TPM Reader CB checks in from Alabama to take issue with my referring to the Republicans in today’s gubernatorial runoff as two of the biggest goofs you could imagine:
As a loyal Dem it makes me a little nauseous to write this but feel it is necessary regarding your piece on the AL Gov run-off today. You say it is hard too imagine two bigger goofs, well I present the other two major candidates that they defeated in the first primary: Roy “Ten Commandments” Moore and Tim James, son of the most infamous creationist politician in recent memory, and the man who ran the goofy ads regarding English only laws. My neighbor referred to Tim James as George Wallace after a severe head injury.
Byrne and Bentley were very much the moderates in the race and have IQs that far exceed their previous opponents. In a year that is seeing the ‘crazies’ win numerous GOP primaries, it was a welcome relief to see the two ‘normals’ defeat the whackos in the primary.
While Byrne’s rush to proclaim himself a creationist may seem alarming he was actually forced to only because he has shown open sympathy to evolution in the past (this is a GOP primary after all). And Bentley’s ad, while somewhat deceptive, was not an outright lie and he has run a very positive and clean campaign, at least compared to every other GOP politician I have seen run this year.
It also should be noted that neither candidate has been running around making outrageous claims about Obama or socialism or death panels, or whatever the crazy talking point of the day coming from talk radio. …
Point taken.
