MEMO
To: Laura Vozzella, Correspondent, Washington Post
From: One extremely annoyed political commentator, Matt Colt Hall
RE: Get some journalistic integrity somewhere and quit quoting anonymous sources.
Last week, Laura Vozzella of the Washington Post did her best to try to tear down Republican nominee for Attorney General John Adams [1]; during the primary, Senator Jill Vogel was a focus. This week, Laura set her sights on Republican nominee for Governor Ed Gillespie. [2]
In her article, Vozzella cited as many anonymous sources as she could find in Washington and in Richmond. Our friend Justin Higgins did a fantastic job of pointing out how many times she relied on anonymous sources. It wasn’t just one secret source, or two, or even five. SIXTEEN ANONYMOUS SOURCES! [3] Sixteen people who don’t even seem to have any major role or qualifications anywhere, except that they are “Republicans” who are happy to chat with the Post with complaints about the Gillespie campaign.
Simply put, this is pathetic. The Washington Post should be absolutely ashamed of itself. I expect better journalistic integrity from Laura Vozzella and The Washington Post. This article only serves to tear the Republican Party apart. This re-illustrates my point from last week that Ralph Northam, Justin Fairfax, and Mark Herring are so lazy about campaigning they get the Washington Post to do their dirty work for them.
MEMO
To: Anonymous Sources
From: One very annoyed political observer, Matt Colt Hall
RE: Stand by your name
If you have something to say, stand up and say it. I will be the first to admit that I think Ed Gillespie was too conservative with money and resources in the primary. But the difference is that I would say that to any member of the Gillespie campaign. I would say that to Ed himself. So grow up. If you have concerns, be willing to say them and stand by them, and not be a political coward hiding under the name “anonymous source.”
MEMO
T0: The White House, President Trump, and all affected parties
From: One very annoyed political observer, Matt Colt Hall
RE: Leave us alone
I hope that someone in the White House Office of Political Affairs reads this. I really do. I say this with all the kindness and southern charm in my heart. Please — leave the Virginia gubernatorial campaign alone.
According to the Washington Post’s haphazard reporting, you want to help. I get that you want to be involved because Virginia is a prestigious Commonwealth, but let’s be clear. Donald Trump lost the state of Virginia by 5.4 percentage points. [4] The president lost the popular vote in Virginia by over 200,000 votes.
I get that you won tough states like Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. President Trump may or may not have won with the help of Russian hackers or the fact that the Democrats ran the worst ticket for President since McGovern/Eagleton ’72 (fun fact, Eagleton was only on the ticket for like a month).
But for the name that all that is holy, please do Virginia a favor. Leave us alone.
MEMO
TO: Corey Stewart, his supporters, and all other affected parties.
From: Matt Colt Hall
RE: We’ve said it before but we’ll say it again — please shut up.
Corey, Corey, Corey….. As my dear mother would say, talking to you is about as good as talking to a fencepost. It won’t do any good to try to talk some sense into you, so we are going to call a spade a spade.
You are now a candidate who has lost a statewide election –not just once but twice. I’m terribly sorry, I know you want to be in higher elected office to satisfy that political ego you have that’s the size of the state of Texas, but please, keep your opinions about Ed Gillespie to yourself.
My colleagues Jim Hoeft [5] and Brian Schoeneman [6] have recommended that you shut up. Better yet, you should follow the Pete Snyder motto and be the loyal soldier.
Corey, this should be you. All day, every day. Put your petty interests and your ego to bed. Why, you ask? Four more years of Democrats running the state of Virginia could destroy the Virginia economy. We need you, and your supporters to get in line and be the gracious soldiers for the Republican Party. I know that’s hard; it was hard for me to stand with the party last year. But I did. You also need to. Now is the time to unite. Now is the time to stand together. For the sake of the Commonwealth, be quiet.
MEMO:
To: Ed Gillespie, Gillespie For Virginia Campaign, other affected parties
From: Your Dear Friend and loyal supporter since Day 1, Roanoke Valley Young Republicans Chairman, & Bearing Drift Senior Contributor, Matt Colt Hall
RE: Don’t take advice from Corey Stewart, Laura Vozzella, The White House, and especially don’t take advice from anonymous sources.
Let me begin with a famous phrase in Latin “Illegitimi non carborundum.”
Don’t let the bastards get you down.
Look Ed (and I hope that Ed Gillespie himself reads this), I know it’s tough right now. The whole world seems to be against you. The leftist media and Corey Stewart will not keep their mouths shut for two seconds, and the armchair quarterbacks continue to lecture you about what you should do in your campaign.
I’m going to give you a good piece of advice.
Be yourself.
It’s just that simple! Be yourself. You are doing a great job striking policy contrasts between yourself and the Democratic ticket. The fireworks proposal over the July Fourth holiday was great. Your plan to fight opioid addiction is fantastic. KEEP BEING YOU.
Remember this fact: there are thousands of Virginians that went to vote for you in the primary and thousands more will vote for you in the general if you keep your nose to the grindstone. Keep hammering out policy differences, keep working with your fantastic running mates, and keep being yourself. Let us political commentators work to find the truth; you just keep getting your positive message to all Virginians.
It is my hope that these memos that I have drafted get to where they need to go. I needed to say my piece and get on with my life. I hope that all affected parties take their advice to heart.