OK, I'm a hyperinformed political junkie, I admit it. I just know stuff that's generally only found in a political columnist's head, but there are some things that a Congressional candidate had darned well better know, lest they look unfit for office.
Ruth McClung, Raul Grijalva's opponent in Arizona 7, has a truly impressive case of "don't elect me because I'm clueless" going … and she isn't the only one fronting Alberto Gonzales worthy "I don't recall" skills.
The rot of the Arizona GOP is in the wind, drawing every unwholesome thing, and the stench carries clear to me in the upper Midwest …
Ruth McClung.Teabagger Ruth McClung. Look around that page, just read a bit about what's coming. The rule of the law? Nope, looks like more of that Jesus Jihad stuff to me. I don't have anything against Christians, mind you, it's the white supremacists who've hijacked their symbols and organizations that concern me.
She's got endorsements. Sarah Palin, for example. Now I don't know about you, but I've had my fill of Alaska's half term governor, would-be secessionist, and professional incompetent. What a Sarah Palin endorsement means to me as a somewhat nosy blogger is that I should put my nose on the ground and find out what's wrong with the candidate in question …
Ruth had an editorial board interview last Thursday. They asked her about Americans for Tax Reform. She didn't know the organization's name, nor did she know who Grover Norquist was. Really and truly, this organization made a $150,000 ad buy on her behalf, and she wasn't being coy – she didn't know who they were. A conservative who doesn't know who Grover Norquist is – that's got to be one for the record books.
She didn't know them, but I'm betting Norquist knew exactly what was going on when they hired Michael Kamburowski. Australian, looks like he got a 90 day tourist visa, came here for a training class, and just forgot to go home. First he worked for the California GOP (!) without proper documentation, then he went to work for Grover, that staunch conservative advocate of secure borders. At least for Hispanic illegal entrants.
Here's the money (just kidding!) quote from that article ...
A former California Republican Party official who resigned last year in a controversy over his immigration status had no valid visa or work permit during his high-profile career as a Washington lobbyist for conservative icon Grover Norquist, newly filed court records show.
That's pretty tasteful, as far as race baiting campaign ads go, isn't it? If I wasn't bouncing along I-70 I'd open that up with Gimp and give her a little toothbrush moustache of her own. My only question is how many degrees of separation there are between Ruth and Michael Kamburowski.
I can't even write coherently about this stuff – the sleaze flows so thick and fast it's hard to pick a starting point. If I've left you a little confused as to what's going on here, I apologize. Executive summary? A guy who produces good policy and decent diaries here is in danger from a little Sarah Palin clone. And we can put a stop to this nonsense; all we have to do is stretch out our hands and make it so.
You know the drill. Check couch cushions for more change. Deposit on VISA debit card. Go to ActBlue. We'll be talking about this race on Twitter and @RepRaulGrijalva will likely be speaking up. The Congressman has a Facebook page, too and comments there are appreciated.