Way out of the mainstream? You do know that Jerry Kilgore wrote the Virginia “Stand by your Ad” law that requires the candidate’s voice to be heard in radio ads, don’t you?

As for “Republicans’ protestations”…is this one of the Republicans you’re talking about:

Larry Sabato:

“This relates to the Southwest Virginia accent,” said Sabato. “It shouldn’t be a handicap, but it is. There is a prejudice about it. The implication of the accent, as it hits the ear of supposedly sophisticated suburbanites, is that it belongs to a country hick.”

That Republican shill, Larry Sabato! :)

Posted by John Behan on 25 April 02005 @ 3pm

Way out of the mainstream? You do know that Jerry Kilgore wrote the Virginia “Stand by your Ad” law that requires the candidate’s voice to be heard in radio ads, don’t you?

Then what’s his excuse?

That Republican shill, Larry Sabato!

I’m not sure of how to put this. Larry’s what’s referred to around here as a “confirmed bachelor.” He and Kilgore share a speaking style, and I ain’t talking about a drawl. I think he may be a little too close to the topic at hand to appreciate what, in particular, is noteworthy about Kilgore’s voice.

More to the point, it’s nice that Larry thinks that the ad has something to do with Kilgore’s drawl but, again, Tim Kaine has said nothing about that. All he’s done is say that Kilgore should stand by his ads; others are free to infer whatever they want, but those are inferences, not implication.

If Jerry Kilgore is going to say something, he should be enough of a man to say it himself, rather than hide behind his spokesman. That strikes me as pretty reasonable. Between his refusal to speak on his ads and his refusal to debate, I can’t see what Kilgore is running for office — he seems awfully frightened of actually interfacing with the public.

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 25 April 02005 @ 4pm

Accent, schmaccent.

Posted by Janis Jaquith on 25 April 02005 @ 4pm

Thanks for the link to the ad, Waldo. What ridiculous Republican spin on this. This is about Kaine being willing to speak for himself and Kilgore using a spokesman to speak for him. This is about Kaine being eager to debate and Kilgore being unwilling to debate.

Posted by Maura in VA on 25 April 02005 @ 5pm

This is all part of the Republicans new strategy. I like to call it: “WAHHHHH!!!”

“we’re victims! wahhhhh!”

Posted by paul on 25 April 02005 @ 6pm

“I think he may be a little too close to the topic at hand to appreciate what, in particular, is noteworthy about Kilgore’s voice.”

Interesting…I’ve had other “confirmed bachelor” types tell me they very MUCH appreciate what’s “noteworthy” about Kilgore’s voice. Frankly, it doesn’t take a rocket man…er, scientist, to figure this one out!

Posted by Lowell Feld on 25 April 02005 @ 6pm

Waldo, I suppose you didn’t see any Republican attacks on Kaine’s religious beliefs earlier in the year. I’ll expect you to disavow any “subliminal” messages in anyone’s ads for the duration of the campaign.

Posted by Will Vehrs on 26 April 02005 @ 8am

Waldo, I suppose you didn’t see any Republican attacks on Kaine’s religious beliefs earlier in the year.

a) Let’s not confuse surrogates with the candidates and their campaigns.
b) I didn’t say a word about them.

I’ll expect you to disavow any “subliminal” messages in anyone’s ads for the duration of the campaign.

Man, Kaine’s message must be really, really subliminal, because nobody has yet pointed to so much as a vague intimation within his radio ad that could be construed as mocking Kilgore’s accent. So, sure, if that’s what subliminal is, then bring it on. :)

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 26 April 02005 @ 9am