The King's War: Why Principle Matters

The only thing that will change the Connecticut Republican Party
is to wage a full scale political assault on the traitorous ideologues in control

Did you ever wonder why The King's View publishes what it does?  Did you ever wonder why The King puts more pressure on Republicans than Democrats?  Or sound alarm bells when Republicans sell out their constituency to appear popular or to avoid media criticism?

For years, critics have dismissed this space as the ramblings of a Democrat insider disguised as a Republican.  Of course, that line of bull comes from a few members of the GOP State Party establishment who're quite comfortable with their position in the world - and who don't really care whether we win or lose. From their perspective, they only care that we put on good show so those few Republicans left in corners here and there can go back to their districts and tell everyone how we gave it "the good ole college try" and then ask for more donations so they can keep up appearances, and support an all-but-guaranteed second place finish.

If you haven't noticed, most of the people who have stolen the reigns of the Connecticut Republican Party are not Republicans in the traditional sense; I argue that this is by design and not by accident. The consistent bill of goods being sold by our CTGOP profiteers is that we need to liberalize our politics because Connecticut Republicans are somehow - more moderate, more sophisticated, or more intellectually gifted than those in the remaining 49 other states. Of course, this pure nonsense, but that doesn't stop them from saying it. See, there is nothing magical here, nor are there mind-altering spores floating in the air (except at The Hartford Courant) which when inhaled somehow make Nutmeggers any more educated, complex, or superior then - say people in Texas, or North Carolina, or even in neighboring Massachusetts - where a U.S. Senate seat can actually be won by a Republican (if even only temporarily).  And when it comes to election results - we lose!  And why do Connecticut Republicans lose?  Is it because our people are genetically different as our leaders suggest? No! It's because we peddle a watered-down, gutless version of real Republicanism!

Now, I know this upsets many long time holders of power in the CTGOP - particularly those who won't even bother to get off their infinite asses to volunteer their precious time to help candidates go door to door, fold campaign lit, or even make voter calls, but instead will fight to maintain their personal election consulting profit margin - a stream which, incidentally, flows regardless of whether we win or lose.  And I'm sure that this also infuriates many of those, who - let's face it - wouldn't even be Republican at all if it weren't for a desire to trap a few more tax dollars from escaping their greedy pockets.

Fact is, Connecticut Republicans have abandoned their principles and surrendered in the name of compromise so often - that they've forgotten what it means to even be Republican.  What's worse is that we've become so conditioned to losing, that those running or elected are ready to go in and negotiate away whatever remaining crumbs Democrats have left on the table in order to avoid a public fight (or one that lasts more than a day or so).  It's more important to be viewed as popular, or to avoid being characterized as extreme by the Press (which hates and will always hate Republicans no matter what we say or do).  Our fake Republicans want to be seen seen as kind, warm, caring, and collaborative and part of the in-crowd regardless of the negative impact passed legislation has on Connecticut's economy or it's people.  Oh well, we can't win 'em all.  I'd be happy winning some, or even one or two at this point.

Not only does the Connecticut Republican Party lack a statewide strategy, it has no consistent message. Heck, even our Chairman doesn't want to stick his neck out and challenge the opposition - unless he really has to.  Take for example this week's visit by President Obama.  It's true, Jerry Labriola, Jr. did send out a press release - but the harsh reality of it is that - much like our Chairman himself - the message he conveyed was rather meaningless. President Obama came to Connecticut - not to listen to the concerns of our people, or to help address some of Connecticut's specific needs, but to pick up a few big donation checks, and use blue collar New Britain as a place to sell his minimum wage scheme. Do you think Labriola's press release even mentioned the words minimum wage or rebuffed the President by outlining how disastrous minimum wage increases are for businesses?  Hell No! Of course not!  Why? Because our leading party candidate - Billionaire Tom Foley thinks the minimum wage is wonderful - regardless of how many jobs are lost.  Foley undercut the rest of the GOP Field by declaring raising the minimum wage "an act of fairness".  So Foley is liberal on social issues, and now - on economic issues too?  And this is our Republican front runner?

So there you have it.  Not only do we have a watered-down press release, but a watered-down Chairman, and a watered-down Republican gubernatorial candidate too.  Why on Earth would anyone give a penny to an outfit that operates like this?

And we need not get too deeply into how Republican Mayor Erin Stewart made a sideshow of herself this week - cheerleading a President (who has killed our economy, and came to peddle more Government mandates on business),  tweeting shout-outs and selfies (tee-he, giggle, giggle), and ghetto language, and being curt with Dennis House - as if any of that mattered anyway.  For Godsakes, she doesn't get it - the President didn't even take a minute to shake her hand and greet her after she went out of her way to fall at his feet, and piss-off the GOP base by making a public spectacle of herself.  It will be a good day when this childish, one-term pretender is pushed out of office and relegated to a lead-encased, basement appointment where she can't do any further harm to our so-called brand.  Good grief!

