It seems that GOP Conference chairman, Mike Pence, is taking a cue from the smart folks at Red State (link fixed):
Typically, the conference e-mails various journos and TV types a “What’s Hot on the Hill” guide to point out who should be booked on which shows and who is knowledgeable on various subjects. In short: a rapid response team. A great concept.
And it never had a name — till now.
“Tiger Teams” is what Pence is calling the aforementioned groups of members who can be used on certain issues. Like yesterday, on SCHIP, for example — they can send out all knowledgeable health care members. But naming it “Tiger Team”? What is this, summer camp? There was even a video in the conference meeting Wednesday to announce its official launch.
I’m suffering from wingnut stupidity overload right now, so I can’t fully process this.
I will point out, though, that if you scroll down the post about “Tiger Teams”, you will learn that Ricky Schroeder is a Republican. But what do expect from a Silver Spoon?
Update: Per some of the comments (here; here), the name “Tiger Team” already has a meaning and even has its own wiki page:
A tiger team is a specialized group tasked with testing the effectiveness of an organization’s ability to protect assets by attempting to circumvent, defeat, or otherwise thwart that organization’s internal and external security.
Zifnab
Go Go Tiger Team SCHIP!
Go Go Tiger Team EPA!
Go Go Tiger Team Tigers On The Endangered Species List Go Go Go!
*action karate chop super pose!*
Punchy
Maybe that’s the name of his golf foursome. And his pajama parties. And LSU is suing for infringement.
MikeJ
I’d always heard "tiger teams" used to mean people on your side who test your security, physical or network. I shouldn’t be surprised they can’t use english as she is spoke.
Reverend Dennis
If the topic is anything other than tax cuts or EPIC FAIL they have a pretty shallow bench.
The Grand Panjandrum
Maybe the Tiger Teams can find out who that treasonous pretzel maker was, who tried to bump off Bush 7 years ago? Is Bin Laden living here in the US disguised as a pretzel maker? Oh, the things we don’t know!
Paul Crowley
"Tiger team" already has a meaning – it means a team of people you employ with the specific purpose of defeating your own security in order to find problems with it.
However, I guess it sounds cool, and that’s what really matters!
cleek
isn’t "rapid response team" a name ?
Ugh
I’m suffering from wingnut stupidity overload right now
If only we could harness wingnut stupidity as an energy source, we’d be able to end our dependence on foreign oil before the weekend.
woody
Tiger Force Teams in Nam were used to pursue and eliminate ‘locals’ of dubious loyalty…
jibeaux
It’s not PC or anything, but the only word I can think of to describe this penchant for giving tough-if-you’re-in-fifth-grade names to people who couldn’t bench their own monitor is "gay". Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
former capitalist
Tiger team? Kitty cat team is more like it.
Seriously, these people are loons.
John Cole
The fantasy role-playing never stops with these clowns, does it?
Here is a name for your team, Pence: Ass Pirates.
Napoleon
I have finally concluded that one night while I was a sleep I was trasported to my own personal Truman Show, where instead of the Republicans having significant control over the levers of power and a tightly disiplined message machine they are complete baffons and everyone can see it and knows it.
Or maybe its my version of that Star Trak where the Starship Enterprise encounters its polar opposite from some parallel universe.
In any event I hope I never go back to that old world I came from.
former capitalist
Stupid comments board.I did not already say "more like the kitty cat team".
Seriously, these people are loons.
The Grand Panjandrum
The RS Trike Farce: League of Obstreperous LadZ.
RSTF: LOLZ just has that intertrons traditions thing going on.
Dave
This is the kind of name your 3rd-grade kickball team has. Then again, considering who is left in the GOP, that is about where the average education level resides. Well done, Mr. Pence!
Reverend Dennis
Rump Wranglers.
Dave
@Zifnab:
Your song should be recorded at once and be embedded with the logo.
former capitalist
Whoops, guess I did. I need a CR Companion to comment here.
Michael
Pence is a douchenozzle, always has been.
Conservatively Liberal
Fix’t.
These guys are a fucking nonstop laugh, better than nitrous!
AkaDad
Yawn. I’d support that if it was a team of Cougars.
John Cole
DOUGJ- Your second link is broken.
phastphil
Too bad the Democrats already use the "Tiger" symbol. Check out the Blue Tiger Democrats at the Daily Kos
DougJ
@John Cole
Thanks. I fixed it.
