Pat Toomey, the U.S. senator from Pennsylvania who broke ranks with the GOP and joined with Democrat Joe Manchin in sponsoring a bill demanding universal background checks for gun purchases, had some interesting things to say to journalists from his home state.
In a postmortem on the gun bill, which failed to gain the requisite 60 votes needed to overcome a Senate filibuster, Toomey mused: "We're so politicized. There were some on my side who did not want to be seen helping the president do something he wanted to get done, just because the president wanted to do it."
The only surprise here is the person doing the talking. To have a Republican senator confirm that their oath of office includes opposing President Barack Obama's initiatives, even if Americans overwhelmingly agree with him — as is the case with the background checks — is noteworthy.
The Republican obstructionists aren't fooling anyone but themselves. About the time Toomey was being interviewed, the Republican National Committee was preparing a YouTube message claiming that Obama had been ineffective in the first 100 days of his second term.
It features a voice on a newscast saying, "The gun bill failed, the sequester is here to stay. ..." Cravenly, the commercial even flashes to a photo of Obama consoling one of the parents who lost a child in the Newtown massacre. No wonder Americans are so cynical about politicals.
Interestingly, Toomey's approval ratings have jumped to record levels since he sponsored the gun bill, which 85 percent of Pennsylvania residents support.
The question is, will he face a GOP primary? And could he win one?
Barbara Shelly writes for the Kansas City Star. Her email address is bshellykcstar.com.