Much of this is precisely why we haven't won a majority in the Legislature for nearly half a century.  Our CTGOP charlatan leaders spend all their money at the bar, and their time trying to convince the base that they are doing all of us a big favor running down the middle of the road.  But it's had the reverse effect of what's intended. Case in point, Senator John McKinney has been bouncing from RTC to RTC telling Republicans that his support of the Gun Confiscation Bill was a good deal because it could have been much worse.  The problem with this is kind of thinking is that Legislative Democrats, Gov. Dan Malloy, and Michael Lawlor (despite their theatrics of disappointment that the bill didn't go far enough) got exactly what they wanted; and are emboldened to start down the road to enact more laws eroding basic rights, and liberties.  Now, we have two problems - we have a gun law we don't want on the books, supported by a Republican who has rendered himself nearly unelectable by his own base (or the public based on the recent Q-Poll results) because of his cowardly stance.

The fact remains that the strategy "Something is better than Nothing." has never worked out.  And on the Second Amendment issue - it's killed us.

Think that's bad?  How about Dan Debicella down in CT-5?  Despite what everyone has heard about how detrimental ObamaCare has been on patients, providers, and enrollees - this clown Debicella, alleged to be a Republican candidate, has vowed to keep it in place, and went out his way in a televised interview to condemn anyone who criticized it.  A Republican who vows to support ObamaCare? Debicella must have been one of those morons working on Linda McMahon's campaign who spent his evenings putting pro-Obama door hangers on city dwellings. Debicella: pro-ObamaCare, pro-gay, and anti-gun.  Why in God's name is this guy even running on our ticket?

The sad thing is that despite this, Connecticut's Conservative Republicans almost always inevitably campaign for, and vote for liberal or moderate Republicans.  In contrast, liberal Republicans won't lift a finger to support Conservative Republicans who win primaries in their districts.  Case in point, Conservative activist Joe Visconti helped Christopher Shays in his Senate run despite stark differences between the two on gay rights, abortion, and gun laws. Very few moderate or liberal Republicans can make the same claim - always leaving traditional Republicans to "go it alone."  How many so-called moderate Republicans came down to the LOB to voice outrage over the Transgender Bathroom Bill?  Not many. Not one.  

Some people will claim that it's important to be the Party which is comprised of lots of different ideas, and perspectives. But what happens when you have so many ideas and perspectives running in complete contradiction with each other - so much so - that the public cannot make heads or tails about what you stand for?  The answer is simple - and the evidence is clear - the public shuns the overall brand for something that appears more consistent, easily understood, or perhaps even more organized, and sometimes that comes in the form of a third party - which is becoming an ever-present danger for the CTGOP given so many close races.

And what of Tom Foley?  Is he going to take the Linda McMahon route, mumble incoherent babble,  bob and weave, and keep his views close to his vest and leave it all as one great big surprise for us to uncover on his first day of work?  Or is he, or for that matter - Mark Boughton, Mark Lauretti, and John McKinney going to stand tall on principle and take the lead of the only genuine Republican in the race - Joe Visconti - and stop apologizing for the RNC platform and tell voters why voting Republican is the BEST option for Connecticut?

Take a look around you.  Ask yourself how many U.S. House and U.S. Senate seats Connecticut Republicans own.  Then ask yourself how we stack up in the Legislative Office Building, or in the Governor's Mansion.  Happy?  They say insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.  McMahon, Foley, Debicella, Labriola, Roraback?  Liberal Republicans void of principle giving the public little option but to reject Connecticut Republican for what it is - wishy-washy dribble.

The record for the Connecticut Republican Party is poor.  And it's poor because we don't stand for anything, and voters know it.  Until such time when Connecticut Republican Leaders can stop trying to find a backdoor to victory which doesn't exist, and clean up its own act - then The King's View will keep on going.  This is a war for the heart and soul of the CTGOP.  This is The King's War and it's a war worth fighting.

So go ahead, Labriola - keep abandoning the battlefield for a keyboard in a smoky bar.  Go ahead elitists - go on and push RINOs in favor of incremental tax increases, anti-business legislation, maintaining the income tax, gun confiscation. And keep promoting pro-gay and perverse candidates who erode our social values.  Keep nominating candidates who embrace ObamaCare, or want to increase the minimum wage, or seem to have no coherent position on anything at all.   Keep nominating billionaires void of experience or ideas who have plenty of money to burn and who run commercials to destroy the political careers of real Republicans who might make a real difference on behalf of Connecticut. And lastly, keep praising our opposition, welcoming them with open arms, and treating them as if their ideology is equal to our own, all while they seek to destroy everything generations of Americans have worked, and died for.  You see, we don't need too look far to realize that the bigger enemy is within.

Go ahead... for THE KING and his ARMY OF THE PRINCIPLED are waiting to repel you!

I AM

THE KING

Republicans Give McMahon Fake Fairytale Ending

How many disasters can we create in a month?

