Nullification is a ‘Code Word,’ Says Senator

Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) told CNN’s Soledad O’Brien that Rand Paul’s threat to “nullify” Obama’s executive orders pertaining to guns was a poor choice of words; “nullify” is a “code word,” he says. What’s it a code word for? Kaine won’t say:

It’s a states right argument that gets used in times of great controversy. The President is acting by executive power that is legally conferred on him. And as you pointed out, you went over these executive orders. They’re basic, common sense things.

[He is asked once again to clarify what it is a code word for.] We’ll see what it is. But the notion that we’re going to nullify a presidential action when the President is acting pursuant to law, you know, that’s just kind of this anti-government rhetoric that I’m surprised to hear somebody in government using.

Who knows what any of this is supposed to mean, but this is a fairly common tactic: the implication that the Left speaks honestly and forthrightly, while non-leftists use wicked “code words” by which they secretly convey their sinister intentions to their supporters.

Bob Murphy and I dealt with the whole “code word” stuff — e.g., nullification is code for racism, slavery, etc. — right here (the blooper reel is better than the video itself, I might add):

Anonymous

Bob’s facial expressions when you’re reading quotes are priceless. Especially the Wisco quote. I’d be willing to bet that some of these were the one’s that were causing you to laugh so much, but thank goodness for post-production. I wish that you guys could find more time to do stuff like this, but I understand how life goes.
Jim

Wow Tom, watch your back. It looks like this nullification is super secret business now. It’s a code word, but I can’t tell you what. You might launch a missile or something.
Jeremy

Is the idiot Left EVER going to come up with something other than “you’re a racist” if you don’t think government is a god?
Franklin

A while back I had shared this with my grown daughter (who’s not only as fringe-libertarian as her Dad but also a _Pride and Prejudice_ fan – both the Jane Austen version and the Seth Grahame-Smith “zombie” rework.)
Suffice to say we were both buckled over with tears running down our eyes. Abbott and Costello, step aside; this is just classic. And not to kill the joke through retelling, but Woods’ grabbing his book on the run is simply priceless.

As an aside, Grahame-Smith also gets a nod for his _Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Slayer_. As one clever poster here or elswhere once quipped — a movie that’s probably closer to reality than Spielberg’s _Lincoln_.
http://twitter.com/TheJakeRT Jake Thomas

I find it funny that, in your original video you said “Code Words” Nice. Way to set’em straight Tom.
devo

lol @ the video, tht should be a series. would be a great way to get out an entertaining short vid tht has tons of information. an enthusiastic tom and zombie: a zombie. lol. , have one about the fed maybe? or cutting departments like welfare or education? awesome?
JonathanH

That was both hilarious and informative!
Franklin

Agreed! And perhaps a liberal dose of evil fiends, lining those interviewers up like costumes from Universal’s storage bin — Karloff’s monster as the looming Fed, Lugosi’s blood-sucking taxman, Chaney’s moon-howling ATF slasher…
But alas, Tom and Bob have families to raise, books to read and write, and speeches to deliver.
A pity — so many monsters, so little time…
Rus

Jeff Riggenbach!!!
Phil M.

Since when was Rand Paul *in* the government? He’s a representative of the people (properly, pre-17th Amendment, he would be a representative of the state of Kentucky) and not a member of the government in an executive manner. This is one aspect of the American system that bugs me. Parliamentary system is much better in this for how it differentiates who is *in* the government and who remains in Parliament as representatives of the people.

If Rand Paul is *in* the government then he is partied to its interests. If that is the case, then he is (as I suspect) a lot cause.
Rob Nabakowski

No.
Dave in Ann Arbor

BOOOOK.
http://TheInterventionistParadox.wordpress.com/ Bharat

I have no idea how you got through that video successively. I know you had your points when you couldn’t stop laughing, but seriously, you deserve a trophy or something. I think I would’ve given up during the filming of that.
devo

murphy would be pure gold to have in the vid, but if all you need is a zombie tom could find someone to do it, no? a quick 5 minutes about why the fed or welfare need to go, in the style of being interviewed by a zombie. classy stuff right there.
cassandra

you can talk and debate all u want, but you cannot stop non-whites.

non-whites, jews, blacks, browns, asians are aggressively advancing their interests, territory and fertility.

white births are declining. whites are aging and dying. whites are history.

whites are losers.
dennis

If you were to rate your many accomplishments, where would you rank actually making it through filming that with enough non-blooper footage to piece together a finished product?