Washington Post Might as Well Endorse Mark Warner Now!

By: Lowell
Published On: 11/25/2007 7:35:41 AM

After this, the Washington Post might was well go ahead and endorse Mark Warner for governor right now (bolding added for emphasis):

JAMES S. GILMORE III, one of the most confrontational and irresponsible governors in recent Virginia history, is running for the U.S. Senate. Given his record in office and the bad blood he conjured on both sides of the aisle, it is astonishing that he is the presumptive Republican nominee.

Or maybe not so astonishing. Virginia's Republican Party has been riven for years by an internal feud pitting inflexible conservatives like Mr. Gilmore against pragmatic centrists who understand that government -- as in Virginia since he left office -- can be a constructive force. At the moment, the internecine fight is being won by the hard-liners, which goes a long way toward explaining why the GOP has been shellacked in successive state elections. It is a sad commentary on the party's health that Mr. Gilmore is running for the seat being vacated by the retirement of Sen. John W. Warner (R), whose statesmanship, courtesy and decency now seem a quaint relic of another age when set against the Gilmore wing's scorched-earth style.

No disagreement here that the Virginia Republican Party has been taken over by a "scorched-earth" wing of "hard liners" and "inflexible conservatives."  That's why we love 'em so much...er, not. 

And no, given the sorry state of the RPV, it is NOT "astonishing" that they'd go with an out-of-touch ideologue like Mr. "No Car Tax." For the "inflexible" right wing of the RPV, taxes aren't a necessary part of government, they're downright Voldemort-level evil.  Or, they would be like Voldemort except they probably think Harry Potter is Satanic or something so they don't read it.  Ha.  Or maybe they believe Voldemort's an illegal immigrant, or gay (wait, that's Dumbledore, right?), or pro-environment or something else hideously heinous like that.  Yeah, I'm kidding here, but it's no joke what Jim Gilmore did to this state when he was governor. 

Come to think of it's, Gilmore's sort of like Virginia's own mini-version of George W. Bush, except Gilmore's a political loser (how'd that presidential bid go?).  Mark Warner - the man who pulled Virginian out of the fiscal ditch into which Gilmore drove it - is going to annhilate him for U.S. Senate.  And that's even before the campaign begins and Gilmore starts opening his mouth.  I hope Mark Warner has a video "tracker" ready to roll! :)

Comments



The Virginia Republican Party doesn't want to govern (dsvabeachdems - 11/25/2007 8:15:52 AM)
Its current leadership desires to rule by fiat, ignoring facts and imposing its jaundiced world view. When it selected its current state chairman, it demonstrated that it remains an old boy's club, unwilling to allow the light of day to illuminate its inner circle. I am embarrassed for its followers who believe the mantra-like drivel passed as the wisdom of the ages by these malfeasants.

Some have said that the Republican Party is a shell of its former illustrious self. That may be true at the Federal level, but the party in Virginia has never been a beacon of egalitarianism and liberty. It is just a flag draped group of self-serving demagogues who worship at the alter of power.

They deserve Gilmore as their candidate. He represents them well.



And they're certainly NOT (Lowell - 11/25/2007 8:21:34 AM)
libertarian, as in "a person who believes in full individual freedom of thought, expression and action" or "a freewheeling rebel who hates wiretaps, loves Ron Paul and is redirecting politics."  Haha, imagine Jim Gilmore as a "freewheeling rebel" who "loves Ron Paul."  What would Barry Goldwater have to say about Jim Gilmore, that's what I'd like to know.


Barry Goldwater would dismiss him as a clown (dsvabeachdems - 11/25/2007 8:29:27 AM)
Libertarians and true conservatives are reeling. Ayn Rand is spinning in her grave because she never considered that her political characters could also be Republicans. She had so much right; she simply ignored her own philosphy that power corrupts applies equally to those who begin with chaste hearts.

Democrats take heed.



The Washington Post is a stopped clock. (jsrutstein - 11/25/2007 8:42:23 AM)
Though I'm glad to see the Washington Post so thoroughly thrash Gilmore and his wing of the RPV, the lionization of John Warner and the singular mention of Tom Davis as an example of a non-retiring moderate reminds me why I ended my 20+ year subscription last year.  I expected the Post to endorse Tom Davis over Andy Hurst, but they treated Hurst as if he didn't exist.  Tom Davis is threatening to run again.  After the Post endorsed Jeannemarie over Chap this year, I can't imagine what kind of moderate Democrat would have to be nominated to keep the Post from endorsing Tom Davis next year.  The only consolation is that, as we all know, this year the Post's endorsement of Jeannemarie possibly only served to keep her from losing by more than the 10% she did lose by.  I think Tom Davis is very beatable next year.  I'd hate, however, to endure Davis' negative campaigning and all the money the Dem nominee would have to waste to counter the Davis money machine.  It would be a strange business model to tell one of the wealthiest and best educated congressional districts that the Post knows better than we what's best for us, but if Tom Davis wins the GOP nomination, you can pretty much bank on his getting the WaPo's endorsement.


Stopped clock or three days late? (PM - 11/25/2007 10:46:44 AM)
The Post is so consistent in picking up stories after they've appeared and been hashed out, refuted, bolstered, etc., across the tubes.

I'm just waiting to cancel, but as stated in the past, my young kids like reading the comics and I have fond memories of such reading when I was young.

Prediction: Gilmore and Saxman are such pathetic possibilities that the monied Republicans in Virginia will get someone to run by paying them off handsomely on the side.



Gilmore (AmerIdiot - 11/25/2007 1:28:18 PM)
Speaking of being paid on the side...

Does Gilmore continue to run these Don Quixote campaigns to line his personal pockets with left over campaign funds?

What does he do for a living other than run for unrealistic political offices?

There are no too better examples of the evil that can be done by the right wing belief that all government is bad than Bushcheney and Gilmore.