The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

I’d Like to Dedicate This Song . . .

Posted on | September 17, 2010 | 28 Comments

. . . to Kristin Murray, Alan Moore and David Keegan:

What can I do
To get on the right track?
Wish they’d take some of these
Knives out of my back.

Let me say a few word about The Backstabbers — not just those faithless former servants who are now disparaging Christine O’Donnell, but the entire category of Republican campaign aides, consultants and operatives who specialize in tearing down their former employers (and each other).

When you apply for a job, you have made a decision to serve. If the terms of your service become onerous, if you dislike your employer or your colleagues or your position within the organization, then certainly you should seek employment elsewhere. Yet your dissatisfaction does not justify public disparagment of your former employer.

No harm, no foul: You got a job, it didn’t work out, you quit. It happens every day in the real world, and people go on with their lives without thinking much about it.

For some reason, however, that’s not how it works in Republican politics. I’ve lost count of how many internecine feuds I’ve seen among staffers, consultants and other political operatives during this long campaign season. The jealousy and self-serving vindictiveness of those who constantly gossip and scheme, who can scarcely wait to be out of earshot of their colleagues before they start running them down — this horrifies me.

In a word, such behavior is dishonorable.

If you’ve got a problem with your boss or your colleague, the right thing to do is to discuss the problem directly with them. Don’t go telling tales behind the backs of people who have no reason to suspect your malicious intent. Don’t sit around stewing about how you’re going to get even with someone who may not even be aware of your discontent.

Look, if I’ve got a problem with somebody, I don’t hide it. Ask Tucker Carlson. From the get-go, it was my belief that Tucker’s plans for The Daily Caller bore a dangerous resemblance to the memorable disaster known as Culture 11. So I spoke out publicly, laying out the sources of my own resentment and doubts, declaring: “It had better not suck.”

You know something? After a few weeks of my steady hammering, I got an e-mail from Tucker asking for my phone number. He called me and we talked, and when it eventually became evident that he was going to get the thing going, I took a vow to stop slagging the Daily Caller. All in all, it’s sucked far less than I originally expected, and their young political correspondent Alex Pappas probably deserves a raise.

That’s how you deal with a problem like that. Contrast that to the way Christine O’Donnell’s former campaign aides have conducted themselves: Lying in wait for two years and then dishing dirt to reporters, trying to build themselves up by tearing her down.

Dishonorable.

So far as I know, I’ve never met Kristin Murray, Alan Moore or David Keegan, and cannot be accused of harboring any personal grievance against them. But their names are now on a list, and it ain’t a good list.

UPDATE: Let’s quote that Politico story:

Alan Moore, who worked on press releases and policy statements for two months during the 2008 bid and now helps run the conservative site Townhall.com, said his conversations with the candidate led him to believe “her priorities were completely out of whack.”

Now a few questions:

  • Why is an employee of a news organization like Townhall giving this exclusive news to Politico?
  • Did Moore’s superiors at Townhall give him approval to disparage Christine O’Donnell in another publication?
  • Townhall is owned by Salem Communications, which also owns Hot Air. Were the employees of Hot Air informed that an employee of their parent company would be taking this action, which might tend to damage Hot Air’s reputation among conservative readers?

During my tenure at The Washington Times, I was occasionally called on the carpet for unauthorized actions outside my work duties. It was made clear to me that, as the centurion told Jesus, I was “a man under authority.” I fully expect that whoever is in charge at Townhall and Salem Communications will make that same point clear to Alan Moore, and that his employers will issue a statement making clear whether Townhall and Salem authorized Moore”s actions.

UPDATE II: Townhall VP Garthwaite: Alan Moore’s Statements Slagging Christine O’Donnell ‘Unfortunate and Unauthorized’

Category: Delaware, Republicans

Comments

28 Responses to “I’d Like to Dedicate This Song . . .”

  1. TC@LeatherPenguin
    September 17th, 2010 @ 7:01 pm

    May I suggest a different tune?
    THE BITCH IS BACK.
    …stone cold sober, as a matter of fact…

  2. TC@LeatherPenguin
    September 17th, 2010 @ 3:01 pm

    May I suggest a different tune?
    THE BITCH IS BACK.
    …stone cold sober, as a matter of fact…

  3. Joe
    September 17th, 2010 @ 7:08 pm

    Christine O’Donnell is not my idea of an ideal candidate. But neither was Mike Castle. I left the decision to Delaware Republicans (because I am not a Delaware voter) and they chose O’Donnell. That is fine with me. There were risks going with O’Donnell. She is green. She been on the Bill Maher show way too much which is not advisable for a prospective candidate (I remember when she used to go on Politically Incorrect, which was watchable, as opposed to Real Time, which is not).