Last week Republican insiders were angered to read the headline that federal agents were swarming the capitol city, interrogating members for evidence that CTGOP officials directed candidates to hire a Clearwater, Florida direct mail and printing firm to the tune of nearly $2 million dollars with an alleged kickback scheme.  As if that wasn't bad enough, we heard the news that the Feds are working with Brian "The Rat" Foley (chief conspirator of the Lisa-Wilson Foley-Rowland-Healy gang) to help return ex-Governor John G. Rowland to The Big House.  The timing of these scandals couldn't be worse - as they come on the heels of Republican Candidate Tom Foley launching his gubernatorial bid by leveling ethics charges at Governor Dan Malloy's administration.  Now that strategy looks to be a hard-sell with the CTGOP mired in it's own mega-controversy.

All of this negative press is very frustrating given that Republican gubernatorial candidates had just finally begun to get their message out to eager constituents.  Well, at least there was some good news - as it turned out - neither John Rowland nor Lisa Wilson-Foley were going to be roasted recipients of this year's Prescott Bush Award.  For that would have almost been worth paying the outrageous $250 a head ticket to attend that media circus.

Knowing full well that two of the CTGOPs biggest stars were about to go Super-Nova, Chairman Jerry Labriola, Jr. and his near-sighted group of politicos decided to chose Connecticut's least-effective candidate - Linda McMahon to receive the Connecticut Republican Party's highest honor.  When announced, Republicans statewide shook their collective heads in unison, screaming: "Do we ever learn from our mistakes?"

The CTGOP has become a lot like Disney's Dumbo Ride:
It goes round and round and never manages to get anywhere

With many of the Party faithful calling for his head - Chairman Labriola, Jr. was quick to defend his selection.  In a rare statement to the press, he wrote:

"Linda McMahon has shown tremendous leadership, both as a candidate herself and as a tireless advocate for Republicans at all levels of local, state and federal government,” Labriola said. “Her experience creating, building and running a business has helped shine a light on the need for government to help, not hinder, the creation of jobs in order to help our state and our economy prosper.” 

Leave it to Jerry Labriola, Jr. and CTGOP to completely rewrite the historical fact.  The truth is that Linda McMahon only advocated for Republican Candidates and Town Committees which endorsed her candidacy over both Rob Simmons, and Christopher Shays.  Anyone else who was found supporting her opposition, or playing neutral, was isolated, ridiculed and harshly, and personally attacked from the word "go".  The only thing "tireless" about Linda McMahon was her campaign for self-promotion, and desire for adulation from her supporters who were all too unwilling to see both campaigns for what they were - pure political calamity; void of content, ideology, or ideas.  Her inability to communicate specific solutions on any issue during her many interviews and debates was enough to expose her candidacy for what it was - shallow theatre.

Moreover, it's very hard for us lifelong Republicans to watch our Chairman (who was punished by McMahon and her minions for quietly, but openly supporting her primary opponents) crawl on all fours, beg her forgiveness, and reward her after she's had a history of donating to Democrats, and spent millions of dollars on door hangers, mailers, and television commercials encouraging voter turnout for Barack Obama.  How humiliating for Labriola!  How humiliating for  Connecticut Republicans! Only the seal-clapping elite at CTGOP Headquarters would both excuse wholesale betrayal of our Republican Presidential Candidate, and then kiss her arse after the fact.  Has the Connecticut Republican Party lost all it's self-respect?

As for Labriola's comments regarding her business - Republicans have long established that the wrestling business it's not the kind of pro-family, pro-traditional values organization which our own GOP brand claims to champion.  It was tough seeing some activists at the Family Institute of Connecticut endorse a candidate who made her millions promoting a raunchy, anything goes mentality which the FIC purports to fight against. Based on the past two campaign cycles, its hard to determine if it was - as Labriola suggests - a shining light that Linda was waving, or a lit fuse of dynamite which twice annihilated our GOP Senate hopes, and destroyed the Party under-ticket.  If there's something the CTGOP does very well - it's that it has a habit of repeatedly rewarding failure.

It will take a cast of characters to explain how McMahon earned this award

Party insiders agree that handing the Prescott Bush Award to McMahon is pay-off for Linda's personal contribution of thousands, and thousands, and thousands of dollars to rescue CTGOP coffers from complete bankruptcy.  It's long been established that RTCs, delegates, state central members, convention votes, and now even awards can be indirectly purchased by those with the deepest pockets (Tom Foley's Convention is likely next). And sadly, now the effects of behind-the-curtain party corruption has been brought to public light; exposing that the CTGOPs internal battle with ethics is more than just a matter of 'inside baseball'.   

Handing the Prescott Bush Award to Linda McMahon is wrong, but its just another chapter in the CTGOPs endless identity crisis. The King supposes that this crime may seem minor when compared with FBI agents turning over Republican desks, or ex-cons acting as head of Party from the WTIC broadcast booth while our Chairman goes AWOL. At the end of the day, the problem for the Connecticut Republican Party is that neither principle, integrity or elections can be bought.  Until that lesson is learned, and we clean up our own house - it's very unlikely that the public will see Republicans as a viable option now or in the near future.

