Mark Warner is way WAY off base here. The bottom line is the special interests he likes are fine and dandy, but the special interests he doesn’t like are anti-American.

I don’t think those who created America would think protecting life, religion and arms was anti-American.

First and foremost, as Jason pointed out, Warner was not calling out bigotry, he was calling out specific groups of people.

This is an audio recording showing someone who is simply intolerant of people who do not agree with his positions. There are plenty of people who have different opinions on issues than I do, but do I consider them a “threat” to what it means to be an American? Absolutely not. In fact, the entire premise behind our Constitution rests in the decision by the Founders to allow a marketplace of ideas, something they did not have before the Revolution. The beauty of the United States of America is that we all can share different opinions without having to be labeled as a “threat to what it means to be an American.” Someone running for the United States Senate, or any office for that matter should be aware of this beauty within our system. This principle, so eloquently established by our Founding Fathers is apparently lost with Governor Warner. In fact, he cares so little, he doesn’t even respond. For hundreds of years, we have fought wars, court battles and movements within the nation to PROTECT these groups to have the opinions they do, NOT to label them a threat to what it means to be an American. If the commentators on this website consider his comments to be those of calling out “bigots”, what is your assessment of Warner labeling those people as “threats to what it means to be an American” simply because he disagrees with them?

It can also be claimed that these comments were brought up during the 2001 election. I would concede that point, but not to the extent that an audio tape of these comments was ever released. In fact, Governor Warner was able to skirt the issue completely because Mark Earley could not corroborate the claim. For anyone with access to Lexus Nexus look up Warner’s response within the Richmond Times Dispatch on the date of October 31, 2001.

So, given that it was indeed said in 1994, how is it justified that he could lie about in 2001? Are these comments too far in the past to be held against him? Given your claim that someone could state something at one point time, and it could be viewed as meaningless a few years down the road, at what point should we draw this line? Is it something that we should use when it is simply convenient to get away from your past issues?

To suggest that Governor Warner has changed his opinions is also a difficult notion to simply concede. During the final televised debate this year, Governor War said he opposed Justices like Scalia (defended freedom of speech with regards to flag burning), Thomas, Alito and Roberts (All Justices joined in the majority opinion in DC vs. Heller). Warner claimed these Justices were out of the “mainstream”. I was not aware Justices Constitutional requirements were to reside in the mainstream of public opinion? It has always been my understanding that they are to read the law. How can one claim he has changed his opinions from 1994, when he is currently so vehemently against our Justices? Could it have something to do with him being a supporter of Roe v. Wade, while the pro-life community (mentioned in the tape), and majority of Americans oppose it? Does he still consider them a threat to America?

I apologize for the length of this response, but I just find it so difficult to simply “discount” these comments made, which hit a broad spectrum of people (granted not all). Intolerance within our political system is something we should not tolerate and when it is prudent, question the candidates who make such statements. It is dark day when a politician can make such statements, and feel zero obligation to not only those affected, but his own supporters to justify his claims.

Mark, your comment proves your own point – “Bigotry and ignorance are threats to America”

Now, I’m a deeply spiritual person, I own and believe in gun ownership, and I think home schooling is great if you can do it. But! the freedom of religion includes all religions, not just Christianity. Gun ownership doesn’t mean that I need a .50 caliber machine gun for home protection, but the NRA would have you believe otherwise. (Besides, if you can’t defend your home with just a semi-auto and a shotgun then either A) you don’t know how to use a gun properly so you probably shouldn’t have any, or B) we’re being overrun by zombies or a foreign army, in which case don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes!) Finally, not all home schoolers are right wing Bible thumpers who believe that the only thing their kids should learn is that “Jesus is coming so you better be ready when he comes or he won’t take you to Heaven with mommy and daddy.” But I think those are the kind of home schoolers that he was referring to, and yes that kind of schooling does nothing more than breed future domestic terrorists.

Bigotry and ignorance are threats to America. The GOP has been over run by people with those two qualities. You do the math.

Not to nitpick, but there’s a vast difference between “practicing” and “defending.”
By simply having guns, one is not defending the 2nd amendment.

If I go and protest about having my gun rights violated, then I’m defending the 2nd amendment.

If I go and hunt, using my gun, I’m just practicing, or enjoying, my rights.

There are many people of deep and sincere faith who are not part of the Christian Coalition, and the right-wing Christians would do well to remember that.