House Minority Whip Eric Cantor has devised a sly method for the House GOP, locked out of power, to exact some damage on the majority. Politico reports that Cantor’s staff rushes GOP members onto the House floor to knock vulnerable Democratic freshmen off balance with questions, hoping to create embarrassing moments for YouTube. “The freshmen will all take some time getting their sea legs,” says Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, the victim of a Cantor strike.
Once trapped in a barrage of questions, there’s little a freshman can do but hope for rescue by Democratic leadership, who have taken to escorting vulnerable members off the floor when they realize what’s happening. Democrats are training their freshmen for future incidents. “It’s not just getting them off the floor,” says a Democratic aide. “It’s teaching them to hammer back.”
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