The Other McCain

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

On Supporting Long-Shot Candidates

Posted on | November 3, 2010 | 15 Comments

by Smitty

I’ve not the slightest misgiving about supporting my local candidate, Col. Patrick Murray (USA-Ret), against Jim Moran, who enjoyed one of the more comfortable margins yesterday evening.

  1. Murray is an exemplary American.
  2. One might say otherwise of Jim Moran.
  3. If you’re not in the game, your loss is self-fulfilling.
  4. It was genuinely fun.
  5. Absolutely no incumbent of any party is so immaculate that they deserve to run unopposed. Allowing VA-8 to be referred to as “Moran’s seat” (NBC-4) is offensive.
  6. Moran’s margin was decreased over 2008, albeit not by as much as I’d like to have seen.
  7. Victory in 2012 may be predicated upon a 2008 foundation. Given a heuristic problem, saying “It’s too hard” and chickening out marks you a liberal. I’ve not the slightest clue whether Destiny will have Murray run again in 2012, but I hope that the redistricting and lessons learned from this outing, plus the recovery time, will support another outing.
  8. From a leadership-by-example standpoint, it’s hypocritical to encourage others to be engaged and expend time and treasure supporting candidates, and then fail to support my locals.
  9. Tying down opposition resources locally prevents the opposition from spreading those resources around. They need to be disabused of the notion of “safe seats”.

Double down, conservatives. The internet promises to decrease the likelihood of the Tea Party enthusiasm being rolled back into the GOP a la the Perot enthusiasm of ’92. If you’re going to get back on the GOP reservation, and accept another Dole or J.S. McCain in 2012, then forget everything earlier in this post and welcome to Venezuela. But I don’t think that threat credible. The Tea Party toothpaste will refuse re-toobing.

Update: Mattie Fein has approved this message. Fortune smile upon you, lady, and the groovy 1/3 of your district.

Mattie Fein, a firm believer in denying the opposition respite.

Category: Jim Moran, Mattie Fein, Patrick Murray, Virginia

Comments

15 Responses to “On Supporting Long-Shot Candidates”

  1. blaster
    November 3rd, 2010 @ 8:03 pm

    Here’s the thing. Moran punched an 8 year old kid. A kid of COLOR mind you. The sherriff had to go over to his mistress’s house while he was there for a domestic disturbance.

    And yet, the GOP can’t touch this guy. And I am sure Murray was way to honorable to go there.

    There was a documentary on Frontline I think a while ago about LTC North’s Senate campaign. Its last week, and it was close. And there was a choice of whether to go negative on his opponent.

    And they decided not to. And they lost. And the end reel, the campaign manager says something like “I’ll never do that again.”

    They see us as enemies. Really and for true. The ads I saw against Fimian were just naked mud.

    If this election gives us more of the same, well, we get what we deserve.