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How The West Has Won: A Senator's Rise

By: Manuel Quinones, Wyoming Public Radio


November 19, 2010



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He’s only been in the U-S Senate since 2007 but Republican John Barrasso is quickly rising in visibility and within party ranks. As Manuel Quinones reports from Capitol Hill, experts say his rising political tide could lift Wyoming’s boat as well.
 

Senator Barrasso is all over the airwaves.


FOX NEWS ANCHOR – “Republican Senator John Barrasso who is also a doctor, ways President Obama is actually making life harder for rural America.”

CNBC ANCHOR - “For the view from the hill we come to Senator John Barrasso, Republican from Wyoming.”

CSPAN ANCHOR – “This week’s guest on CSPAN’s Newsmakers program is Wyoming Senator John Barrasso.”

MSNBC ANCHOR – “He’s an orthopedic surgeon, he knows the trade, he’s been a strong opponent of this legislation.”

Barrasso’s web site lists dozens of media appearances this year alone. It’s not just his visibility on the rise but also his power. He’s now a member of the Senate GOP leadership. Party colleagues elected him to serve as Vice Chairman of the Republican Conference. That means he takes part in the closed door sessions where the legislative agenda takes shape.

BARRASSO - “I’m John Barrasso, United States Senator for Wyoming.”

Right before the midterm elections – he delivered the Republican response to President Obama’s weekly address. It wasn’t his first time. And he’s helped lead the effort to call the President’s policies bad for the West – even helping author a pamphlet called “The War on Western Jobs.”

BARRASSO - “If you are tired of Washington’s broken promises, you now have a choice. More of the same or a new direction. Thank you for listening.”

Barrasso says more people listening to him around the country and on Capitol Hill is a plus for Wyoming.

BARRASSO - “Well anything I can do to help work for the people of Wyoming, I want to do that. I am going to be able to continue to be at the table pushing Wyoming ideas.”

University of Wyoming Political Science professor Jim King says Barrasso has a point.

KING - “Given that he is a relatively junior member of the Republican conference, the fact that Senator Barrasso has been able to get into the leadership positions him well to do things for the state.”

King says both Barrasso and Senator Mike Enzi – the top Republican on the Senate Health Committee – are in a position to deliver. Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis agrees.

LUMMIS - “Both are strong leaders in the Senate, great voices for Wyoming.”

Professor James Thurber directs the Center for Cong ressional and Presidential Studies at American University.

THURBER - “Leaders are in the meeting negotiating what they want as a party. And sometimes they have leverage to get more things for their particular state like Wyoming.”

Thurber says there can be a downside to leadership too.

THURBER - “Other times they have to lean over backwards and, in order to get something done, they have to give in on what they want, in order to get other people to come in the coalition, in order to move a particular position for the party. So sometimes it hurts the state.”

It can hurt the politician too if constituents perceive he or she has “gone Washington.”

THURBER - “They don’t want people coming back to Washington and becoming part of the establishment and not representing them. So it can hurt someone from a place like Wyoming.”

Take Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. He’s among the most powerful people in the U.S. government an d barely won re-election in Nevada this year. Barrasso dismisses the concerns.

BARRASSO - “I have been home every weekend since being elected. I get home every weekend. We still live in Casper.”

Power in the U.S. Senate – often called the world’s foremost deliberative body – has historically come with seniority. But newer members like Barrasso are increasingly making their mark. Professor King says the Senator’s rise doesn’t surprise him.

KING - “Senator Barrasso is a very intelligent individual. He had experience in the state legislature before he was appointed to the Senate and by all indications he’s a very quick study.”

Barrasso admits the health care debate won him points with colleagues. He’s been an orthopedic surgeon with a strong professional reputation in Wyoming.

BARRASSO - “And then in Washington I was able to use those same skills to try to take complicated medical information and present it in a way that makes sense to people.”

Including television viewers watching FOX News and MSNBC. And now that Republicans have taken over the House and increased their numbers in the Senate, Barrasso will help lead the effort to repeal or weaken the new health care law.

BARRASSO - “It’s always busy in a job like this. Start early and work late.”

Barrasso says that’s how he’s always done things.

BARRASSO – “And as the people of Wyoming know, my phone number is still in the book.”

Now that he’s helping shape Republican policy, Washington insiders are also competing for his attention.

From Capitol News Connection for Wyoming Public Radio, I’m Manuel Quinones.

 

 






November 2010 News Clips