Arkansas Democrat Gazette Endorses Hutchinson Campaign

Arkansas Democrat Gazette thru "Hutchinson for U.S. Senate" webpage ^ | Oct.20, 2002

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Arkansas Democrat Gazette Endorses Hutchinson Campaign Arkansas Democrat Gazette October 20, 2002 For Tim Hutchinson We know where he stands RULE NO. 2 in taking on an incumbent politician is: Explain why the voters should make a change. (Rule No. 1 is: Raise lotza money.) The principal argument Mark Pryor has made for unseating Senator Tim Hutchinson is this: My last name is Pryor. That may have been good enough for his father, but it isn't good enough for us. And it shouldn't be good enough for serious Arkansans, either. Even on the most important of issues, Mark Pryor just smiles his smile, awshucks his way through the question, and all but sketches imaginary circles on the floor in front of him with the toe of one shoe. It's almost as if he's counting on some kind of automatic voter reflex to put him in the United States Senate. (Ballot says Pryor, vote same.) Agree or disagree, Arkansans have the right to know where their senator stands on abortion. Mark Pryor was prochoice in 1998 when he ran for attorney general, or said he was. Now he says abortion is wrong but he wouldn't do anything to stop it. And while he's opposed to abortion personally, he thinks women should be able to abort their children. Well, sometimes. After all his talk, all we know is this: If Mark Pryor gets pregnant, he promises to have the baby. As attorney general, he aw-shucked his way past those payday loan lenders who take advantage of the least among us. He was satisfied to take their money and leave them to prey on the desperate. He also defended an unconstitutional law that branded homosexuals as criminals. And our attorney general showed even less backbone when it came to thoughtcrime. Maybe you remember that. Maybe not. We don't blame you if you don't. His rationalizations weren't worth remembering. But Attorney General Pryor once backed a hate-crime law for Arkansas. He said the bill would punish only conduct, not thought. Nice sound bite. But it made no sense. The proposed hate-crime law would have increased penalties for those who commit an offense if their thoughts were in the politically incorrect place. Beating up somebody over his race/color/ religion/gender/sexual orientation would have got you a 20 percent higher sentence. Beating up somebody else because of his class, dress, political affiliation or for just his wallet would get you a 20 percent discount. Thought had everything to do with it. That's why these laws are a species of what George Orwell called thoughtcrime. They create "protected classes" that divide ordinary victims from special ones. We ourselves would prefer to treat all criminals equally. And severely. Granted, our conversation with the attorney general on this issue got ridiculous at times, but that's what happens when an attorney general supports a ridiculous law. Our minds fog just thinking about it. We were thinking of that weird conversation when some simple, sensible thoughts intruded: Tim Hutchinson deserves a second term. Yes, there have been times when we didn't like how he voted or what he was saying, but we knew where he stood. And could understand it. He gave the conversation some traction. The senator is gaining in seniority, which helps small states like Arkansas in Congress. He's a solid supporter of the Second Amendment and gun rights. He's a member of the Armed Services, Veteran Affairs, and the Agriculture committees, among others. He has taken a consistent, principled stand on abortion. (He's agin.) And you never have to wonder what the heck he's trying to say. But, we've forgotten the most important reason of all to vote for Tim Hutchinson. It's more important than bringing home the bacon, more important than his opponent's non-answers to tough questions. The president needs Tim Hutchinson in the Senate. So do all those who value freedom abroad and a free market at home. This isn't to say Mark Pryor wouldn't lend W. a hand if it were the popular thing to do, as on issues like the War on Terror. He would. As long as the polls held up. But this president needs a Republican majority in the Senate to push through other legislation - like making his tax cuts permanent - and to approve judicial nominees now stuck in the long, long partisan pipeline. The 107th Congress is still sitting on dozens of judicial nominees, and it's tying up the court system in elaborate knots. (Strom Thurmond pert-near birthed a cat the other day when the Judiciary sat on one of his favorite nominees. But it was kind of fun to see the Senate's oldest member "ever" raise Cain with these 70-year-old whippersnappers.) The Homeland Security Bill is stuck in the mud, meaning the Senate. And in the next couple of years, a couple of vacancies could be opening on the Supreme Court of the United States. Who will fill those seats - a Scalia or a Ginsburg? A thinker or another vague mediocrity? The answer could determine the course of constitutional law for the next decade. Or more. Do the people of Arkansas want every nominee to kiss current Majority Leader Tom Daschle's ring before a vote? Mark Pryor could prove to be another arrow in Sen. Daschle's quiver. A vote for Tim Hutchinson could prove a vote for a much-needed new majority leader for the U.S. Senate. A Republican-controlled Senate could clear the way to exploration of oil drilling here at home, and that would mean less reliance on Middle Eastern mullahs. Other needed legislation is also knee deep in the Senate. A lot could depend on your vote November 5 th. (Or tomorrow, when early voting starts.) Will we reform the Social Security system, letting folks decide to invest a portion of their own money, or let the system get as close to bankruptcy as possible before rushing pell-mell to save it? You have a close race and some great issues in your hands, Mr. and Mrs. Arkansan. Lest we forget, at critical times like these, all politics is national. Every seat in a closely divided Senate is decisive. A smile, a familiar name, and a handshake shouldn't be enough to win your vote. Arkansas needs to send an experienced, principled senator, one with the president's ear, back to Washington.

[Lauratealeaf]

I wasn't married in 1980. As a married man, I understand the importance of keeping my marriage vows.

Well, isn't that special. I am sure that the wife is glad of that. But I think it is odd that you would take such a strong stand on one candidate's divorce and not be concerned about the other candidate's waffling and wavering stands on very important issues like abortion and defense.

