The reaction – or lack thereof – of Virginia Republican bloggers to the racist emails pouring out of the Virginia Beach Republican Committee has been highly revealing.  In short, it’s been a combination of silence, misdirection/red herrings, and attacks on the messenger that border on libel/slander/defamation. Let’s take these in order.

1. First off, Republican bloggers have been silent. The question, as NLS correctly asks, is why?  Is it because, as NLS wonders, they are “completely out of the loop and really shocked when this stuff surfaces?” Or, do they know deep down that their party is filled with racism, and simply don’t know how to respond when it comes out into the light of day? Or maybe when they don’t get clear direction from above? It’s pathetic, but it’s also highly revealing.

2. Second, we have misdirection, mostly about the “backstory” of how the emails came to be forwarded around, and also how they ended up on a Democratic blog (this one). I can answer that latter question, although I’m not going to reveal my source(s) for reasons that should be obvious to any journalist, blogger, etc. On Monday afternoon, I was going about my business when I received (at 2:38 pm) a forwarded email with the racist “joke” by (now ex-) Virginia Beach Republican Party chair David Bartholomew. I was disgusted, so I posted it (at 2:54 pm, a whole 16 minutes after receiving the email). I also posted a screen shot of the email, which clearly shows that it had been forwarded from Mr. Bartholomew on March 15, 2010. Why I only received the email on October 18, 2010, I have no idea. If anyone would like to look into this and let us all know, that would be great. Personally, I’d be curious.

As for the second email, I received that one yesterday (at 1:25 pm) and was even more horrified, as the racism was far worse (in my opinion) than in the first email. I posted that email as well (at 2:17 pm, a whopping 52 minutes after receiving it), along with a link to the far-right-wing website that posted the video and a screen shot of Scott Rigell’s website showing that the forwarder of the email was listed as one of his endorsers.  That email originally was forwarded by former VB Republican Committee chair Karen Beauchamp on July 31, 2010. Again, if anyone wants to look into the status of Ms. Beauchamp’s email between July 31, 2010 and October 19, 2010, that would be great; I’d be curious to know what they find out! In the meantime, I find it fascinating that Republican bloggers are more interested in the “backstory” – if there is one – than the FRONT story – the blatant racism exhibited by leading members of their party.

3. Finally, we get into libel/slander/defamation territory, specifically over at Republican blog Bearing Drift. There, extreme right wingnut Brian Schoeneman strongly implies that yours truly “sat on these emails for months or he is willingly serving as a patsy for someone trying to launch an October surprise on Scott Rigell.” Shoeneman proceeds to claim that “Lowell doesn’t care about stamping out racism, or calling out those who engage in it,” and also that “Lowell basically condoned the racism – it wasn’t important enough to him to out these people until it became politically helpful for his chosen candidate in VA-2.”  Fellow right-wingnut blogger J.R. Hoeft then weighs in with his own deep thoughts, asking, “If recent emails by members of the Republican Party of Virginia Beach are truly so offensive, then why has Lowell chosen to release them in parts and only in October?”

Again, note the implication by these Republican bloggers – I supposedly had these emails for months and waited until the last moment to help Glenn Nye, who everyone reading Blue Virginia knows is just my favorite Democrat ever!!!  Yeah, that latter part is laughable in and of itself, given how much I’ve ripped into Nye and how much I can’t stand the guy (he’s practically a Republican in his voting record). But as for the first part, accusing me of fundamental dishonesty and sliminess – the type that Republican bloggers so often engage in – that’s 100%, absolutely false, and I’d be happy to swear that in court. I’d also be happy, if libel and slander law would allow, to take Messieurs Shoeneman and Hoeft to court on this one. They are so wrong, it’s beyond belief, and they shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this crap. The only problem is, in the United States under the 1st Amendment, they have the right to say just about anything they want, and I’m not sure I could win that case. Still, it’s extremely tempting and I will be looking into it today…

Just got done watching Rep. Tom Perriello debate Robert Hurt on WCAV CBS 19 Charlottesville.  Now that was a thing of beauty. I’m hoping there will be video shortly. For now, here are some tweets (including my own) from the butt-kicking Tom just delivered. Enjoy!

@VotePerriello: Crowd at the #va05 debate http://yfrog.com/76v38j

@NotAndySere: Immigration: @RobertHurt slams @TomPerriello for open borders. No mention of McCain, Bush amnesty plan. GOP hasn’t learned?