I AM 

THE KING

CTGOP Chairman's Race 2013 - Part I

CTGOP Tagline

Isn't it fitting that we should start off the first day of summer by cranking up the heat a bit on the upcoming CTGOP Chairman's Race?  And what kind of contest would it be without The King weighing in with a little evaluation of the situation at hand?  A morbid foreshadowing, no doubt with maybe a few surprises in store.  Connecticut, being the land of steady habits, will likely see its Republicans clinging to old time politics facilitated by the same old wrinkled faces who have brought them defeat after defeat, year after year.  

Generally speaking, it's the old cliche its not what you know - its who you know which is a song sung loudly in the hallways at CTGOP Headquarters; for it's that practice which has always reigned supreme over Connecticut Republican politics.  The majority of elected delegates who time after time have been so easily bedazzled by cash, favors, and titles eagerly delivered by those elitists who see Connecticut politics as nothing more than a sport; moving state central members and delegates around like pawns on a chessboard for personal gain and entertainment.  All the while, Connecticut residents and businesses suffer catastrophic loses.

Of course, we at The King's View have to take some accountability for what has come to pass. It seems like it was just yesterday that we were cheering the demise of the failed, corrupt tyrant, Chris Healy, as if he had been deposed from his cushy throne in a fashion not seen since France's King Louis XVI.  The final straw which did him in was his mismanagement of the worst series of election cycles that the CTGOP had ever seen.  I distinctly remember him face palmed while statewide Republicans tarred and feather him in the CCSU auditorium in December of 2010.  And we wildly cheered the ascendancy of Jerry Labriola, Jr. for whom we had such high hopes for moving Connecticut's beleaguered GOP forward into an era of victory followed by a period of prosperity.  But we were both misguided and mistaken - for we traded failure and corruption for incompetence and ineptitude (much of it intentional).  The vacuum of leadership is so obvious that we have nearly half a dozen candidates (that we know of) seeking the not-so-high office of CTGOP Chairman.

We now hear rumbles that profiteer State Central Member Mary Ann Turner and other Healy-loyalists have been burning up the phone lines to drum up support and bring back their disgraced leader.  Even old friend Catherine Marx is trying to find relevancy again since sitting by while Nancy DiNardo took us apart in the press. A email has been distributed to State Central Members full of lies and half-truths about Healy's so-called success record and ethics prompting multiple cries of outrage via email to The King's View. (Of course, in fairness, this isn't the only team working the phones for support; so anything could happen post this entry).  Labriola brags of having over 50 followers in line to hand him victory (and you'd need to be a blind follower after this past election cycle which resulted in pure calamity).  Meanwhile, Conservative Wayne Winsley, and Former Tea Party Patriot Ron Wilcox have their own surrogates pushing for support and attempting to siphon off votes from the heavy hitters.

For those who wonder why we are so down on the past and current Chairman, let's examine the recent history of failure:

Connecticut State Central Members
would do well to remember why this
cartoon was drawn
(Credit: Mr. Englehart)

Under both Chairmen, the CTGOP has steadily lost more key elections then ever before.  

Despite his revisionist public relations campaign, under Chris Healy's Leadership, Republicans lost all representation in the U.S. House of Representatives (ending with Chris Shays' defeat), he advanced the cause of the shameful candidacy of Linda McMahon for US Senate (by backstabbing Rob Simmons while his wife was on the McMahon payroll), lead us to a reduced representation in both Connecticut State Chambers, and finally lost the Gubernatorial Race which brought us four years of liberal Dannel Malloy.  Based on the evidence, it's impossible for any reasonable person to make the case that a return to the Healy years would be in our best interest. We can't imagine what tall tale can be told to brainwash state central members into supporting guaranteed failure.  Make Blue Red?  Are you kidding?  This guy left us Black and Blue, and Democrats actually felt sorry for us because of the shellacking we took. 

And if electoral failure isn't bad enough, you need to look the ethics of the Healy regime.  Attached are three documents which are part of the public record in the Manchester Small Claims Court, Manchester, Connecticut which underscore reasons for concern about how the CT Republican Party was financially run by Mr. Healy (to borrow a phrase: We report, you decide):

Federal Election Commission Complaint

Smoking Gun?

Investigation Continues

So the question people are asking is - would you trust Chris Healy with your money? Certainly, some candidates never received donations entrusted to the then-Chairman which were specifically intended for them to receive. We could also provide a list of hotel expenditures and receipts for the outrageous lifestyle of a man who lived large on Republican donors.  Of course, it would have easier to overlook had we actually won anything!!

Make no mistake about it
Jerry "Lewis" Labriola drowned in
irrelevancy.  And we joked about
Obama as an empty chair. Good Grief!

Jerry Labriola, Jr. faired no better - if not worse - at least from a political standpoint.  Besides refusing to speak publicly or distribute press releases on major issues affecting our state including gun control, the bathroom bill, economic issues or in any sort of issue of concern, he allowed Linda McMahon and Lisa Wilson-Foley to run the Republican Party ticket and under-ticket into the ground,  There are few State Chairman across this country who would sit by silently while their Republican Senate Candidate ran television ads promoting Barack Obama at the expense of other Republican candidates (if that didn't take the cake, were not sure what did).  Bending to pressure, Labriola caved in and jumped on-board McMahon's circus in the last week of the campaign.  What a joke! Then we can't forget about the one time Jerry did appear on Television, he took aim not at Democrats, but at the National Republican Party by calling Connecticut Conservatives "bombastic extremists" while he wined and dined himself at the RNC Convention for Mitt Romney.  It's no wonder why Connecticut needed to buy it's own Mitt Romney election signs.  I'm sure when it comes time for the next GOP Convention, the Connecticut Delegation will find itself seated somewhere in the back parking lot after that act.  We saw how the Romney camp skipped Connecticut after receiving such a warm welcome from our Chairman.  There was a point in time when Connecticut was actually in play.