    And Mike Castle is a douchenoozel too. I recognize there are some hurt feelings, but he should rise above them and do what is best for the party and country.

    Because I know this much, Harry Reid’s pet Chris Coons is not the type of Senator I want elected. I do not care if Christine O’Donnell was flakey fifteen years ago. I do not care about petty insider crap from her past Senate campagin. She is not running for President, she is running for Senate. She is not as bad as J.D. Hayworth, but had he won in Arizona, I would have supported him. Because he was better than the alternative from the Democrats.

    Is she better than Coons on the issues? She is. That is what matters. I am less concerned with her views on social issues than I am with the apparent closeness of Coons and the Democratic Party idiots driving this country down right now. I would think other Republicans would agree with that.

  4. Joe
    September 17th, 2010 @ 3:08 pm

    Christine O’Donnell is not my idea of an ideal candidate. But neither was Mike Castle. I left the decision to Delaware Republicans (because I am not a Delaware voter) and they chose O’Donnell. That is fine with me. There were risks going with O’Donnell. She is green. She been on the Bill Maher show way too much which is not advisable for a prospective candidate (I remember when she used to go on Politically Incorrect, which was watchable, as opposed to Real Time, which is not).

    And Mike Castle is a douchenoozel too. I recognize there are some hurt feelings, but he should rise above them and do what is best for the party and country.

    Because I know this much, Harry Reid’s pet Chris Coons is not the type of Senator I want elected. I do not care if Christine O’Donnell was flakey fifteen years ago. I do not care about petty insider crap from her past Senate campagin. She is not running for President, she is running for Senate. She is not as bad as J.D. Hayworth, but had he won in Arizona, I would have supported him. Because he was better than the alternative from the Democrats.

    Is she better than Coons on the issues? She is. That is what matters. I am less concerned with her views on social issues than I am with the apparent closeness of Coons and the Democratic Party idiots driving this country down right now. I would think other Republicans would agree with that.

  5. richard mcenroe
    September 17th, 2010 @ 7:11 pm

    “For some reason, however, that’s not how it works in Republican politics. I’ve lost count of how many internecine feuds I’ve seen among staffers, consultants and other political operatives during this long campaign season. The jealousy and self-serving vindictiveness of those who constantly gossip and scheme, who can scarcely wait to be out of earshot of their colleagues before they start running them down — this horrifies me.”

    This is how a mandarinate works, not a republic of free men. If it’s any consolation, the Dems are probably worse.

  6. richard mcenroe
    September 17th, 2010 @ 3:11 pm

    “For some reason, however, that’s not how it works in Republican politics. I’ve lost count of how many internecine feuds I’ve seen among staffers, consultants and other political operatives during this long campaign season. The jealousy and self-serving vindictiveness of those who constantly gossip and scheme, who can scarcely wait to be out of earshot of their colleagues before they start running them down — this horrifies me.”

    This is how a mandarinate works, not a republic of free men. If it’s any consolation, the Dems are probably worse.

  7. nathan hale
    September 17th, 2010 @ 7:16 pm

    They’ve refined the backstab from two years ago, but their claims aren’t particularly believable,
    except to the likes of Politico, and affiliated
    enterprises along the Journolist way

  8. nathan hale
    September 17th, 2010 @ 3:16 pm

    They’ve refined the backstab from two years ago, but their claims aren’t particularly believable,
    except to the likes of Politico, and affiliated
    enterprises along the Journolist way

  9. Joe
    September 17th, 2010 @ 7:17 pm

    Given all the hard feelings…

  10. Joe
    September 17th, 2010 @ 3:17 pm

    Given all the hard feelings…

  11. Joe
    September 17th, 2010 @ 7:26 pm

    RM, Mandarinate is exactly correct. Thank you for summing up the problem in one word.

    These individuals look at candidates like people in Kentucky look at possible race horses. They are not true believers, but see them as vehicles or objects for their own advancement. Because they are the real smart ones out there…

    The song link above is to them.

