My Congressman, Jim Cooper is the bluedog who was one of eleven Democrats to vote with the Republicans on the Stimulus package. Oddly enough, Jim Cooper is the one who persuaded Obama to hold the Fiscal Responsibility Summit, and Cooper is one who was NOT INVITED to said summit.
Obviously, Cooper was not needed because the Republican viewpoint was adequately represented by the Republicans.
Jane Hamsher has the details:
Here's a weird one. Obama agreed to host a "fiscal responsibility summit" because Jim Cooper was pushing for one in December, and it was a way to get Blue Dog support for the stimulus bill.
But when the list of invitees to the summit was released today, no Jim Cooper.
What happened in the meantime? Well, Cooper threatened House leadership in the WSJ by saying the Blue Dogs could join with either Republicans or Democrats to pass the legislation they wanted. Then he took a swing at Nancy Pelosi and said he was encouraged to do by the White House. He voted against the stimulus the first time around, and Pelosi's group Americans United For Change started running ads against him for doing so in his district.Politics Tennessee Democrats Bluedog News Nashville Jim Cooper Stimulus