DougJ
@phastphil
There’s some historical reason for that. I know the guy who founded the group. It’s named after some group from the 19th century or something like that.
SnarkIntern
It appears that Dems would rather engage in schoolyard trashtalk of their opponents than take the great opportunity they have been given to develop the values and ideas of their own party for the future.
This is why Republicans now are confident that we will be returning to power sooner than most people might think these days.
fuddmain
Thundercats! Thundercats! Thundercats! Ho!
dr.hypercube
@12 JC – The Pirates of Pence(‘s) Ass?
"I am the very model of wingnut Major-General!"
Mazacote Yorquest
Together, we’re going find our way
Together, taking the time each day
Josh Hueco
@SnarkIntern:
I said we need quality trolls, not a quantity of trolls.
4tehlulz
I guess Einsatzgruppen was already taken.
gex
Ah, so they as much admit they are domestic terrorists. Thwarting security and such. Sounds awfully suspicious and perhaps even Gitmo-worthy.
dmsilev
Thundercats, Ho!
-dms
Glocksman
@4tehlulz:
Given the functions of these ‘tiger teams’, I suspect they’re really part of the Reichsministerium für Volksaufklärung und Propaganda instead of the SS-Police.
Think of Pence as Joseph Goebbels and Erick Erickson as Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler.
I would say Erickson as Heydrich, but Heydrich was a first class athlete and modern pentathlon competetor.
Somehow I think Erick’s exercise regimen consists of lifting bags of Cheetos, not fencing and cross-country running.
phastphil
Dougj
I believe the "Tiger" symbol originates with the Tammany Tigers as in Tammany Hall – probably why Democrats did not use the symbol for a long time.
Sinister eyebrow
I’m with Woody. First thing I thought of when I saw Tiger Team was the Vietnam War Tiger Teams that were associated with wartime atrocities against civilians.
DougJ
Yes, that’s right. The guy believes there are good features of Tammany Hall that should be used today politically. (Crazy as that sounds, it makes some sense — Boss Tweed built the IRC line from City Hall to 72nd St. in 3 years, it’ll take 20 to get the 2nd Avenue line to go half that distance.)
James F. Elliott
I thought a Tiger Team was a special jungle warfare unit of G.I. Joe? I recall Dusty being a member…
Paul in KY
If I remember correctly, ‘Tiger Teams’ were the name given to detachments of U.S. troops in the Vietnam War who operated in ‘Free Fire Zones’ and reportedly killed many non-combatants, along with some VC & NVA.
The Toledo newspaper did an excellent series about them a couple of years ago. There were some seriously fucked up people who took part in those ‘teams’, IMO.
To me, that’s not a name covered in glory.
P.S. I’ve seen that Woody up above has said they were called ‘Tiger Force Teams’. Too similar to use that name, IMO.
milo
Tiger Team – name given to group of contractor employees who go into the field (military base or with otherwise deployed unit) to effect specialized repairs and/or upgrades to contractor built equipment on location. Oftentimes performed under a standing sole source cost plus fixed-fee contract.
Corey
I keep thinking of the Tiger Cubs.
That’s the Boy Scout organization for 5-year olds.
nitpicker
Actually, a "tiger team" is a military term for a small group of people assigned to work on one project. For example, if I were in charge of the commissioning of a ship, I might assign a tiger team to manage the VIPs.
What you’ve defined above is actually a "red team."
That is all.
random asshole
Are you sure they’re not just all Princeton alumni?
Wes F. in Hapeville
Team Discovery Channel!
/Martin Prince
WF
icedriver
maybe they can hook-up with some PUMAs…
Innocent Bystander
Perhaps Dwight Schrute is consulting for the RNC.
nicethugbert
Lighting Bolt!!!
Lighting Bolt!!!
Lighting Bolt!!!
Lighting Bolt!!!
…
BC
Well, I for one look forward to this. I’m so tired of the people they send out who have such fucking stupid talking points and don’t understand the subject they pontificate on. Now knowledgeable people who could clearly give the conservative point of view without engaging in strawmen, name calling, shouting, etc., would be a breath of fresh air. Aint.Gonna.Happen
Kiril
Is this anything like Thundercats?
Jimbo
Sounds like they’re gonna pull themselves up by their loafer tassles and give democrats such a pinch!
Garfield
Tiger Beat team?