Yes, that was an ironic headline.
Fact is, Anton Gunn is one of the most impressive legislators I’ve seen elected to the General Assembly in the past decade. His positive approach to working with other members of both parties toward nonpartisan, nonideological solutions is remarkable. There’s no question that he’s a Democrat — he was a key player in Barack Obama’s win over Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primaries in 2008 — but he has an open-minded, thoughtful approach that would be worthy of an UnPartisan.
So it is particularly strange to hear him condemned in the strong tones Sheri Few used in her speech to the Tea Partiers today.
It’s additionally interesting because, while her zeal for her causes has never been in doubt, the way she speaks to this crowd of True Believers — the kind of folk who would pull the Republican Party in the direction she would like to go (far from the direction of the Republicans we always endorsed over her in primaries) — presents an interesting contrast to the way she speaks in an editorial board meeting. Not so much in substance, but in tone, and word choice.
You can hear the Sheri Few I’m used to back here. See the Tea Party Sheri Few above. Sample: “This is the group that pushes propaganda for the socialistic Obama agenda.” Really. This is what is increasingly passing as an acceptable way for certain people in politics to characterize people with whom they disagree.
One of the interesting things about this sort of gathering is the utter lack of a sense of irony on the part of participants. Maybe they consider irony to be socialistic, or far left, or one of those other names Ms. Few uses to describe Mr. Gunn. Yet there is unacknowledged irony in abundance — such as when our speaker says “I have been a grass-roots activist for over 15 years,” and then almost immediately invokes hoots and boos from the audience by characterizing Mr. Gunn as a community organizer, “like his mentor, Obama.”
But you know, it never does get to be quite what you’d call “funny.” It’s a little too disturbing.
There is more in that vein…
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I have met Anton Gunn and know people who know him. He’s one of the most self-serving individuals I’ve ever met. He’s got an agenda, and it’s to promote Anton Gunn. Before you stand in line to pat him on the back, you might want to do a little digging into Anton Gunn, the slumlord.
Irony is a decadent practice of the Elites, don’t you know? Sincere extreme exaggeration is the province of the true believer.
Brad, thanks for the post. Its good to see the media pointing out the stark differences between these two candidates.
I cannot think of a more selfless elected public servant than Anton Gunn. He has a reputation for looking at all sides of the issues and making decisions based upon what best serves his constituency and the public at large. If only we could find more like him to run and win campaigns. Too often it’s the no-nothing loudmouths like Ms. Few who gain attention. Thank you, Mr. Warthen, for presenting the facts about Mr. Gunn.
Perhaps, since Ms. Few has made it completely obvious what she’s against, maybe she could outline what she would actually DO, it’s easy to stand up there and posture for votes, but we need people willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work, you actually have to stand FOR something…the NE Richland and Kershaw counties deserve to have someone who will listen and represent them….let’s have a debate about the issues and not the rhetoric of Ms. Few, talk is cheap
Polarization is the Tea Party’s only hope for the future if they find enough small minded people to buy into that rhetoric they are spewing. Lastly & more importantly I’m not sure if they realize how ambivalent they are toward’s the Red/White and Blue. Saaaaaaaaaaad & really embrassing day for the United States of America…
Mat of SC, I was thinking of how embarrassing to the country the Tea Party is, too. The only similar thing in the western world seems to be the neo-nazi groups that pop up now and then in Europe, fading in and out of view.
I read the other day that a far right party may actually take control in Hungary. They are blaming the Jews and Roma for the current economic problems.
We haven’t gone that far, yet.
Ms. Few is taking her extreme rhetoric straight from the playbook of the national Republicans, as was recently exposed in the media. They are coaching Republican candidates to paint Obama and Dems who support him as “socialists.” It’s the same old campaign of fear and smear that Republicans have run for years.
Brad, you mention irony. One of the ironies of Republican character assassination is that they like to portray themselves as fine, upstanding Christians. So, really now, what would Jesus do?
Rev. — I guess they missed the part about “rendering unto Caesar” and the part in today’s Gospel reading about feeding His Sheep.
Here’s the thing I really never understand–what is so bad about socialism? Does anyone really believe that if we had had nationally-owned financial institutions we’d have ended up with such seriously messed-up banks “too big to fail” whose leaders were making the President’s salary, squared? How much worse could the federal government run a car company than GM did?
Brad, in that “difference” between Ms. Few’s manner towards the editorial board and in her words to the TP followers lies the inner core of what passes for American “conservatism” in the early 21st century: that is, a thinly veiled contempt for the intellect of those whose support conservative leaders seek, as they abandon reasoned rhetoric extolling true conservative principles to choose instead to fan the flames of class, cultural, and even racial divisions. (As with Mr. Tancredo’s “go back to Africa” comments to TPers in the upstate this week).
The point is, Ms. Few probably doesn’t believe half of what she says to the crowd. But she believes it’s her best bet politically to appeal to the worst instincts within people, rather than the best. That pretty sums up conservatism for me in the post-Everett Dirksen, post-Gerald Ford era.