    Oh by the way, Goldstein had this insider knife job on Barack. Yes, they are out to get him too.

    Oh by the way, Jeff G had this post on Christine that is interesting. Including this quote:

    Full disclosure: I have no real opinion about O’Donnell herself; I never met her, never researched her (in more than a cursory way), nor do I live in Delaware. I do, however, hold in high regard some of her most ardent supporters, among them Mark Levin, whose constitutionalist bona fides are, to my way of thinking, impregnable.

  12. Joe
    September 17th, 2010 @ 3:26 pm

    RM, Mandarinate is exactly correct. Thank you for summing up the problem in one word.

    These individuals look at candidates like people in Kentucky look at possible race horses. They are not true believers, but see them as vehicles or objects for their own advancement. Because they are the real smart ones out there…

    The song link above is to them.

    Oh by the way, Goldstein had this insider knife job on Barack. Yes, they are out to get him too.

    Oh by the way, Jeff G had this post on Christine that is interesting. Including this quote:

    Full disclosure: I have no real opinion about O’Donnell herself; I never met her, never researched her (in more than a cursory way), nor do I live in Delaware. I do, however, hold in high regard some of her most ardent supporters, among them Mark Levin, whose constitutionalist bona fides are, to my way of thinking, impregnable.

  13. Joe
    September 17th, 2010 @ 7:40 pm

    David Frum may be right* on this one:

    Byron York asks some good questions on Twitter this morning. Why is the GOP elite still protesting the O’Donnell nomination win? Why not just pay her lip service, give her some cash, and let her quietly lose?

    After all: party leaders – including Karl Rove – have made their peace with Sharron Angle in Nevada, who is at least as personally wacky as O’Donnell? They have joined to raise funds for Rand Paul, who though not personally wacky, upholds an extreme and sometimes ugly ideology.

    Why strain at a gnat having swallowed these camels?

    Here’s the question to which I would like an answer: Did party leaders promise Mike Castle an easy ride to the Senate nomination if he would make the Senate run? Did O’Donnell’s surprise win humiliate them by wrecking those promises? Do they worry that her success will render them less credible the next time they warn an outsider candidate not to run against a party favorite?

    Just asking…

    * well not exactly “right” but perhaps correct on this point.

  14. Joe
    September 17th, 2010 @ 3:40 pm

    David Frum may be right* on this one:

    Byron York asks some good questions on Twitter this morning. Why is the GOP elite still protesting the O’Donnell nomination win? Why not just pay her lip service, give her some cash, and let her quietly lose?

    After all: party leaders – including Karl Rove – have made their peace with Sharron Angle in Nevada, who is at least as personally wacky as O’Donnell? They have joined to raise funds for Rand Paul, who though not personally wacky, upholds an extreme and sometimes ugly ideology.

    Why strain at a gnat having swallowed these camels?

    Here’s the question to which I would like an answer: Did party leaders promise Mike Castle an easy ride to the Senate nomination if he would make the Senate run? Did O’Donnell’s surprise win humiliate them by wrecking those promises? Do they worry that her success will render them less credible the next time they warn an outsider candidate not to run against a party favorite?

    Just asking…

    * well not exactly “right” but perhaps correct on this point.

  15. TR Sterling
    September 17th, 2010 @ 8:08 pm

    richard mcenroe,
    Was is not true that all the power brokers in the Chinese Mandarinate were actually eunuchs? (Got that from Military History channel, lol) This tends to put a light on the subject.

    BTW, Good work Stacy. These political snakes hide in all places but they dont last long when you flush them out of the grass and into the parking lot!

  16. TR Sterling
    September 17th, 2010 @ 4:08 pm

    richard mcenroe,
    Was is not true that all the power brokers in the Chinese Mandarinate were actually eunuchs? (Got that from Military History channel, lol) This tends to put a light on the subject.

    BTW, Good work Stacy. These political snakes hide in all places but they dont last long when you flush them out of the grass and into the parking lot!

  17. cc
    September 17th, 2010 @ 8:20 pm

    It’s pieces like this one that: (1) make your blogs one of the first ones I check out every day, (2) return to frequently throughout the day, and (3) cause me to hit the tip jar when the budget allows. You opened up a can of gentlemanly whoop-ass, and you do actual reporting. Imagine that.

