Virginia’s 10th Congressional District Democratic primary is getting a bit of unusual attention these days.
In short:
- Dan Helmer put up a new ad.
- Within which he states that the top threat to democracy lives in the White House.
- Russia Today attacked the ad.
- Barbara Comstock’s best bud Sean Hannity followed the Russians’ lead, as he is wont to do.
- The White House piled on (of course).
- Barbara Comstock weighed in.
From Russia to Hannity to White House to Comstock, the trail of support for the (almost certainly) criminal (and likely treasonous) Trump is clear.
Attacked by @RT_com, @seanhannity, @NRA, and now @BarbaraComstock. Why? Because they stand with @realDonaldTrump, and I stand with the Rule of Law and will defend the US Constitution. #BlueWave #VA10 https://t.co/t2C8jOuhdd
— Dan Helmer (@HelmerVA) May 31, 2018
Vote Vets’ (which has endorsed Helmer) perspective is spot on:
If Donald Trump hates being called a threat to our democracy, by Iraq and Afghan vet @HelmerVA10, maybe he should act to protect our election from Russian cyber attacks, and protect the right to vote from voter suppression laws, for starters.
Until then, he should stop whining.
— VoteVets (@votevets) May 31, 2018
More fundamentally, this is an excellent example of decades-old Republican sound machine misdirection — with the sweetener (tainting) of Russian engagement. As with all the manufactured outrage that the Right Wing has had over the decades — like breathless furor over President Barack Obama wearing a tan suit as some of fundamental outrage to humanity — this attack on Helmer both distorts the actual advertisement’s words and is a misdirection from discussing the substance. A simple reality recognized by all Americans paying attention to politics and not living in an #AlternativeFacts world:
Donald Trump
is an extremely
serious threat to
American Democracy.
A legitimate case can be made/argued that Trump is (along with his Republican Congressional enablers refusing to uphold their Oath of Office) perhaps the most serious internal threat the nation has faced to the Republic’s existence and future since Secession.
- #NeverTrump-ers see this.
- Constitutional scholars see this.
- Mainstream pundits see this.
- Etc …
- Etc …
- Etc …
Who, conveniently, doesn’t see this? Tinfoil-hat conspiracy promoters like Sean Hannity and extremist partisan Republicans like Barbara Comstock who are clearly ready and willing to put (and are putting) party before country.
Helmer ad:
No one, not even the President, is above the law. We need to elect leaders who will stand up to him and fight for our progressive values. #VA10 pic.twitter.com/YpUe0NvwT6
— Dan Helmer (@HelmerVA) May 30, 2018
Russia Today
You know when @seanhannity doesn't like you, you're doing something right. #VA10 #VetsResistSquadron https://t.co/lol8KR5GWb
— Dan Helmer (@HelmerVA) May 31, 2018
Sean Hannity
You know when @seanhannity doesn't like you, you're doing something right. #VA10 #VetsResistSquadron https://t.co/lol8KR5GWb
— Dan Helmer (@HelmerVA) May 31, 2018
White House
WH weighing in on @HelmerVA10 ad, per pool pic.twitter.com/d6dW6gde7h
— Jenna Portnoy (@jennaportnoy) May 31, 2018
Helmer on WH statement:
Our democracy is worth defending. I've spent my life doing that, including in service in our wars overseas, and I take seriously the oath I swore to defend our country. What's abhorrent is that @realDonaldTrump doesn't take his oath to defend our Constitution just as seriously. https://t.co/vAM6E31F2l
— Dan Helmer (@HelmerVA) May 31, 2018
Barbara Comstock
"It’s an outrageous and offensive thing to say, and beyond the pale. In Congress, we have been standing with President Trump, on a bipartisan basis to strengthen our military, defeat ISIS and battle terrorism, and make the world safer…." CNN: https://t.co/G4BN4dvvpI #VA10 pic.twitter.com/ZL0XMX4SqJ
— Barbara Comstock (@BarbaraComstock) May 31, 2018
Helmer response to Comstock
.@BarbaraComstock is right about one thing: she's been standing with @realDonaldTrump, even as he violates our Constitution. Congress has abdicated its responsibility to serve as a check on him, and Comstock has been complicit in that. #VetsResistSquadron #VA10 https://t.co/t2C8jOuhdd
— Dan Helmer (@HelmerVA) May 31, 2018
and
Our response to the attack from @BarbaraComstock. https://t.co/t2C8jOuhdd pic.twitter.com/AVslRgCcEw
— Dan Helmer (@HelmerVA) May 31, 2018
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