[sweetliberty]

I think it is a combination of the liberal media and just plain laziness. It is much easier to have somebody else tell you how to think and how to vote. Fits right into the whole pattern of not being accountable. When things go wrong there is always somebody else to blame, even for something so fundamental as personal decisions. I daresay it is a far cry from what our founding fathers had in mind for our constitutional republic.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

See post 256,.. I think she explains extremely well why this is happening.

Sen. Hutchison is a great guy,.. we are hoping and PRAYING like mad that he can pull off a win.

We will "all" be served better for it.

Some of us sinners who dared to ever be divorced, who were human and failed, think the only person who can judge Sen. Hutchison is God. His ex-wife has forgiven him, now it is time his constituents do too. As unfortunate as the divorce was, it was handled as well as it could be, and in NO WAY resembles Clinton!!! Heck, even I would have respected Bill and Hitlery if they had divorced. The example they set for future generations regarding marraige is WAY more abhorrent than divorce.

Besides, looking at the positions of the two men, who would best serve decency if elected? There isn't really a choice, IMHO Which is why Arkansans are appearing hypocritical. It really isn't about Sen. Hutchisons divorce, its about Democrats.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

I think it is a combination of the liberal media and just plain laziness. It is much easier to have somebody else tell you how to think and how to vote. Fits right into the whole pattern of not being accountable. When things go wrong there is always somebody else to blame, even for something so fundamental as personal decisions. I daresay it is a far cry from what our founding fathers had in mind for our constitutional republic."

Agree again!! 150 percent!!

[bradactor]

You are absolutely right. I looked up the Arkansas governor list and he was a republican like Nelson was. I thought he was like Jay, a democrat. I guess I always associated Winthrop with the democrats because at the time I was a member of the young democrats and participated in the election campaign of Eugene McCarthy in 1968. I only remember hearing Ted Kennedy speak at some rally and thought he was the most boring person I ever met. I attended a picnic once where Governor Rockefeller was there and I guess I just thought of him as a democrat. Don't remember his speech lol. Don't remember much of what he did in the state because the state was mostly controlled by the democrats or at least I thought so at the time.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Don't remember much of what he did in the state because the state was mostly controlled by the democrats or at least I thought so at the time.

You are correct, the state was mostly controlled by the dems then, and largely so still today.

While we have a Republican Governor and Lieutenant Governor, who by the way is Winthrop's son, the dems still control most of the rest of the state. That is, except for northwest Arkansas.

[bradactor]

Again, whether Winthrop was a Republican or a democrat does not matter. Hutchinson has done a good job as far as I know from friends who live in Little Rock and since his wife supports his election he should not be put to shame and not be voted for. This is not even the same thing that happened with Newt Gingrich.
People just amaze me. They are just out of touch with what the socialist democrats are doing to this nation.
Brad

[spectre]

One last time...Tim GAVE the Dems ammo to use against him. Period.

You act as tho I am personally judging the man, when that isn't the issue. The issue is why he is lagging behind.

The Dems took his weakness and rolled with it...

PRYOR signs are all over the place and absolutely outnumber the Hutchinson ones. PRYOR is instant name recognition..it's subliminal.

Now, I've said enough..My husband and family WILL vote for Tim and pray the voters will be kind. Don't blame it on this state being DEMS, either. Huckabee and WinPaul are Republicans, aren't they?

Buh, bye...sw

[Lauratealeaf]

Ok, I guess that is good enough. Thanks.

[Lauratealeaf]

They were intelligent enough to know who Clinton was before the FIRST election.

I met Clinton in 1974 and he made a very bad impression on me. Of course, I was raised in a Republican family so had a big advantage over many and never, ever considered voting for Clinton. So many people were fooled by him though it is sickening.

[bradactor]

That may be true that the governor and lt. governor are republicans but who controls the legislative agenda. That is who counts. In Texas we may finally have a republican house and senate. This is why Bush needs republicans in the senate that will back him, his judges, and his agenda. In Texas Bush did what he could but he knew he was limited in power as governor. The state constitution of Texas gives limited power to the governor. The lt. governor runs the senate. Bush courted Bob Bullock before he ran because he knew it was necessary. Since I am not involved in the local Arkansas campaign, I cannot judge what Hutchinson has or has not done.
But I just know from friends I have there he is represented them okay.

[missanne]

That was good! :-)

[mountainfolk]

Now Pagey, you do realize that Arkansas is a very small state with --I am guessing-- population around 3 1/2 million? Once entrenched, it is very difficult to overcome a political party that has provided state jobs to a significant number of residents, and welfare to many others. It is a democrat controlled state which is slowly crawling out of the slime and corruption that the Clinton gang of theives left behind. The hostility that is directed at Tim Hutchinson---in my opinion which is never humble---is probably as much a throwback to earlier times as moral shock at his marital transgression. Republicans have been held up as devils who will take away whatever sustenance some citizens depend on and this thought is always in the back of their minds. No matter the reality. As others have pointed out, Senator Hutchinson would have had a very hard reelection campaign no matter what because Mark Pryor was chosen and preped long ago to run for this senate seat. The Clinton's already have one senator, Blanche Lincoln, and want the other seat as well. I pray to God that we keep Hutchinson as the Clinton's and the RATS will own two more senate seats. I have given you some of our reasons, excuses if you will, for fostering the Clintons. Now you can tell me why California is in the mess it finds itself. Two liberal senators. Unpatriotic people who pretend for a living. Illegal immigrants who are on the verge of setting up their own government and marching on to adjacent states. The list is longer but you get the drift. I see that you like PJ O'Rourke and he is a favorite of mine also. I guess we both need to laugh to keep from crying. It does get exasperating.