Still feeling sort of cruddy, but thought I'd check my email.

Someone sent me a link to a post on another blog attacking me for things I've written regarding CD22 over the last week or so. Since the poster is offended, I figure I owe him some apologies.

Here is what I left him in his comment section.

1) If stating matters that are on the public record constitutes "trashing" someone, then I gladly plead guilty. On the other hand, if being a loyal member of the party means hiding corruption and dishonesty on the part of elected officials, I want nothing of it. I continue to find it interesting that you criticize me for "trashing" David Wallace but fail to point to a single spot where my posts have been inaccurate -- much less flse. But if you think I need to apologize for what I posted, I will "I'm sorry I have spoken the truth about David Wallace."

2) I think Smither is a good man, and I believe that it would have been a legitimate course of action for the GOP to support him. I struggled, -- publicly, as you note -- with the question of whether the best course of ction might be to put the support of the GOP behind him as a way of keeping CD22 out of the hands of a liberal like Nick Lampson. As I said in a number of places "Maybe we should make Bob Smither the first Libertarian party congressman in 2006 -- and the first Libertarian party ex-Congressman in 2008." But since you seem to feel I was wrong to think and say what I did, let me offer this apology -- I am sorry that I had the audacity to think unauthorized thoughts, and to think outside the box (or think at all) with regard to the best course of action to prevent the seat from falling into Democrat hands."

3) Of the entire lot of GOP candidates who emerged after The Virginian decided to "screw, blue and tattoo" CD22 this spring, I believe Shelley was and is the best of the bunch. I worked long and hard this spring and summer to persuade my fellow chairs of that. I am not, however, a member of her campaign staff and hold no official position with her organization -- and my words represent me and my opinions only. I was even prepared to give Wallace a chance -- but he has displayed a sense of arrogance and entitlement from the very moment The Virginian announced his resignation. He has refused to meet wtih any group which is not dominated by his supporters or at any forum not organized by them. Whether it is the Harris COunty GOP candidate forum in May or the CD22 Executive Committee meeting on Thursday, David Wallace has shown he is unable to face the unconverted and is only willing to preach to the choir -- not a good trait in a candidate for such a highly contested seat. But since you are offended, I'll offer another apology -- "I'm sorry that I have come to expect better of Republican candidates over the course of my quarter century of political activism within the GOP."

As I remind my students when I teach American Government, politics is the art and science of trying to ensure the election of candidates who will do the most to implement policies which most closely put conform with one's beliefs and desires -- and I have openly discussed how to do that in the current situation. Any other course of action would have been counter-productive.

Posted by: Greg at 08:30 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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