Kaine lashes Br’er Allen to the Tea Party
By Norman Leahy | Thursday, July 28th, 2011 | Politics, VirginiaDwayne Yancey refers us to a release from Tim Kaine’s Senate campaign in which the former Governor links George Allen to the tea party and the desire each has for a balanced budget amendment to be part of any debt ceiling deal. While Dwayne, quite rightly, calls attention to Kaine’s “Lord of the Rings” metaphor to describe Allen’s position, a more appropriate one is Br’er Rabbit.
Think of it this way…
At one time, say briefly in 2009, lumping Allen in with those scabrous tea partiers might have been seen as wise and strategic thinking. Or at least it was within the confines of DNC headquarters. But in the context of the Republican senatorial primary, in which Republican contender Jamie Radtke has wrapped her campaign in the flag, rhetoric and post-it notes of the tea party, it would seem such a linkage actually helps Allen. Yes, it helps, because now even the Democrats are saying Allen is singing from the tea party hymnal. This must mean he’s as flinty-eyed and, in Kaine’s words, “dangerous” as they are.
But that’s not doing justice to the briar patch into which Kaine tosses Allen. Here’s the paragraph that will really sting (others):
“Even Republicans have called George Allen’s and the Tea Party’s unwillingness to compromise on this point ‘foolish,’ ‘unfair,’ ‘deceiving’ and an idea from ‘Middle Earth’ fantasy land. I’ll add dangerous to that list.”
Who are those other Republicans? The release cites John McCain, for one. The Wall Street Journal editorial page, for another. And, oddly, the liberal Brookings Institute’s Norman Ornstein.
So in a single press release, Tim Kaine’s campaign has managed to paint Allen both as a friend of the balanced budget amendment, a tea partier to his core, to the right of John McCain and at odds with the Journal editorial page and an NPR regular.
That’s some briar patch. But I don’t think Br’er Allen minds it a bit.
(Cross-posted at Score Radio Network)
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About the author
Norm Leahy has written about Virginia and national politics online since 2002, beginning with One Man's Trash (OMT), and continuing through Bacon's Rebellion (both the blog and the e-zine), Sic Semper Tyrannis, NBC12's Decision Virginia, Richmond.com and Tertium Quids. He is the chief blogger at "The Score" and a producer of "The Score" radio show as well as being a Washington Post contributor.
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5 Responses to "Kaine lashes Br’er Allen to the Tea Party"
Sort of hilarious since a lot of Tea Party types are busy denouncing Allen as a useless retread.
Much like the BD universe denouncing Obama as a would be socialist dicatator, while some in his own party are calling him a sell out and Republican Lite.
I’d argue that from a General election standpoint being tied to the Tea Party in 2010 would have been advantageous but by 2012 not as much. As evidence by Shaun and JR on another thread today, even mainline conservatives are losing some patience with the Tea Party.
…of course, there’s a lot of Democrats that support a balanced budget amendment, too.
As a former DNC chair, you’d think Kaine would have more sense than this.
On the flip side of the coin, the new meme will be that the Tea Party is the right-wing version of MoveOn.org, though the difference between the two is as stark as green grass to Astroturf…
Replying to McCain’s slam of certain Republicans and the Tea Party citing the WSJ editorial:
“I’d rather be a hobbit than a troll” – Rand Paul
Democrats have moved in their preferred opponent. They want Allen rather than Radtke. In addition to George Allen’s already large supply of vulnerable areas to attack, Democrats will take his Balanced Budget stance, imply (though he avoided commital) he favors Paul Ryan’s “attack” on medicare and paint Allen of all people, as a Tea Partier. They only have the “crazy Tea Party” label for Radtke.
I have to admit, George Allen’s position holds merit. Pretty much the same as Radtke’s.
Now the point that a balanced budget amendment is likely the same as saying no debt ceiling increase, period. A worthy point to make. Why not do that?!
Instead, we get a childish reference to a movie. Kinda hard to persuade you “friends” when you call them names.
Another thing:
The solution to being overly in debt is not more credit!!!!
Try that with your bank. Insist that they give you more loans, so that you can afford to pay the original loan on time. Um…….otherwise you might default!
So, George Allen and Jamie Radtke’s position is a job killer? What? I suppose Obama and the current Congress no NOTHING about killing jobs? What is the unemployment rate? How many people are on food stamps? Can you do worse?
How about both parties do the right thing instead of build positions for the presidential election. Obama does have one legitimate point on that. Saving a long term fix to be argued right in election season is near criminal! Not that the Democrats are any better.
No matter what we do, it will be a little unpleasant, but it is either a bit unwelcome now or devastating and super power ending later.
Cuts have to be made or they will eventually be forced on you. There is no escaping having to take responsibility for what has been done all these years.
Perhaps the Soviet Union should just have increased their debt limit!
Please wake up before its too late. Gotta agree with GA on this one. Cutting expenditures is not default. An increase might even be grudgingly accepted if real cuts are made now and not some phony promise that Congress says a future Congress must keep. Get real before the people take you to the woodshed.
Of course he’s a friend of the BBA (he was the House sponsor when he served in the early 90′s and again sponsored it as a US Senator) I think that’s the definition of being a friend to a bill!
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