Labriola's surrogates will claim that he raised more donations than the previous Chairman, however this can discounted by the fact that it was a Presidential Election year.  All in all, between giving Democrats the silent treatment, and letting Democrats control the debate, it's not in our best interest to continue forward with this lack-luster style of leadership.  There is just no point.  He's in Cafero's and McKinney's pocket - and he's just not his own man.  There's nothing to indicate he'd ever change

At this point, I don't see where the two upstarts - Wilcox and Winsley have enough star-power to pull enough votes to capture a majority.  Rumors are that if choices had to be made - Winsley will slide toward Healy, and Wilcox would move toward Labriola.  There's always hope that another candidate could trump them all, but it's up to that person to put themselves forward this weekend else we'll end up with the lesser of two evils - Mr. Corrupt, or Mr. Controlled.  And a split caucus that hates each others guts for another two years.

More to come?  We'll see.  Stay tuned....

I AM

THE KING

Election Day! (Thank God!)

Hooray! Election Day is finally here!

For my own part, The King is glad that after two years of making hundreds of phone calls, conducting literature drops, and helping with generally campaigning across multiple districts that we will finally see, race-by-race, either the pay-off for hard work, or punishment for a comedy of errors.

I think we've said all we've needed to say about our political races in Connecticut.  We all know this is a pretty drab place to live if you're a loyal, red-blooded Republican.  But to underscore the point, I would urge readers to go out and vote for Republicans in all districts and races who you believe have conducted themselves with honor and dignity during this cycle.   

The King also urges voters to "Leave the Line Blank" in the Connecticut Senate Race.  Linda McMahon has lost The King's vote, and the vote of so many of the Party faithful for her betrayal of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan by supporting Barack Obama in her campaign commercials and literature.  Moreover, she has intentionally hurt several federal and local candidates by pushing the Independent line which has been detrimental for both federal and state Republicans.  Let's pray this is the last campaign that we will ever have to see Linda McMahon a part of in The Nutmeg State. 

Again, please don't sit out the election - go to the polls and vote for state and federal Republican candidates, but don't vote for Chris Murphy (obviously), and PLEASE go out of your way to NOT VOTE FOR Linda McMahon.  Leave the Line Blank.  Make this a teachable moment for Linda McMahon, and our spineless CTGOP Chairman Jerry Labriola.

And if old friend - Andrew Roraback takes the win tonight (as expected), everyone should recognize that he and his staff, and his army of tireless volunteers won the campaign the hard way - with hard work, elbow grease, and dedication.  Yes, there was a last minute infusion of cash from a strange source in New York, but the truth is that Andrew and his team have been changing hearts and minds since he won the State Convention earlier this year.  And we should all be grateful that Andrew stayed above the noise, ran a positive campaign, and that he didn't allow State Party incompetence damages his campaign.   Although a little presumptuous at this point on Election Day, let me offer congratulations to Andrew Roraback and his team for a job well done!

Above all else, this is the race that counts!

Now that we've got that off our chest, let's look at the race which is the single most important  contest this evening.

Here is what to watch regarding the Romney-Obama Race:

Virginia:  This is the first state to watch with 13 electoral votes up for grabs here.  This state will be an early indicator of what we might expect during the night.  If Mitt loses Virginia it doesn't mean it's game over, but there would need to be some serious surprises elsewhere to make up ground.

North Carolina:  This state used to be a lock for Republicans, but Obama managed to win it in 2008.  Sadly, the demographic changes have made this state more of a swing state which will remain in play for decades to come.  North Carolina boasts 15 electoral votes.  As of the last poll sample taken this week, Romney leads here.  If Mitt loses here, it will indicate that polling samples are nearly useless.

Florida:  The Gator State is a critical key piece of the puzzle with 29 delegates - the largest number of swing state delegates on the electoral map.  Romney has won seven polls, Obama has won four, and there was one tie.  This state leans Romney.

New Hampshire:  New England's last and only remaining red state (turned blue in 2008) will be interesting to watch, not because of its four electoral votes, but because the Presidential contest is in a dead heat.  If Mitt Romney wins in New Hampshire, it could mean a big night for the Romney camp.  Obama is expected to win New Hampshire given the demographic changes from the influx of MassHoles to the Granite State which has watered down Republicanism over the past 12 years.

Ohio: If you haven't noticed, the entire political universe has been rotating around Ohio over the last three weeks.  With 18 electoral votes in a state dubbed Main Street America,  pollsters claim that this state is a must win for candidates - unless neighboring Wisconsin (10 electoral votes) partially counter-balances an outcome in Ohio.    

