Maybe we'll hear something about Obama's socialist guv'mint takeover of the English language.
Did you notice, though, that the
blog post said, "Let's listen to Republican Ward explain himself", and no explanation was included?
Incidentally, Ward was also accused last month of
stealing borrowing his position statements from other politicians. Unfortunately,
Betsy Russell's article and the Google cache version are hidden behind a subscription wall, but the allegation is that:
Five of the 10 position statements Idaho congressional candidate Vaughn Ward has touted as his own on a campaign website are word-for-word identical to statements on other candidates' and congressmen’s sites.
The apparent duplications included a reference to "my roadmap legislation," which actually was introduced by U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, whose campaign website contains an identical paragraph.
Others include Ward's statement on tax relief, which is a repeat of a statement on the campaign website of third-term U.S. Rep. Geoff Davis, R-Kentucky.
It will be interesting to see how the people of Idaho feel about this story.
The Washngton Post's
Chris Cillizza notes:
Ward, who worked on Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign and has won the endorsement of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for his congressional bid, began the race as a solid favorite and was touted by national Republicans as an up and comer.
To say Ward has underwhelmed on the campaign trail would be a disservice to underwhelming performances everywhere.
Among Ward's greatest hits: caught allegedly plagiarizing a speech by President Barack Obama, failing to vote in the 2008 election and seemingly not knowing that Puerto Rico isn't a country. (Talking Points Memo's ... Ben Frumin wondered if Ward is the worst candidate ever.)
Dan Popkey of the
Idaho Statesman reports that the USMC reservist Ward leads the Republican candidates in the lead up to the state's GOP primary with 31% of the vote. The undecided bloc, however, leads overall with 37%.
Oh, well, at least he didn't suggest a chickens-for-health care alternative plan like Nevada Republican candidate Sue Lowden, although according to
Mark Anderson's particularly disorganized blog post° for WEBCommentary, he does have her support, including a $1,000 contribution.
I'm starting to think we shouldn't be too troubled if the Republicans win seats in places like Idaho and Kentucky. Sure, Minnick losing in Idaho would mean another Democratic seat lost, but whatever the outcome, if rational people see the performances of folks like Vaughn Ward and Rand Paul on the national stage, we might actually be able to accelerate the wane of this current knee-jerk conservative upsurge. In the long run, at least, that would be to the nation's benefit.
____________________
Notes:
° Mark Anderson's particularly disorganized blog post — As a side note, why is it that Truthers, like Anderson, so often write such horrible posts? Is there something about libertarians that at some point out on a limb, one says, "I won't be oppressed into conforming to readability! If people don't want to figure out what all this shit means, it's 'cuz they're part of the conspiracy!" I mean, the guy absolutely refuses to embed links. Is there some weird neurosis afoot wherein one makes communication as difficult as possible in order to complain about all the people who just don't get it? I mean, I could probably appreciate Anderson where we have common ground, except it's really hard to figure out what he's going on about.
Works Cited:
I'm With Lucas. "Ward plagiarizes Obama Announcement Speech". May 24, 2010. ImWithLucas.WordPress.com. May 25, 2010. http://imwithlucas.wordpress.com/2010/05/24/ward-plagiarizes-obama-in-announcement-speech/
Russell, Betsy Z. "Ward's statements have familiar ring". The Spokesman-Review. May 14, 2010. Spokesman.com. May 25, 2010. http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2010/may/14/wards-statements-have-familiar-ring/
Cillizza, Chris. "Idaho primary day: Vaughn Ward makes the finish line (barely)". The Fix. May 25, 2010. Voices.WashingtonPost.com. May 25, 2010. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/house/idaho-primary-day-vaughn-ward.html
Popkey, Dan. "The Mason-Dixon poll shows undecideds ahead of both GOP candidates as Tuesday's primary nears". Idaho Statesman. May 22, 2010. IdahoStatesman.com. May 25, 2010. http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/05/22/1202180/the-mason-dixon-poll-shows-undecideds.html
Anderson, Mark. "Sue Lowden and her man Vaughn Ward in action". WEB Commentary. May 26, 2010. WEBCommentary.com. May 25, 2010. http://www.webcommentary.com/php/ShowArticle.php?id=andersonm&date=100526
—————. "Sue Reid Lowden — GO, DANNY TARKANIAN, GO!" Las Vegas Political Buzz Examiner. May 18, 2010. Examiner.com. May 25, 2010. http://www.examiner.com/x-39748-Las...0m5d18-Sue-Reid-Lowden--GO-DANNY-TARKANIAN-GO
