ALABAMA CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE RICK BARBER has something to say about the unchecked growth of the federal government, government healthcare and increasing taxation without representation in our country. In this ad he sits around a round-table with with George Washington, Ben Franklin and Sam Adams. It's a powerful message to deliver. A powerful message to receive.
After being delayed/stranded in SW Virginia and NE Tennessee the past few days, I can tell you many of my Scotch-Irish brethren feel exactly the same way as Barber. We you don't want to get the NASCAR guys at the Bristol Speedway mad for long. We really don't.
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ON THE ETHERIDGE CAPER
I realize I'm treading on sacred ground for some here, but after being away from the computer most of the weekend, I've come back this evening to see a major brouhaha about N.C. Congressman Bob Etheridge who was accosted by two 'students' who were unwilling to identify themselves (Who were they anyway?) while asking him a monumentally silly question: did he agree with President Obama's agenda? First saw it on Drudge, then followed some links and watched the video. For the life of me I can't get wigged out about this. Even a little.
For one thing, the video accosting of Etheridge by the 'students' looks like a set-up to me, as a former newspaper reporter. Was it another staged sting operation orchestrated by Andrew Breitbart on a slow news day, after an even slower news weekend? Etheridge didn't exactly handle himself in the most graceful manner at the end of a long, hot day, we can all agree; however, he was walking down the street minding his own business when the brouhaha/brow-beating began. And what possible difference does it make that he was on his way to a fundraiser for Nancy Pelosi? Anyway, Etheridge has apologized. Needless to say, to the conservative elite it didn't have enough of a ring of authenticity to it. Does any forced public apology ever seem completely sincere? Of course not.
I'm quite sure Democratic Rep. Etheridge is a man I would rarely agree with on most issues and never vote for, for myriad reasons. However, it seems like a straw mountain has been made out of a teeny molehill here. I can't get on this outrage train with the likes of Andrew Breitbart's Three Ring BIG Circus, HotAir, Michelle Malkin, and Pajamas Media, just to name a few. It's not worth my energy or effort and none of them can or will make me care.
I prefer to save my emotions for things that might not have been conjured up during a hot, slow summer weekend by people who don't have better things to do and can never rest for even a minute. If some conservative-leaning organization staged this ambush of Etheridge, then I hope it's discovered and branded reprehensible.
This kind of political-baiting and cheap shot taking will never help conservatives or Republicans get elected or win back Congress. In fact it will only serve to slow things down. Haven't we got better things to do?
4 comments:
And this Welsh-Englishman isn't any too pleased, either!
On the other hand, thinking about the Lefties whining about the violent Right does bring me a small smile.
Yeah.
I thought Etheridge's behavior was egregious, but in light of your "big picture" baseline I have to agree with your well thought out position.
I learned the tricks of the newspaper trade and how to create controversy long ago, mRed. And sadly I used it from time to time to churn numbers. Clearly Etheridge behaved badly and should never have touched either one of them. Having said that, these 'students' whoever they were working for (Breitbart?) clearly baited him ( in a most unprofessional way) and he took it....forever his bad.
There's much to be said from just walking away from a situation like that.....
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