Posted on 01/13/2012 8:14:57 AM PST by marktwain
First, let me apologize for letting this blog gather dust for so long. I have resolved to keep it active in 2012. Now, on to the fun.
In today's editorial, which I wrote, I had no intention of ripping the booking of Ted Nugent as the keynote speaker for the Sangamon County GOP's Lincoln Day dinner next month. (My colleague Bernie Schoenburg does a fine job of that in his column today.) The point of the editorial is in these two paragraphs:
In choosing Nugent, organizers will without doubt accomplish their goal of raising money and packing the house. Nugent may be many things, but he is never boring. Given this platform to speak his mind to a friendly audience, Nugent is sure to provide a moment that will endure for years in Springfield’s political lore.But the local GOP also is taking a risk in making Nugent the voice of one of its most significant annual events.
The risk, of course, is that Nugent's outspokenness might be off-putting to some party members, especially longtime, traditional conservatives. These are the people who favor gun rights, but also favor things like keeping assault rifles out of private-sector use. They'd like to see someone other than Obama in the White House, but they don't favor conveying that message in ways that Nugent has conveyed it in the past.
If you think these people and these concerns don't exist, you are kidding yourself. An awful lot of Republicans are uneasy with their party being forcibly rebranded, whether it's by Ted Nugent on guns or a Tea Party debate crowd cheering at the idea of someone being left to die because they don't have health insurance or by those who believe evolution doesn't exist.
I had a great phone interview with Ted Nugent in 1998 and reviewed him twice in the '90s -- both times favorably. I know what he's about and I know what the local party's intent was in booking him as their speaker. I noted as much in the editorial. I also noted that he was a good choice given the party's stated goal: to sell tickets and raise money.
Apparently stating all this counts as harsh criticism and an assault on the Second Amendment. At least that's the way about 20 commenters had interpreted the editorial this morning. Pardon me for stating the obvious.
Then they really don't favor gun rights.
This guy is no Republican. He is an all out liberal and probably a registered Democrat. He is trying to define the Republican party into what he wants it to be. Do not buy into it.
The author of this screed would be well advised to let his blog gather more dust.
That’s what the Tea Party is about - taking over the GOP with conservatives.
If the “freshmen” get to Congress and ignore us, primaries are always less than 2 yrs away.
I think we found Megan McCain’s gynecologist......
most Flyover Constitutionalists are “off-putting” to the go-along-get-along governing “conservatives” that have become comfortable in DC...
Someone who’s used to talking with the reverb on?
8mm takes too long to develop . . .
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