@NotAndySere: Do candidates have notes for debate? @RobertHurt keeps looking down like he’s reading

@NotAndySere: @RobertHurt seems like a total flip flopper. @TomPerriello is at least consistent and on message.

@NotAndySere: @RobertHurt stuttering his way through a list of pre-selected businesses

@lowkell: @RobertHurt outright lies on Cap and Trade, Stimulus, etc., etc. What a bunch of bovine excrement.

@lowkell: @TomPerriello is so far superior to @RobertHurt as a debater and in terms of substance, it’s not even fair! LOL

@bradramsey: @tomperriello says access to #broadband is critical in rural areas to expand edu opportunities

@lowkell: @TomPerriello is on fire, “we ARE creating jobs…in the 5th district!” In contrast, @RobertHurt = all negativity

@lowkell: @TomPerriello – need to do what’s right for the district. @RobertHurt voted against unemployment benefits, factory owners, seniors…

@lowkell: @RobertHurt has nothing to offer, keeps lying (“govt takeover of healthcare”), attacks Nancy Pelosi. What a loser.

@lowkell: @VotePerriello – Slams @RobertHurt for flip-flopping on trade, earmark reform, taxes…

@lowkell: @VotePerriello also slams @RobertHurt for not reading #HCR bill, not attending townhall meetings…

@lowkell: @VotePerriello knocks it out of the ballpark on the new energy economy, “green jobs.” Go Tom!

@NotAndySere: @TomPerriello’s campaign is focused on America, fighting, America, keep fighting, and AMERICA! Plus he fights.

@BradleySRees: Hurt has slammed @TomPerriello for “voting for a bill he hasn’t read,” but admitted in last #va05 debate HE hadn’t read it

@lowkell: @RobertHurt has no understanding of the new energy economy, instead launches more outrageous, false attacks on @VotePerriello

@NotAndySere: 2010 is about angry voters. @RobertHurt tells you he’s angry. @TomPerriello shows you he’s angry

@PittGirly: Hurt accuses Perriello of forgetting the people who MAKE things in the 5th CD. Umm…he just talked about them…

@mkoshark: 30 mins into Perriello / Hurt debate: Perriello is all substance while Hurt is 100% buzz words like ‘big gub’ment’ but little info

@lowkell: @VotePerriello – @RobertHurt wants to cut education at state AND federal level, what would be left?!?

@lowkell: @VotePerriello – Healthcare premiums have been rising for a long time, why does @RobertHurt want to ditch small business taxcut?

@lowkell: @VotePerriello – @RobertHurt wants Congress to get a better healthcare plan than everyone else

@bradramsey: View of the #va05 debate from above, regardless of your political preference, a great view of democracy at work http://twitpic.com/2z48m3

@lowkell: @RobertHurt – Favors bringing back preexisting conditions, donut hole, other abuses of health insurance companies. Nice.

@NotAndySere: Winner of #VA05: Jay Warren & WSLS. Their debate ROCKED compared to this.

@lowkell: @RobertHurt – mixes up “increase” and “decrease,” appears to have no idea what he’s talking about

@lowkell: @VotePerriello Under @RobertHurt #HCR plan, payments to doctors slashed, Medicare goes bankrupt, cuts in benefits, etc.

@NotAndySere: Who’s the conservative?! RT @andysere #va05 debate Hurt: No cuts to Social Security; Perriello: All Social Security cuts on the table.

@lowkell: @RobertHurt stuttering, bumbling through his closing statement, can’t keep his lies straight! LOL

@lowkell: @RobertHurt appeals to ignorance, the worst in people. @VotePerriello appeals to knowledge, the best in people.

@lowkell: @VotePerriello – if you want talking points, someone who won’t step up on tough issues, vote @RobertHurt

@lowkell: @VotePerriello – @RobertHurt, you can disagree w/me but don’t disrespect me and suggest I get pushed around by anyone!

@lowkell: @VotePerriello absolutely pummeling @RobertHurt , this is a thing of beauty. Go Tom!

@lowkell: No wonder why @RobertHurt didn’t want to debate @VotePerriello Ouch!!!

@NotAndySere: 2nd #VA05 debate over. @RobertHurt’s campaign is focused on three things, cap and trade, health care, failed stimulus.

@NotAndySere: If you think government was only broken by Obama, Pelosi, & Perriello, and fixes are easy, @RobertHurt is for you.

