns.
  Semper Fi
  
  Report this comment
- AvengerK
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 1:02pm
  yawn..another turgid “gun nuts” repetition by MONICNE/ENCINOM. You remind me of Rain Man MONICNE/ENCINOM/SLEAZY HIPPO/KREGNEVA/MOST INTERESTING TROLL/YOURSENSEI..but without the idiot savant brilliance.
  
  Report this comment
- Sleazy Hippo
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 1:05pm
  I am Spartacus. And I vote.
  
  Report this comment
- dblaess
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 5:27pm
  @encinom
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 10:47am
  Wow, gun nuts are running scared, like cockaroaches running from the light. A public list is public. Its time to expose the cowards that need to hide behind a gun. Its time to disarm the paranoid fringe of America, the ones that justify killing government officials if they come to enforce the law by quoting the founders.
  ———————————————————————-
  They are running to gun stores to buy more thanks to the best gun salesman ever, Obama. The ones running from the light are the left wing fringe. Do you get paid by the post or by the word? Why will you not use your real name?
  
  Report this comment
- dblaess
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 5:32pm
  @encinom
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 10:47am
  Wow, gun nuts are running scared, like cockaroaches running from the light. A public list is public. Its time to expose the cowards that need to hide behind a gun. Its time to disarm the paranoid fringe of America, the ones that justify killing government officials if they come to enforce the law by quoting the founders.
  ———————————————-
  Do you get paid by the post or word? How do I get a job like yours?
  
  Report this comment
barber2
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:51am
The New York Times should have been prosecuted years ago. They are nothing more than an outlet for the Far Left international agenda. They leak national security information detrimental to America and then hide behind ” freedom of the press.” They are nothing more than a biased mouthpiece for the Obama White House . Like NPR, their specialty coverage is the best, but their political bias is the worst .

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- encinom
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 10:49am
  Ring wing whinners complaining about the NYT and other news outlets printing the truth, unlike the Blaze or Fox who only publish right wing talking points.
  
  Report this comment
- AvengerK
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 1:03pm
  More accurately..unlike MONICNE/ENCINOM/SLEAZY HIPPO/YOURSENSEI who only regurgitates Media Matters talking points.
  
  Report this comment
- carbonyes
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 1:48pm
  Encinom/Monicne
  The New York Times, the Washington Post, MSNBC, CNN – they’re all in the tank for Obama and the rest of the progressives and Marxist-Socialists that Obummer surrounds himself with. They are not journalists but bias opinionaters that regularly attempt to sell the ultra liberal Progressive agenda. At some point a concerted attempt needs to be made to take over at least one of the media outlets and let the truth be known. A challenge? Yes! Possible? Absolutely!
  Encinom, stick around. If you here the truth often enough, there may even be hope for you.
  
  Report this comment
- dblaess
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 5:37pm
  @encinom
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 10:49am
  Ring wing whinners complaining about the NYT and other news outlets printing the truth, unlike the Blaze or Fox who only publish right wing talking points.
  ——————————————————————–
  The NYT publishes left wing talking points, just like you. Do you get paid by the post or word? Can I get a job as a paid troll like you? I could use a job.
  
  Report this comment
VetMike
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:07am
I certainly understand Mr Cotton’s ambition. Senators get more media exposure and it would set him up for a Presidential run. However, the House holds the purse strings so he may actually have more influence there.
Having said that, I still don’t trust lawyers.

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BobW
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:02am
Stay the course Rep. Cotton! Also, I salute you for your service to this Great Country!

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- encinom
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 10:51am
  So Cotton is a traitor to the Constitution that would violated the 1st Amendment without thinking about it.
  
  Report this comment
- usedCZARsalesman
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 11:17am
  How would he be violating the 1st, ENCINOM? By holding people accountable for the lives they put in danger? Why is it that the 1st amendment doesn’t apply to yelling “fire” in a theater? Because your right to free speech does NOT extend to speech that knowingly causes harm to others. If you think yelling “fire” in a theater will cause harm to the people in that theater, how much MORE harm does revealing classified docs to the enemy cause to our troops in THAT theater.
  
