ABC News Political Director Calls for Market Panic to Budge Republicans

Rick Klein, political director for ABC News, openly encouraged a sell-off in the stock market as a way to “shake things loose inside the GOP.”

Writing at ABC’s The Note, Klein vocally encouraged investors to “SELL,” (capital letters original) which he claims is the “only way to jolt the system.”  Klein made clear that his desire to see the market slide to a point where a national panic sets in has nothing to do with budging a president who refuses to negotiate. What Klein hopes will be the result of a market meltdown is that angry constituents will force the GOP to cave.

Here is Klein’s full statement:

When does Wall Street cast its vote? Bipartisan meetings are nice, and new plans that depend on the other side budging certainly can’t hurt at this stage of a standoff. But there may be only one way to jolt the system: SELL. Conversations with Republican strategists in recent days suggest that only a major event, most likely in the form of a major southward turn in the markets, could shake things loose inside the GOP conference enough to push away from the current crises. That’s what will draw constituent phone calls, and what will turn anger into action – more so, certainly, than vague threats of primary challenges engineered by business interests. The markets could be the 12th man, and the players are weary enough that they may not be able to draw any inspiration from elsewhere in this stadium.

Including the most extreme left-wing partisans, this is the first time I’m aware of when anyone in media or politics have openly encouraged market investors to intentionally create a panic. Should Klein get his way, it is always those with the least who lose the most.

But the Tea Party are the arsonists and anarchists. 

 

Follow  John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC