Apparently Obama is astroturfing some redneck support. More here too. Clearly Obama needed to defer the damage done by the coveted Foxworthy endorsement.
Category: Politics
Carve for Obama
This halloween, won’t you carve a pumpkin for Obama? He is the Lightworker, after all.
UPDATE: Rumor has it those pumpkins don’t actually have candles in them. They are power by pure and loving Hope. He is The One who will bring us to the light! Change we can believe in.
How Not to Earn an Endorsement
Of the entire Bucks County delegation of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, I have only two endorsed candidates: Paul Clymer of District 145 and Gene DiGirolamo of District 18. Scott Petri of District 178 is a B+ rated candidate, and we can see what issues he’s weak on:
Petri, who has been endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, said he wants a Pennsylvania State Police-maintained database and an enforceable, constitutional provision that requires people to report lost or stolen handguns. He said he will introduce legislation that would make straw purchasing a second-degree felony, carrying a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. He also wants any gun dealer who sells a weapon to a straw purchaser to lose his or her license forever.
The third party opponent seems to be pretty good on guns, and Petri does not carry an endorsement. Nonetheless, I would say he’s the lesser of the two evils for people who the gun issue is important to. It’s not a good idea to tell gun voters that your vote against a gun control provision is because it did not go far enough, and you’d be happy to vote for one that did. Also, while I agree with prosecuting straw purchasers, how is the dealer to know that the person he is selling to is a straw purchaser? The whole idea of the strawman is to put someone forward who will appear to not be a criminal, and who will pass the mandated background check. The moral culpability for the crime lies with the straw purchaser, who unlawfully buys the firearm, then unlawfully passes it to someone with a criminal record. Dealers do not have ESP. They can’t read people’s minds. If a dealer knowingly makes an illegal sale, that’s already a crime, both under state and federal law. They don’t just risk losing their license, they risk going to prison.
This is how politicians lose NRA endorsements, and why Scott Petri isn’t getting any of my volunteers this election. I appreciate he’s a B+, and his opponent is likely worse, but he needs to talk to some gun people in the area, and get an idea for how to speak about our issue in a way that gets tough with criminals, but signals to us that you understand our concerns, and will respect our rights. Petri is failing at that this election.
Other Things Ed Rendell Has Been Signing
Straight Talk Express Takes Gunfire
I agree with this blogger that if the Obama bus had taken gunfire, it would be all over the news media. But hey, the media has an election to win.
UPDATE: You know, I can’t find any independent corroboration for this story. It’s only reported by one blogger, and not even local media is reporting on it. I can buy the media burying an important story, but no media reports from anywhere?  That’s a bit harder to buy. Take this one with a grain of salt.
Todd Palin Tours Pennsylvania
Todd Palin was sweeping through Pennsylvania this weekend talking to gun owners and sportsmen. I really like this article the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette did on it. Very balanced and fair.
It’s Really Gun Control!
How do you get political cover for signing what is really a pro-gun bill? Claim it’s actually a gun control bill. Fortunatly the press is willing to go along.
Pennsylvania GOP Files for Injunction Against ACORN
The state GOP is saying:
The state Republican Party filed an injunction Friday against Secretary of the Commonwealth Pedro Cortes and ACORN, alleging a fair vote on Nov. 4 is impossible because of rampant voter fraud.
We’ll see where this goes.
Media Bias of the Day
On the radio this morning, it was reported “John McCain’s campaign just doesn’t seem to want to accept the polls that show Pennsylvania has turned solidly blue.” They went on to report all the states where McCain is losing, and reporting on Cindy McCain’s visit to Yardley with a hint that it’s a total waste of time. The message seemed to by “Why is the McCain campaign even trying? Don’t they know that The Chosen One is Chosen? He’s got this baby wrapped up. They just need to get over it.” I would accept the media reporting polling data. But reporting Polling data in a way that makes it seem like the election is over already, and McCain should just accept it is well beyond the realm of acceptable journalistic integrity.
Well, if Obama has such a commanding lead here, why is Obama also devoting so much to Pennsylvania too? Last weekend he was in the state for four stops in Philadelphia. If the state is sown up, he’d have more effect elsewhere. Sorry, but I’m just paying attention to polling data driven by media organizations that are in the tank for Obama. I know what the internal polling is saying, and I know there’s a lot more enthusiasm for McCain in this state than there ever was for George W. Bush. That’s not to say Pennsylvania won’t go blue, but I don’t think it’s going to be as close as the media is portraying it to be.
Context Again
People are coming absolutely unhinged over this Meleanie Hain situation:
“Come on, a 5-year-old’s soccer game?” she said. “I mean, really. But if she was in my club and I told her she cannot carry, I would be sued.”
Gregg-Bolognese said some clubs have approached her about hiring security guards. Some fathers have threatened to take a gun away from anyone who arrives at a game with one, an idea she tries to squelch. Referees have asked if they should carry guns.
What I see here is a bunch of people who really don’t understand why someone would carry a firearm to a kids soccer game, and are coming up with unrealistic and hysterical thoughts for why someone might want to do this openly. Keep in mind that this league has had problems with overzelous parents. Those of us in the issue understand the context of open carry, so we know Hain is no threat to anyone. Most other people do not, which is why, once again, context matters.
You might have a right to carry a firearm openly at a kids soccer game (the sheriff was wrong for revoking her permit) but we’re raising awareness of the issue of carrying firearms in the media in a way the public is going to have a tough time understanding. Parents who get scared and hysterical at the thought of someone carrying openly at a kids’ soccer game do not have a right to be free from fear. But they do have a right to vote, speak to the media, and petition the government. Pooh pooh their fear all you want, but scared parents are dangerous politically, and thin ice is being tread on here.
Hat tip to Arms and the Law