Waldo Jaquith has a scathing article at his blog, wherein he describes the incredible arrogance and utter stupidity of the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV). I mean, it's bad enough, as Waldo points out, that "[Republican leaders including Jerry Kilgore] got nabbed for two eavesdropping scandals in March of 2002." You may recall RPV director, Edward A. Matricardi IIi, pled guilty to "illegally monitor[ing] calls made by top Democrats, including Governor Mark Warner." But now, those wild, crazy, and above-all GREEDY Republicans won't let sleeping dogs lie, "suing their insurance company....because [it] won't cover the costs" of the "$750k to Democrats and another $200,000 to their attorneys." Is that brilliant or what? I mean, here we have the campaign of Jerry Kilgore, who is "running for office right now...[and] heavily implicated in this scandal," doing the absolute LAST thing you'd think it would want to do at this point: bring the Kilgore eavesdropping scandal back into the public eye just over 3 months before the election. Is this the "briliant" Scott "Black Hands" Howell at work, or a stupid screwup by Kilgore himself? I mean, sure, we Democrats appreciate the gift that keeps on giving, namely Kilgore family corruption (eavesdropping, voter fraud in Scott County, shady-at-best campaign contributions, etc.). But, from the Kilgore/Howell perspective, why hand us an issue which we can use to pound them mercilessly on from now until November?
Perhaps it's because Jerry Kilgore "trusts the people." Yeah, that's the ticket -- ha ha! The problem is, the more information that comes out on the unethical and illegal behavior swirling around the Republican ticket (let's not even get into Bill "Enron of the Insurance Industry" Bolling!), the more "the people" are going to flock AWAY from Jerry Kilgore and the Republican ticket. I mean, even if you're a conservative Republican who can't stomach voting for Tim Kaine, wouldn't this push you more towards the normal, sane, non-corrupt, "independent" Republican, Russ Potts? If I were a Republican, as I was for several years, I know that's what I would certainly do. But I"m not, so I'm voting for by far the best choice in this race, Tim Kaine.
Who knows, though, maybe Scott Howell has a secret plan to twist the Kilgore eavesdropping scandal around and somehow blame the Democrats for not being careful enough with their phones or something. I mean, hey, this IS the guy who turned a triple-amputee war hero into a Saddam- and Osama-loving traitor for not supporting ONE VERSION - Presl. Bush's -- of the Homeland Security bill (it's worth recalling that Cleland had his own version, and that Bush himself opposed setting up a Homeland Security Department for many months before he was forced, under tremendous pressure, to given in reluctantly to the Democrats).
Or perhaps this is an example of the "cesspool of corruption" in Richmond that Kilgore spoke of in the Greenbrier debate? The only problem is, the first cesspool that needs to be cleaned up is in the Republicans' own yard, and in Jerry Kilgore's own (former) Attorney General's office in Richmond. Maybe, MAYBE once they're done with all that, the RPV and the Kilgore campaign might have an iota of credibility raising the issue about anyone else. For now, however, they are more focused on suing their insurance company for the costs of their own scandal.
That's right, the Republican Party is the party of a) making excuses for their behavior, b) blaming others for their own crimes, c) not taking personal responsibility for their actions, d) throwing stones while their own "glass house" starts to shatter, and e) engaging in a campaign of negativity, smears, denigrations of others' patriotism and religious beliefs. Are these the kind of people you want in positions of authority? And how on earth did they get the reputation of the "personal responsibility" and "against excessive litigation" party? So much for that, at least here in Virginia!
Extend Foot!
Present Arms!
AIM AT FOOOT!
FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!