Iowa: This state has 6 electoral votes.  Again, this state is not a deal breaker for either candidate, but certainly will help frame the night in terms of trending.

Nevada: This state is considered a swing state by the media, but The King sees this state as under control by Democrats - given the combination of the Latino community, the culinary community, and the gambling lobby.  The majority of these groups are reported to have already voted during the early voting process, so I'm not expecting a win for Mitt here, but a close voting percentage will be interesting for discussions on trending.

Pennsylvania: This state could be an interesting battleground state with 20 electoral votes - which I've always assumed would go to Obama since I don't believe Mitt Romney has won a single poll based on all results posted a RealClearPolitics.com.  What makes this state "in-play" is that the race has moved within the margin of error for the last few weeks.  A Mitt Romney win here would be an incredible upset, and would likely signal a landslide win for Romney-Ryan.

The King's Prediction:  Romney by a larger than expected margin.  The national media will be eating humble pie for months to come while our local media will likely gloat.

Realistically, you have to expect plenty of shenanigans along the way  - so be prepared to sit long in your seats, it could be a long night!

I AM 

THE KING

This original blog entry can be found at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer: This entry and others will be modified/updated at a future date. All entries are for the sole purpose of entertainment. This article does not imply endorsement of the candidate mentioned above, nor has this article been solicited for publication by any political candidate, campaign, or PAC.

Linda McMahon's Door Hangers Spark Anger

Most political junkies have already seen the door hanger (to the left) being distributed all over Connecticut by McMahon's  ground forces. As you can see Linda McMahon is continuing to push her selfish agenda to get herself and Barack Obama elected.  The Romney Camp can't be happy with this traitorous act - no matter how they try to package it.

See this article from the Hartford Courant for details.  

It's too bad our CTGOP Chairman Jerry Labriola has become an all-to-willing lap-dog for the McMahon Campaign.  Does Chairman Labriola actually think that Linda McMahon's support for Barack Obama will help the ground game for Republicans running in Congressional Races since she's promoting the Independent line?  I can't see how that will help candidates like John Decker in CT-01?  Maybe he aught to get out of the plastic bubble he's created for himself and take in some oxygen.  

Two weeks ago, when asked about the McMahon-Obama commercial Labriola told the Press, "no comment".  Yesterday he followed the carefully prepared script given to him by the McMahon Campaign, which will allow him to get back in Linda's good graces (for the next 24 hours) and drink warm beer at her pity party on Tuesday night. 

Poor Labriola - he's really lost the plot - which of course is supposed to be getting ALL REPUBLICANS elected regardless of positioning on the ballot - not cutting everyone off at the knees for an unlikable Senate Candidate who's 9-points down, and killing the rest of the GOP field.  Labriola has become an utter disgrace!  Hey Jerry - Linda McMahon left the Party long ago, the band can stop playing now.

As a friend of mine who's a prominent national Republican pollster told me yesterday over the phone, "You people really have your problems in Connecticut.  Your Chairman and your Candidate are both a joke."

He has no idea.

I AM

THE KING

This original blog entry can be found at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer: This entry and others will be modified/updated at a future date. All entries are for the sole purpose of entertainment. This article does not imply endorsement of the candidate mentioned above, nor has this article been solicited for publication by any political candidate, campaign, or PAC.

Catapulting Andrew Roraback to Victory

There are not many bright spots for the beleaguered Connecticut Republican Party this election cycle, but alas - there is at least one race where Republicans will likely make a gain.  The 5th Congressional District - perhaps where the last visible bastion of Connecticut Yankee Republicanism can be found - is on track to elect State Senator Andrew Roraback to the U.S. Congress on Tuesday.  And all things being equal, this will be a great outcome for what has been a rough year for the State GOP.

While Andrew isn't exactly the choice of the social conservative wing of the CTGOP, he is a decent family man with a strong record of representing his constituents with honor and decency.  A case in point is that despite his own personal convictions on the issue, he switched positions to cast a vote against Repeal of the Death Penalty which won him points with those of us sympathetic to the Petit Family, and all victims of homicide crime. Even if his vote was somewhat political, as claimed by his rival Lisa Wilson-Foley, he cast the right vote for the right reasons, and on behalf of is entire constituency. (Note that his opponent Elizabeth Esty, who has a long record of being soft on crime, voted to coddle murderers and criminals and relieve them from facing absolute justice).  With Andrew, you can say that it's one thing to say he stands for certain principles, but its quite another to be able to deep dive into his extensive record and see that he's never wavered during his multi-year term.

From a fiscal standpoint, Roraback has been responsible with taxpayers money during his twelve year tenure, and being raised on wishy-washy Episcopalianism, one would expect him to continue to strike a balance between social responsibility and fiscal restraint.  This is certainly a stark contrast to his opponent Elizabeth Esty who is publicly on record saying that she is willing to send the elderly and those on hardship who can't afford tax increases packing beyond the Cheshire Town Line.  It's hard to find a candidate with less compassion for people than Elizabeth Esty.  And if you've ever had a chance to talk with her in person, like I have, you know that she comes across too direct, and very mean. 

