WASHINGTON – After the tragic death in November of his son, Republican Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, received an unexpected amount of sympathy from his Democratic colleagues. Because of this, he recently said that his attitude towards Senate Democrats had softened. Today he went a step further and announced that he has decided to switch party affiliations.
“I probably shouldn’t say this, but I seem to have gotten more — well at least as many, maybe more — communications from some of my Democrat friends,” said Inhofe on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “And I’m a pretty partisan Republican.
“At least I was at the time,” he added. “Now, of course, I’m 100% a Democrat.”
The usually reliable conservative Inhofe said that the empathy and kindness shown him from Democrats during his time of grief completely blew him away and made him rethink long-standing beliefs. “I’ve said horrible things about these people over the years. Rodent-infested asswipe, chism-covered Socialist turd, discount whore. You name it,” admitted the Senator. “But when I needed them, they were there. It was the damndest thing.”
He singled out Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for praise. “Harry and I … disagree on all this stuff, this political stuff. But we were both married the same year, in 1959. And we’ve both had some illnesses. So yeah, I would say that when something like this happens, you get closer together. The differences are still there. … But your attitude changes,” he said. “After bonding like this, switching parties just made sense.”
Inhofe said his political reinvention went beyond simple party labels. “I can’t believe there are still folks out there who refuse to accept global climate change,” said the one-time notorious climate denier. “And what is up with the Republicans’ need to cut taxes for the rich at the expense of America’s poor? How heartless can an entire political party be?”
The Oklahoma Senator said that the result of how different people responded during his personal tragedy would undoubtedly color future interactions. “I can’t help but think when I’m confronting someone on something in which we disagree, I’ll know how they responded to my loss,” he said. “I’m gonna rip those cold-hearted Republican bastards a new one.”
