Maddow: Entire conservative movement is ‘a complete mess’

Thursday night on “The Rachel Maddow Show,” host Rachel Maddow took stock of Republicans — from where they stand on the so-called fiscal cliff negotiations to thier their overall message. If the wild, shouting-match free-for-all that went on under the Capitol dome Thursday night is any indication, the party is in complete disarray.

“Do you want to know what just happened in Washington?” she asked at the segment’s opening. “Do you want to know what just happened, with Congress just unexpectedly imploding and the Republicans in Congress dissolving into a huge internal fight including screaming matches within their own caucus? And then all of a sudden, they’re just turning off the lights and abandoning what they were doing and nobody really knows why, nobody really knows what happens next?”

It all started, apparently, with Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC). Since taking his Senate seat in 2004, DeMint, a tea party favorite, has sponsored no major pieces of legislation, but has instead spent his time building a coalition and amassing a great deal of support against Speaker of the House Rep. John Boehner (R-OH), who the tea party see as being a little too squishy on some of their most important issues.

Then, DeMint abruptly announced earlier this month that he’s leaving the Senate to chair the Heritage Foundation. In his farewell speech on Thursday, Maddow said, things got a little weird.

“I hope that we can create more common ground between the political parties,” DeMint said, “by showing everyone that ideas that work for their constituents and our constituents are right there in front of our faces, if we’re willing to set aside the pressure groups and special interests and let’s just focus on what’s working.”

The camera cut back to Maddow, who looked deeply skeptical. This is Jim DeMint, one of the most obstructive, anti-Obama Republicans on the Hill calling for comity and a focus on the practical? And telling the party to ignore pressure groups?

“Jim DeMint is leaving the Senate to go run a pressure group!” she said.

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