Queen Elizabeth Esty: "All of you old fools can move out of 
Cheshire, and Connecticut if you can't afford it!"

It's sort of remarkable if you think about it.  Normally, Republicans get a bad rap for being so tight with the penny that Democrats almost always twist our candidates' records so to play the class warfare card to their advantage during every race, but with Esty's voting record of cutting the elderly off at the knees at every turn during her two year stint in Hartford, she's removed any credibility she has on social welfare.  Democrats are probably furious about not having a stronger candidate like Chris Donovan on the ballot, but scandals can seem to egulf both parties from time to time.

The Roraback folks are looking for some help in the final days of the campaign to ensure victory.  If you haven't already volunteered your time, this is a great opportunity to become part of the winning team.  The Campaign is in need of people to make calls from their phone bank, go door-to-door to conduct literature drops and help get out the vote, and work the polls on Election Day.   If you'd like to help, please call the Roraback Campaign at 860-626-7244.  And tell them The King sent you. Let's catapult Andrew to victory.

Final Note

Lastly, with a concerted effort with all hands on deck, Andrew should sail comfortably to a solid win on Tuesday. However, there is one real note of concern that's generating plenty of angst amongst Roraback Campaign staffers.  Having watched the Republican base backlash from Linda McMahon's tie-in political ad supporting Barack Obama, there is another ad being broadcast on television by American Unity Pac that is causing alarm.

Dissatisfied with trying to ruin just Mitt Romney's chances in
Connecticut, Linda McMahon is setting her sights on
killing Andrew Roraback's campaign

There is real reason for concern.  At one point, Linda McMahon boasted more than a 10-point lead over Chris Murphy in CT-5.  After her pro-Obama commercial aired, polls showed her trailing by 6-points in the District.  The last thing Andrew Roraback needs is for Linda McMahon to anchor herself to his surge and sink his ship before he crosses the finish line.  The concern is so real that one Roraback person told The King, "Every time that commercial airs, Andrew runs to the bathroom and vomits ... if we lose this thing [race] by a few points, it will attributed to this stupid commercial ... she'll climb over, on-top of everyone to get her face out there.  And everyone is suffering because of it."

We pray that this doesn't turn out to be the case.  Andrew should look in his rear view mirror like Jeff Goldblum did in Jurassic Park and run like hell to avoid Linda "T-Rex" McMahon from taking a bite out of his forward momentum.

Good Luck, Andrew.  And remember, "Faster, Faster!"

I AM

THE KING

This original blog entry can be found at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer: This entry and others will be modified/updated at a future date. All entries are for the sole purpose of entertainment. This article does not imply endorsement of the candidate mentioned above, nor has this article been solicited for publication by any political candidate, campaign, or PAC.

Unable to Justify Support, Visconti and Others Bail on Linda McMahon

Even The King and the members of his Court must recognize moral courage and conviction when we see it.  Below you'll  find a scathing email which we were requested to publish on October 29th.  Admittedly, we stalled on the request because we wanted to make certain that the author, Joe Visconti, was serious about his decision.  As readers know, The King's View hasn't directly called for Connecticut Republicans to withdraw support for Linda McMahon.  But that doesn't mean that not supporting her on Election Day isn't the right thing to do given how she and her campaign have conducted themselves during this season.

Here is the email in it's entirety:

Linda McMahon Lost My Vote- I'm Joe Visconti and I Approved This Message.

Just this morning I texted Justin Clark and asked him if the Obama Linda ads were still being aired, Justin texted back to me that they were down. Well I was just watching Channel 3 Eyewitness News with Denise and Dennis and almost fell off the damn couch as an “I’m voting for Barack Obama and Linda McMahon” ad came on.

Last Monday I went on the John Rowland show and asked Linda to take the ads down or I would not vote for her. Last Tuesday I went on Fox 61 with Laurie Perez (4, 10 & 11pm News) while keeping it cool to shield Linda and explained that folks cannot vote for Linda if the ads continue and again I asked for the ads to be taken down. Well today I’m not asking anymore, I’m telling Linda, you lost my vote as a Republican.

I will not vote for Linda McMahon and I will “ENCOURAGE” every Republican I know not to vote for her. Leave the line empty or write in the name “Benedict Arnold” it doesn’t matter to me, but do not vote for Linda McMahon or Chris Murphy (For those who think I would ever suggest voting for him).

Why not vote for Linda many will ask? For many reasons and the first one is our CTGOP Headquarters has fielded countless calls of outrage from Party Loyalists because of these ads and the damage is presently irreparable for which I concur.

Our Chairman is under siege for not calling out Linda while many of his foes stoke the fire of revenge fired by envy of his success for which I feel very sad about. Jerry and his staff have been put in a terrible position and I encourage him to demand the ads be pulled for the sake of the Party Faithful who are sick to their stomachs as I write this.