  18. cc
    September 17th, 2010 @ 4:20 pm

    It’s pieces like this one that: (1) make your blogs one of the first ones I check out every day, (2) return to frequently throughout the day, and (3) cause me to hit the tip jar when the budget allows. You opened up a can of gentlemanly whoop-ass, and you do actual reporting. Imagine that.

  19. Mikey NTH
    September 17th, 2010 @ 8:50 pm

    Reminds me of the guy who ‘confessed’* that he had sex with Nikki Haley, and IIRC was a former staffer.

    *He may have had sex, but she wasn’t there. IYKWIMAITTYD.

  20. Mikey NTH
    September 17th, 2010 @ 4:50 pm

    Reminds me of the guy who ‘confessed’* that he had sex with Nikki Haley, and IIRC was a former staffer.

    *He may have had sex, but she wasn’t there. IYKWIMAITTYD.

  21. Paco
    September 17th, 2010 @ 8:58 pm

    “Townhall is owned by Salem Communications, which also owns Hot Air. Were the employees of Hot Air informed that an employee of their parent company would be taking this action, which might tend to damage Hot Air’s reputation among conservative readers?”

    Would it matter? Checking the “Headlines” section just now at Hot Air, I find that six of the ten stories linked are either anti-O’Donnell or anti-Tea Party or both.

    I realize their headline round-up is a cross-section of opinion across the political specrum, but six out of ten?

  22. Paco
    September 17th, 2010 @ 4:58 pm

    “Townhall is owned by Salem Communications, which also owns Hot Air. Were the employees of Hot Air informed that an employee of their parent company would be taking this action, which might tend to damage Hot Air’s reputation among conservative readers?”

    Would it matter? Checking the “Headlines” section just now at Hot Air, I find that six of the ten stories linked are either anti-O’Donnell or anti-Tea Party or both.

    I realize their headline round-up is a cross-section of opinion across the political specrum, but six out of ten?

  23. Townhall VP Garthwaite: Alan Moore’s Statements Slagging Christine O’Donnell ‘Unfortunate and Unauthorized’ : The Other McCain
    September 17th, 2010 @ 5:44 pm

    […] O’Donnell campaign staffer Alan Moore disparaged his ex-boss in an article at Politico, I called attention to the fact that Moore is employed by Salem Communications, which owns the conservative Web sites Townhall.com […]

  24. Estragon
    September 17th, 2010 @ 11:25 pm

    I never thought any “tell all” books from former employees was appropriate – whether the victim be a politician, celebrity, or otherwise. It’s one thing to complain to your own confidants, but going public with dirty laundry shows a lot of class – all of it low.

    ~~~~~~~

    Joe ~ I refuse to read anything by Frum, even quoted by someone else, so I don’t know what it could be he “got right” – the only thing I can imagine is that he is giving up writing and moving back to Canada.

    ~~~~~~~

    I had forgotten how hilarious the lip synching was on Soul Train . . .

  25. Estragon
    September 17th, 2010 @ 7:25 pm

    I never thought any “tell all” books from former employees was appropriate – whether the victim be a politician, celebrity, or otherwise. It’s one thing to complain to your own confidants, but going public with dirty laundry shows a lot of class – all of it low.

    ~~~~~~~

    Joe ~ I refuse to read anything by Frum, even quoted by someone else, so I don’t know what it could be he “got right” – the only thing I can imagine is that he is giving up writing and moving back to Canada.

    ~~~~~~~

    I had forgotten how hilarious the lip synching was on Soul Train . . .

  26. Bob Belvedere
    September 18th, 2010 @ 12:56 am

    While most Leftists I have met are smug nihilists, the most petty people I;ve met have been long-time Republican players.

    Bang-on, Stacy [and Richard].

  27. Bob Belvedere
    September 17th, 2010 @ 8:56 pm

    While most Leftists I have met are smug nihilists, the most petty people I;ve met have been long-time Republican players.

    Bang-on, Stacy [and Richard].

  28. Remember ‘Hottie McAwesome’? : The Other McCain
    September 19th, 2010 @ 2:59 am

    […] will be. Let me say this: The very worst of it, to date, was when three of her former staffers went telling tales to Politico. Her financial history is already yesterday’s news — “Asked and answered,” […]