How to Handle a Bully, by Senator Jeanne Shaheen

by: Dean Barker

Sat Sep 18, 2010 at 08:30:09 AM EDT

During Thursday's hearing on the treaty, the South Carolina senator strongly criticized the accord, saying that it would undermine U.S. national security.  DeMint tried to win support for an amendment that would permit the United States to develop a missile defense system.

...Senator DeMint insisted that the treaty would hurt U.S. national security unless his amendment passed, angering Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen.

"Are you suggesting that if we vote against your amendment that we, in some way, are not defending this country and do not believe that we should defend this country against our enemies, because if that is what you are suggesting, I personally resent that," said Jeanne Shaheen.

DeMint said he did not intend to offend anyone...

When a bully calls you weak or unpatriotic because you disagree with his position, you call him out on it right then and there. Bullies don't expect to be pushed back.  When they are, they are less likely to bully in the future.

Just one more example of the quiet, but tough as nails approach to governance that Jeanne Shaheen has been providing New Hampshire in the US Senate.

My admiration for her grows every day; I only regret that it took me some time to understand her style. Now I see what a terrific role model she is to other Dems for getting good things done in an institution that has become almost completely dysfunctional.