At the 7th Congressional District Convention on Saturday, former Gov. Gilmore spoke and got an enthusiastic reception. (More about that later today or tomorrow). Later, Pat McSweeney, the surrogate for Bob Marshall (Gilmore’s nomination rival) spoke. Let’s say this surrogate did not win too many hearts and minds, which you might guess from seeing the following photo:
This is a photo of Rules Committee chairman Mike Thomas and 7th District Chairman Linwood Cobb, as they listen to McSweeney. McSweeney’s emphasis was on the national debt, and his belief that Marshall, who, he said, is “a crank,” is the man he wants in the Senate, addressing the debt. He mentioned that he liked Tom Coburn, who tends to ask, “Who’s going to pay for this [spending bill]?” but McSweeney echoed George Will in lamenting that Coburn is a Senator with not much seniority. Marshall would of course have exactly no seniority.
McSweeney upbraided us for holding “pep rallies” when we should apparently all be walking around scared witless of the debt. (Of course we should cut spending and take the debt seriously. But that doesn’t mean that pep rallies don’t have their place, too. It’s good to fire up the troops if they are facing a tough situation. Happy warriors, right?)
McSweeney had a legal-sized folder with him, from which, at a couple of points, he pulled out documents (a Gilmore mailer and an old photocopied Times-Dispatch article) dramatically, unfurling them and placing them back on the podium as though laying down some incriminating evidence before a scandalized jury. He intoned that we are “out of touch” with the conservative base, and hinted darkly of our civilization’s doom due to this debt (“a threat to our national security,” “a grave crisis”).
This didn’t go over so well. In fact, near the end, as McSweeney was making a charge about Gilmore’s record, a man spoke up, “Not true!” and a couple of other people started to agree vocally with the man. Linwood Cobb got up and told people to not interrupt. McSweeney closed by saying that while he was teaching political science at VCU he noted that most of his students didn’t vote, because “they didn’t believe politicians would stand by what they said.” Seems to me that he would want to exhort his students to get involved and vote anyway, because that would encourage more of a feeling of ownership in the students, so that they would be more likely to want to hold the politicians (for whom they voted) to be accountable for their campaign promises. On the other hand, if McSweeney’s classes were as gloomy as this speech, I don’t blame the students for having their enthusiastic little selves wet-blanketed back into a fine state of non-voting torpor.
A source tells me he heard from one of the smaller delegations who came to Pocahontas Middle School that day as Marshall supporters, and after hearing Gilmore and McSweeney, they left as Gilmore supporters.
Jane Dudley has enjoyed conservatism and photography for over 30 years. After looking around at the mediocre state of affairs of political photography as it exists on the right, she decided to start making better images, to document Virginia Republicans and to inspire them to make more of an effort to put a fine face on their fine ideas. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia and works in new media. 
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So Marshall’s guy didn’t go over well on Gilmore’s home turf. Why should we be surprised?
I’m not surprised at all that a conservative isn’t accepted by the mainstream Republicans.
Stephen Gunter,
The voters are not ready to dismiss Republican candidates for office, it’s just the lock step, ticket punching, “conservative” ones we have a problem with.
Notice how John McCain still appeals to many. John McCain’s appeal is based upon his willingness to stand firm against the excesses of the “Republican Revolution” in my opinion. His appeal to moderates has been blunted by his recent willingness to campaign in favor of the excesses he once stood against.
I’ve been Gilmore’s surrogate three times, each for Mass Meetings at Waynesboro, and Staunton, and a regular meeting for my Committee (Augusta), and all I have said about Del. Marshall or Bob Berry, is that we have three great Conservatives running, but this is why Gilmore is my man.
I was appalled at our 6th District meeting when Marshall’s surrogate started going on about the Council of Foreign Relations, and it’s ‘evil’ implications, among other disparaging comments.
Spank,
I have an International Law degree; it’s an LL.M from Georgetown.
I wasn’t a believer in this stuff before but once I paid $65K for the degree, I, too, found myself in the warmth of hating the CFR. I suppose ignorance is bliss and so it’s easy to see why Republicans would be appalled at stuff they know nothing about. It’s kind of like John McCain and the Constitution or Gilmore and the deficit….see?
The CFR is a marxist organization that no longer finds sovereignty a useful concept. If you believe that pro-sovereignty statements a little disparaging, then you need to put a “D” after your name because you sure ain’t a Republican.
Kiss,
Maybe you can educate us less literate (common folk) on just what the hell you are talking about?
Perhaps your ideas are so beyond us that we will forever be lost. But us lost folk vote, and our votes matter as much as yours.
I didn’t know Gov. Gilmore kept company with Marxists’? Do they worship at an alter of Che?
Glad to see you took the time to get to know Pat before ripping his face off;
If you knew anything about him, you would know what a fool you made of yourself with this article