Another day brings yet another one of Scott Rigell’s top endorsers – this time, former (2001) Virginia Beach Republican Committee chair, Karen Beauchamp – caught sending a racist email, this time with hate video to boot. Warning: the content in the video is some of the most vile, offensive language I’ve listened to in a really long time, it’s very difficult to even sit through it. Ugh. Anyway, to say that racism is not a wide-spread problem among Virginia Beach Republicans is clearly untrue.

Yesterday, Scott Rigell did the right thing and denounced (now former) Virginia Beach Republican Committee chair David Bartholomew. Today, it looks like Rigell needs to denounce yet another VBRC chair, also a top endorser of his campaign.  Right now, Rigell’s got her name prominently displayed on his website (see image after the “fold”). After you watch the video or read the quotes from the video, I think you’ll all agree that needs to change immediately.

In her email, Ms. Beauchamp enthusiastically references a video, by this guy, which is both too repulsive to watch, and apparently too repulsive for YouTube to allow on their site. If you really want to see it, it’s available at the “Conservative Sportsmen” site. If you can’t stomach watching it, which I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t, I’ll include a selection of a few of the most offensive quotes from the video after the “fold.” Blech.

UPDATE: Scott Rigell’s campaign has condemned this email as well. Good for him. Ms. Beauchamp’s name also appears to have been removed from Rigell’s list of endorsers.

Let me be clear, racism has no place in our society and runs completely counter to Scott Rigell’s values. The Rigell campaign does not condone this type of behavior from anyone associated with our campaign. It should be noted that Karen Beauchamp is not in a position of leadership or an advisor to the Rigell campaign, and she has not been in a position of leadership within the Republican Party for close to 10 years.

By the way, that Washington Post story is almost completely wrong; the video they mention is a completely different video from a completely different story. Whatever, details details! (snark)

“Barack Hussein Obama, hmm! hmm! hmm! You been called the chosen one, the messiah, an African God, a post-racial President, Barack the magic Negro. Barack, you’re a lot of things, but you are not a magic negro. You’re an angry negro and you have now broken the hearts of more black Americans than any white man ever could. You have now proven that you are an enemy of the United States.”

“Now I’m gonna talk down in a language that I hope you can all understand.”

“If you’re a black American it’s time you need to decide, are you an American first, or are you an African or black American first?”

“You have declared war on the white man in America, putting the wants and needs of moochers, leeches, looters, and criminals ahead of the producers and the workers of America, and we don’t want 15-20 million illiterate Mexicans and Chicanos as our new welfare society living like rats in our neighborhoods, they must go, and either the government steps up or the government will have to clean up.”

“Barack, you, your advisors, pollsters, pundits, talking heads, have wanted to know, who are the pissed off people in this country? Well the pissed-off people sir are the white people. It’s the white people stupid!”

“And Barack, if you want another white face to hate, I’m ya Huckleberry!”

There’s a connection between the Virginia Beach Republican Party (VBRP) Chair (former) and George Allen. It is Kenny Golden. The three of them present as models of objectivity. And all three of them are at best ignorant and at worst, well, racially intolerant. Maybe both. Golden failed twice. Will Allen?

You see, Kenny received that now famous E-mail back in the day; you know, a few months ago when Dave Bartholomew was learning about this new internet thing and accidently forwarded a racially charged joke to the six people he deliberately added to the “To…” list.

The e-mail was dated March 15 and sent from the address that Bartholomew uses as party chairman. Bartholomew forwarded it without reading the contents when “he was first getting familiar with the Internet,” — Gary Byler, the 2nd Congressional District GOP chairman as quoted in the Virginian Pilot

So, did Golden respond to the E-mail he received from his successor as the Virginia Beach Republican Party Chair with a cautionary note? Or did he forward the E-mail to his college chum, George Felix Allen who also found it unobjectionable? That’s the problem once you’ve unveiled your intolerance. There’s always that nagging doubt.

Golden, who is running as an independent, did not call for Bartholomew’s resignation and criticized Rigell as being too quick “to throw him under the bus.”

“David would never do something like that on purpose,” Golden said. “It was a racist e-mail…. It shouldn’t have gone from anybody’s e-mail to anybody’s e-mail.” — Virginian Pilot

Two strikes against Golden for the handling of the E-mail, unless he can provide the appropriate “Reply to…” scolding of Bartholomew. We are well aware of Allen’s first public strike and here is a second unless he forthrightly condemns both Bartholomew and Golden for their gaffs.  

Excellent ad, please help Tom Perriello defeat Robert Hurt in 2 weeks!