For those of you who've never heard of Godwin's Law before, maybe it's time for a brief explanation. Why? Because something tells me that Godwin and his Law will be mentioned frequently in coming days, given the despicable "Hitler" ad that Kilgore's media man (Scott Howell) has - predictably - created from his secret lair in Texas.According to Wikipedia, Godwin's Law was formulated by Mike Godwin in 1990, and states that "As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches." Wikipedia adds:
Many people have extended Godwin's law to imply that the invoking of the Nazis as a debating tactic (in any argument not directly related to World War II or the Holocaust) automatically loses the argument, simply because the nature of these events is such that any comparison to any event less serious than genocide, ethnic cleansing, barbaric medical tests or extinction is invalid and in poor taste.
In this case, of course, the Kilgore campaign has invoked Hitler in the context of Tim Kaine's personal, religious-Christian-based opposition to capital punishment. They have taken the fact that Tim's religion condemns the death penalty (as it does abortion), and that Tim Kaine is a deeply religious man, in order to...well....crucify him on this issue.
All this, despite the fact that Tim Kaine has said repeatedly that he would uphold his oath of office as Governor with regards to the death penalty , given that he would be swearing on a Bible to uphold the Constitution and laws of Virginia. Kaine has also said that Adolph Hitler very well "may deserve the death penalty," and certainly that Hitler and similar murderes do not "deserve to live in civilized society."
That, however, is not enough for the Kilgore campaign to unleash the smear campaign against a good, moral, Christian man named Tim Kaine.
Unfortunately, the Kilgore campaign was getting desperate. They could feel it all slipping away from them, all that hard work at sliming Tim Kaine over the past year. And that was unacceptable. So, they didn't just go negative. They went Adolph Hitler negative. Of course, this isn't exactly surprising, given the fact that Scott Howell tied triple-amputee war hero, Georgia Senator Max Cleland, to Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. That's just what Scott Howell does.
Birds gotta fly. Fish gotta swim. And Scott Howell gotta create attack ads using racism and the worst scumbags in history to smear his clients' opponents.
So, this is what Scott Howell has done, essentially arguing that Tim Kaine -- or anyone who opposes the death penalty on religious grounds, as Pope John Paul II did for example (and as the current Pope does as well) -- is on the side of the worst tyrant in history. This argument is obviously fallacious, absurd, and laughable. Or, perhaps I should say it WOULD be laughable if people like Jerry Kilgore and Scott Howell didn't use it so viciously.
Let's boil down the Kilgore/Howell logic to its core. 1) Tim Kaine is a deeply committed Christian who follows the teaching of his church (Roman Catholic). 2) Tim Kaine's church is strongly opposed to the death penalty (as are nearly all developed countries, by the way). 3) Therefore, Tim Kaine (not to mention Pope John Paul II, etc.) is a friend to murdering rapist scum everywhere. Oh yeah, and Hitler too!
Or, how about this "logic." 1) We live in a society where every person is "innocent until proven guilty," and where every person is entitled to legal counsel. 2) Tim Kaine served as a public defender. 3) Tim Kaine did what he was SUPPOSED TO DO and provided legal representation to a defendent in a capital case. 4) Because Tim Kaine did his duty as a public defender, he is therefore an advocate for murderers and genocidal maniacs like Hitler.
This is, to be blunt, utterly bonkers. But par for the course in the crazy world of Scott Howell and his latest Dark Project, Jerry Kilgore.
At this point, what do Democrats need to do? Obviously, not take this garbage lying down. Obviously, not turn the other cheek. Obviously, not violate Godwin's Law. However, Fighting Democrats definitely DO need to hit back hard on any of a number of possible fronts against Jerry Kilgore. Of course, we should do so truthfully. But we should do so as ruthlesslly and effectively as the Republicans do. Sad to say, this shouldn't be very difficult given Jerry Kilgore's pathetic (I suggest you Google "kilgore beaumont abuse"), corrupt (eavesdropping scandal) background.
Sure, it's sad when things come to this. Sure, it would be better to stick to Candidate X's 12-point transportation plan, or Candidate Y's education plan. But sometimes in life, you just have to fight fire with fire. Just remember, when the Kaine campaign strikes back - as it must, rapidly and ruthlessly -- that it was JERRY KILGORE who wouldn't agree to run positive ads even 51% of the time! Apparently, Jerry Kilgore prefers 100% negativity, 100% of the time. Is this the type of human being we want as our next governor? No, I didn't think so. And neither would Godwin.