I’m not usually a fan of Politico, but credit where credit is due: Politico reporter James Hohmann did a fine job covering the Virginia GOP “Advance” (also known by most people who speak English as a “retreat”) this weekend. Among other news, we found out that Ken Cuccinelli’s still playing the world’s smallest violin; that Ed Gillespie is thinking about getting his butt kicked by running against Mark Warner next year; that E.W. Jackson has formed a PAC called “United Virginia” (the purpose of which is, of course, to do the exact opposite); and that Ken Kookinelli, other than incessantly whining, isn’t planning to run against Mark Warner next year.
This is all interesting stuff, of course. But in some ways, James Hohmann’s latest article on the VA GOP “Advance”/retreat might be my favorite. The title, “No soul searching for Virginia GOP after losses,” pretty much says it all. These people are completely in denial, if not utterly delusional. Check this out.
…to hear GOP leaders in this once reliably red state tell it, this is no time to panic. No hint of discouragement is betrayed. Just as many party activists insisted after Romney’s loss, key figures here said that their shortcomings are cosmetic – that the problem is largely about campaign mechanics and how the conservative message is being delivered, not the message itself…
…They argued that more money, not having a third-party candidate in the race and a scandal-free governor would have made the difference. And they pointed to bad timing: the election came shortly after an unpopular shutdown but before the problems with Obamacare fully seeped into the public consciousness.
[…]
[RPV Chair Pat] Mullins mocked post-election analysis that said Cuccinelli was too conservative for a changing state.
“This is false narrative by false prophets,” he said. “Republicans do not win when we are mini-Democrats or Democrat Lite.”
Put it this way: the denial and delusion are strong with these folks. I mean, this is some seriously stupid stuff right here. I mean, does RPV Chair Pat Mullins really believes that the Republicans managing to lose an eminently winnable race had nothing whatsoever to do with their gubernatorial nominee being a right-wing extremist? Do Mullins and the other Republicans at the “Advance” (aka “retreat”) really believe that their problems are simply “cosmetic,” all about “campaign mechanics and how the conservative message is being delivered, not [about] the message itself?” If so, then all I can say is: please, Virginia Republicans, don’t ever change! Because, as much as I’d like to see two serious parties competing for the votes of Virginians, speaking strictly as a partisan Democrat and as a progressive, I couldn’t be happier that Virginia Republicans are so delusional and so flawed in their brain-dead “analysis.” I mean, it’s their party and all, so if they want to keep refusing to admit they have deep problems selling their harsh, intolerant, extreme, even bizarre beliefs and candidates (e.g, Mark Obenshain wanting to criminalize miscarriages, almost every word out of E.W. Jackson’s mouth, Ken Cuccinelli’s climate science denial) in an increasingly diverse, well-educated Virginia, the more power to ’em I guess. Just one thing I need to do while Republicans self destruct: stock up on popcorn, because this is going to be loads of fun to watch! LOL
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