  ENCINOM, I know you are a leftist shill…it’s your right to be that. However, there is NO WAY you can honestly defend the NYT releasing these docs. This should be something that even you can understand and agree with.
  
  Report this comment
- The Third Archon
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 12:05pm
  @USED
  How exactly does disclosing that the federal government scrutinizes the records of international financial transactions (including, and perhaps ESPECIALLY, those of American CITIZENS) WITHOUT the knowledge OR consent of the transactees in an, ostensible, attempt to locate “terrorists” put any soldier’s life at risk, or compromise any sensitive details of an ongoing military operation?
  
  http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/23/washington/23intel.html?pagewanted=all
  
  Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.
  –Benjamin Franklin
  
  Report this comment
- AvengerK
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 1:05pm
  LOL…that’s hysterical ARCHIE…you’re a self described “ANARCHIST” (your emphasis) and you’re talking about preserving the law? You drooling idiot.
  
  Report this comment
- usedCZARsalesman
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 2:04pm
  Ahhh, THE TURD ARCHON, thanks for joining…The financial info being monitored was exclusively that of transfers to OUTSIDE the US by people already suspected of Al Qaeda ties, and the article helped our enemies find out which international banking “circles” they need to stay away from…we had multiple leads being followed of cells that were actively using those banks AND WE KNOW FOR A FACT that they pulled their funds out after this article and we lost all trace of many of them…still want to argue FOR the NYT? Would it not have been enough to tell America that the government was monitoring international transfers and leave it at that? Did they have to give specific details that allowed the enemy to get out while they could?
  
  Report this comment
- dblaess
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 5:41pm
  @encinom
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 10:51am
  So Cotton is a traitor to the Constitution that would violated the 1st Amendment without thinking about it.
  ————————————————
  Like Obama the first, second, or whatever. The Constitution to Obama, like you means nothing. Do you get paid by the post or the word? I would like a job as a troll like you.
  
  Report this comment
- encinom
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 7:53pm
  dblaess
  Like Obama the first, second, or whatever. The Constitution to Obama, like you means nothing. Do you get paid by the post or the word? I would like a job as a troll like you.
  _____________________
  No from the Blaze reporting its clear that Cotton has either no understanding or no respect for 1st Amendment and a free press. He sounds like a dangerous progressive in RINO’s clothing.
  
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- IAMMADDOG
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 9:06am
  Wow encinom…..re read your own post there and bask in the hypocrisy. At least you now admit that progressives are dangerous.
  
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samurai2112
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:59am
Hope Mr. Cotton and the rest of our young guard, Ted Cruz, Rubio, Ryan continue to have the balls to stand up to the progressives in both parties. We need to stand firm and support more like minded individuals if we have any hopes of pulling power away from DC. TheFonz, I knew about Tom Cotton from listening to Hugh Hewitt for one. He had him on several times throughout the election cycle and had a web site dedicated to similar candidates with the ability to donate to one or all of them.

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- SocialistSlayer
  Posted on February 1, 2013 at 9:10am
  Rubio is a phony !
  
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Landon410
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:57am
the libs will put all their efforts into trying to destroy this guy…..

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whatsallthisthen
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:46am
Mr. Holt states (O) was swept back into power. Does this mean merely winning with less than 51%? Hopefully the voters of AR will back a true conservative whether or not the repugnant party helps with funding. Also remember this is the same NYT crying foul to Chi-Com hackers. NYT doesn’t want our enemies stealing information before THEY get it in print!

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TheFonz
Posted on February 1, 2013 at 8:46am
I’ve never heard of Mr. Cotton until now, but he sure seems like the kind of guy I could support. If he decides to run for the Senate, may the Lord bless him and give him the strength to endure what will no doubt be yet another dirty campaign by the liberals. I hope he continues to serve the people of Arkansas and the United States well.

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