State Blog Roundup - June 15, 2007

Long Time Listener, First Time Caller (1.00 / 1)

Look, it's one thing to blog your heart out about this theory or that, but do you honestly think Arch F-in' Moore is some puppet master pulling strings to screw the pied piper of the Eastern Panhandle?

Shelley can take care of herself without pappy, see Humphreys, Jim (double-up); Wells, Erik; Callaghan, Mike.

And yes, I understand the theory/rationale that those were all flawed candidates (they were in some ways each) from Charleston (which is not the bogeyman y'all think it is).

We'll all get behind the nominee when the primary (if there even is one) is over. But JU's habit of jumping when questioned and supporter's (new and disturbing) habit of seeing conspiracy to oppose at every turn -- and letting the paranoia lead to ARCH MOORE sightings -- won't make it easy.

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by: spruceshoe @ Sat Jun 16, 2007 at 15:09:12 PM UTC

spruceshoe (4.00 / 1)

You completely ignore the people most pushing <i>for</i>Anne Barth</i> are Republican blogs and columnists. How do you explain that?

When a man embarks upon a crime, he is morally guilty of any other crime which may spring from it. Sherlock Holmes.

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by: Carnacki @ Sat Jun 16, 2007 at 19:48:41 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Additional points (4.00 / 1)

1. We've never said Charleston is the "bogeyman" on this blog. Show me a link any where. Otherwise you look very much like a concern troll here to disrupt and create a fight between regions.

2. There's been ZERO blog diaries in favor of Anne Barth for WV-02 from the left side of the blogosphere. ZERO. The only people who have publicly encouraged her to run are Republican columnists and bloggers. There's been dozens of posts in favor of John Unger here and Daily Kos, MyDD, Swing State Project and others. Not just by us but by others we don't know, including Markos at Daily Kos. There's very little interest in Barth for WV-02. It primarilys is from Byrd staffers (by the way guys, feel free to email in music requests for the videos or to even sign up for an account to comment during the week. You know you want to.)

3. This site is moderated. That's why I rated your comment unproductive. Don't post again like an ass or a concern troll.

When a man embarks upon a crime, he is morally guilty of any other crime which may spring from it. Sherlock Holmes.

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by: Carnacki @ Sat Jun 16, 2007 at 20:38:42 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

spruceshoe -- welcome to the site (4.00 / 1)

You sound like someone with quite a lot of interest in W.Va. politics. I hope you'll start providing the site with lots of insightful contributions. If you are committed to electing Democrats to office to promote progressive causes, I'm sure we can find a lot of common ground.

First, to clarify my point. I don't think Mr. Moore gives a rats-a$$ about the Eastern Panhandle. I'm sorry if I didn't make my point clear enough. I was suggesting that Mr. Moore would use whatever means he could to divide Democrats. If he thought promoting region factionalism was useful, he would do it. Unfortunately, your rhetoric ("pied piper" ?!?) kinda, well, provides evidence for my arguments.

More importantly... so I can better understand the thrust of your argument, are you trying to say that Arch Moore did not provide his daughter with political advice and assistance during her campaigns against (as you say) "Humphreys, Jim (double-up); Wells, Erik; Callaghan, Mike"?

Riddle me this, batman. How did she manage her rapid ascent up the Republican political ladder in this heavily Democratic state? Did her work as a career counselor at West Virginia State College provide the golden path to U.S. Congresswoman?

I'd be a bit careful about throwing out charges of conspiracy theories. Wouldn't most people find it a tad more believable that her famous dad has been the key behind-the-scenes help all along the way?

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by: Clem Guttata @ Sun Jun 17, 2007 at 00:08:28 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Trolls Sightings (4.00 / 2)

OK, so we can start with agreement. And I can expand on it. Arch doesn't give a ... about the EP. I'd wager he doens't give a  ... about much of any of it anymore, since he wasn't able to get his law license back. I think any strings he's pulling are on the end of tin can phones to blow smoke in peoples' ears that have to take his calls for courtesy but have long since realized he's not the Moore you have to talk too to get GOP shit shoveled in WV. 

Granted, her family connections helped get her there. No one can argue with that. But I'd also point (just to be clear) that family connections don't automatically get you House seats, you have to be credible to enough of the electorate after the name rec and connections get you through the first door. The ascent started with her name, probably some of her father's political capital (less than most here would imagine IMO), and the GOPs recognition they needed a bench.

She also had a god, guns, and gays shitstorm in 2000 that helped, a top-of-the-ticket clusterf*$# she could point too, and a national presence in WV that was unprecedented.

I'd feel fairly safe saying that none of her national GOP support stems from her father, and that most of her DeLay/PAC mojo is of her own creation.

I'd guess Arch Moore hasn't been able to direct the State GOP with an iron fist in 15 years or more.

Wanting her to have to  fall back to her counseling days or her husband's big bank money and being able to admit that calling her 'rubberstamp' won't make her go away are two very different things.

As for the Draft Anne Barth 'movement' and comments on the blog towhit, slow down. Just because Abernathy writes something and Bow Tie Boy follows it up doesn't mean they thought of it. Please don't give either of them that much credit.

To do a wrap-up comment since I've hit a hornet's nest...The bogeyman comes from the nuance of the "JU is good because he can dig in to SMC's EP vote" that many commenters have failed to discuss. That is the geographic disdain between some in each locale (not pointing fingers at anyone here on the blog, in Charleston, OR in the EP -- just stating a fact). There is tension in the district between the EP and the Kanawha Valley. To pretend it's not a division is bad targeting at best, and CD-ceding naivete at worst. It's a problem that deserves several of its own threads, separate and distinct from any analysis of vote counts in the past three cycles.

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by: spruceshoe @ Sun Jun 17, 2007 at 06:06:35 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

spruceshoe (4.00 / 1)

Much better response. Thanks. I'm happy to have disagreements and discussions with others here but online tone is very important when we can't see each other. I'd love for you to post further an analysis of the vote counts in the past three cycles. Regarding Arch Moore pulling the strings on the party, that's something I've heard as much from an elected Republican in Berkeley County that I know well as well as heard from Democrats. So if it's a myth, it's a wide-spread one.

When a man embarks upon a crime, he is morally guilty of any other crime which may spring from it. Sherlock Holmes.

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by: Carnacki @ Sun Jun 17, 2007 at 15:28:17 PM UTC

[ Parent ]