You’ll always be able to count on Jerry Kilgore to do exactly what his puppet master makes him do. From today’s Virginian-Pilot:
After Norquist released his [anti-tax] poster, Kilgore’s campaign manager, Ken Hutcheson, told reporters that such tactics are “not going to help the Republican Party of Virginia move ahead on its agenda.”
Norquist said Kilgore later called him to say that Hutcheson “was speaking for himself and on his own when he did that.”
“I’ve been assured that if somebody over in Kilgore’s campaign has a question about what I’m doing they will call me on the phone, not make a statement to the press without knowing anything about what they’re talking about,” Norquist said.
Kilgore gave a different account of the conversation, saying he called Norquist “just to make sure he understands why I did what I did. … I don’t disagree with what Ken said. As the Republican Party leader in Virginia, I’m not going to be targeting incumbents for defeat.”
Norquist’s response was characteristically tart.
“Jerry should never confuse his position as a candidate for office with the position of party leadership,” he said. “He is not the leader of the Republican Party of Virginia. … Parties stand for principle.”
More than anything else, this is just sad. Kilgore’s a big boy. He doesn’t have to be, in the words of CrossFire’s (R.I.P.) Tucker Carlson, Norquist’s “butt boy.” Instead, Kilgore is making it possible for this out-of-towner to saunter into the state and take over the Republican Party. As I’ve said, Norquist has cleaved the state Republicans in two, despite their regular protestations that no such thing has happened, and rather than make them more powerful, it’s going to prove a fatal blow. Democrats will make sure of that.
Because it’s Norquist, I feel oddly defensive of state Republicans. We might be on opposite side of things politically, but when set upon by an outside invader, we’re brothers in arms. The thing is that they’re joining up with the invaders. Which makes them guilty of treason. Which means that we — the Democrats — can attack without guilt. I’m starting to come around to that perspective.
1) Let Norquist rip them to shreds.
2) Regain dominance of the general assembly.
3) Remold the GOP into exactly what we want them to be… a weak minority party that serves to present the “other” point of view. To keep us honest, if you will, without being able to advance their agenda. Maybe we’ll even let them have a lieutenant governor from time to time!
4) Dare to dream.
The influx of ingfamous political hackjob masters being hired by George Allen atc. is overwhelming. The fallout of their presence is yet to be felt, but it will be felt about any old time now…..
Mark