Tommy Tuberville's Epic Political Fumble

The Alabama Senator has concocted one of the worst political maneuvers in recent memory

President Joe Biden is not known for relishing political combat. To his great credit, he is willing to turn the other cheek to get things done with a Republican Party that refuses to acknowledge his legitimacy and ruthlessly smears his family. But in recent days, the President has gone after Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville. The former football coach turned Senator is single-handedly holding up more than 200 military promotions. He is attempting to force the Biden Administration to abandon a policy that helps military members stationed in states where abortion is banned to travel to states where it is not.

As Politico Playbook recently reported:

During a fundraiser at the California home of Microsoft exec KEVIN SCOTT last month, President JOE BIDEN took a rare punch down, knocking a freshman senator whose name is probably more familiar to college football fans than political news mavens.

Biden, who usually spares no niceties in addressing fellow senators past and present, sharply needled Sen. TOMMY TUBERVILLE (R-Ala.) over his monthslong blockade of military promotions — an unusually aggressive protest targeting a new Pentagon policy reimbursing costs to servicewomen who must travel to seek abortions.

On Thursday, President Biden took another shot at Tuberville from Helsinki:

He's jeopardizing US security. I expect the Republican Party to stand up — stand up — and do something about it. It's in their power to do that.

My guess is that the President, who adores the Senate and the military members under his command, is sincerely offended by Tuberville’s idiotic actions. Treating our military members as political pawns to extort the administration bothers Biden — as it should. Tuberville’s actions are as stupid as humanly possible.

Tuberville went down this road — and his party is unwilling to put up a roadblock to stop him. It says a lot about the political challenges for the GOP as we head into 2024.

Who is Tommy Tuberville?

Unless you are a Senate nerd or a college football fan from earlier this century, the name Tommy Tuberville means nothing. To be fair, the GOP Senate caucus is filled with unserious older, white MAGA men. Even among that group of misanthropes, Tommy Tuberville stands out for his ignorance and malice.