Also to the State Central Members who Justin Clark promised the ads would be pulled down by last Thursday I feel your pain as you have to continue receiving berating calls from those you represent.
Lastly I spent considerable personal time (as a volunteer) with other volunteers I recruited at the Bristol Victory Headquarters calling every Republican Town Committee Chair in the State (169 total) asking for financial support in the name of Chairman Jerry Labriola so that we (the CTGOP) could purchase thousands of Romney/Ryan lawn signs which were in high demand after the debates.
The response from the RTC Chairs was overwhelming and we raised thousands upon thousands of dollars in that effort. And for what, so that Connecticut Republican voters can be proud to display the Romney/Ryan signs on their lawns just to get laughed at by their registered Unaffiliated and Democrat neighbors who saw Linda join forces with Obama?

Never mind the Linda sellout of DOMA or during her ridiculous debates stating that she would not help her Party (The GOP supposedly) to overturn any Women’s Issues (referring to Roe) but now this financial support for an Obama Get out the Vote Effort?

To sit by and watch as Linda systematically and deliberately sells out the CTGOP for the hopes of gaining African American Votes would be unconscionable.

Does anyone with half a damn brain actually believe Connecticut African Americans by any margin will vote Independent and not vote the Democrat line in Connecticut?

Guess what Linda et al, this next week will be a teachable moment for you, and do you know why? Because your actions have caused the Party Loyalists to think, wait a minute, Mitt Romney is so good and can work across Party lines to get things done when he is President that we don’t need to win a US Senate seat, especially at the price of selling out our Party and what we stand for. And you know what? Many are starting to think America may just be better off and just might heal the divisive damage done by Obama if Democrats retain control of the US Senate. That’s right. This idea is now on all of the minds and tongues of the Party Faithful.

In the end Linda McMahon forgot who brought her to the dance and she also forgot that 30,000 Christopher Shays Primary Voters and I will never forget her betrayals come Election Day.

Vote for Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan and the entire Republican Under ticket except Linda McMahon.

Joe Visconti

The fact is that we're less than a week out from Election Day and most people have already decided how they intend to vote.  Those few who haven't yet decided will likely follow their inclinations based on what they've seen and heard via TV ads, debates, or what's being said around the water cooler.  Since neither Chris Murphy or Linda McMahon distinguished themselves on the issues, or gave the public any valid or overriding reason to disqualify support for their opponent, it's more than likely that Connecticut political demographics won't be upset, and Chris Murphy will wind up the victor.

It's The King's view that where Linda lost the election was not through her corrupt purchase of party delegates, lying about her mortgage/personal history, her phony war against the media to attempt to generate sympathy from independents, or even her betrayal of Mitt Romney in her most recent ad, but she killed her electability because of the totality of her candidacy, and the shallowness of her person - simply unfit for the job.  Her performance in the debates gave Connecticut residents all they needed to know about her lack of knowledge and comprehension of the issues - if you can't make basic ideological arguments by drawing from details after nearly four years of studying and campaigning, then you're just not electable.  How hard would it have been to do the work, and at least prepare for a series of debates and make coherent arguments in a thoughtful and convincing way?  Her performance reeked of laziness which we found more frustrating than anything else. 

And after all her time as CEO of WWE, the only mildly creative spark came last week in the form of an ad depicting multiple, black and white Chris Murphys surrounding a full color version of herself.  But beyond the short-lived giggle even that ad falls short of content. In truth, it's going to take only one Chris Murphy to defeat her on Tuesday. 

Funny, but pointless.

Through social media outlets, Linda's surrogates are doing everything they can to deflect her decision to move not to the middle, but to the left.  Most Republicans realize that Linda must secure the registered 420,000 GOP voters, and a large portion of the 950,000 registered unaffilated voters to win, so the McMahon campaign's intentional decision to abandon its base to reach out to Democrats is a fool's errand.  Democrats aren't going to trade all of something for half of who knows what in Linda McMahon.  Of course, her last minute get out the vote effort for Barack Obama is as amusing as it is offensive.  And now Republicans watching her change positions are embittered, and asking exactly what kind of Republican would Linda be - even if she were elected.  The simple answer is not much of one, I'm afraid.

Perhaps fate will see Linda McMahon losing by a small margin which will be attributed to losing a portion of her base.  Notwithstanding, future Connecticut Republican Candidates should see this whole episode as a Cautionary Tale, or a Teachable Moment, if you will - being independent-minded, selling out your Party, and abandoning basic Republican principles earns you nothing but scorn and defeat.  Despite what they may say, voters elect only confident candidates to go to Washington and unapologetically fight for a set of carefully-articulated and professed principles, not hem and haw, or appear lost in the fog of some vague notion of mediocre compromise, and ambiguity.  

At the end of the day, we can only hope and pray that Linda McMahon's negatives don't drown the entire Republican ticket ... for the rest of our CTGOP Candidates, particularly Andrew Roraback and Steve Obsitnik who after running solid campaigns on the issues - deserve so much better than that.  

I AM

THE KING

This original blog entry can be found at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer: This entry and others will be modified/updated at a future date. All entries are for the sole purpose of entertainment. This article does not imply endorsement of the candidate mentioned above, nor has this article been solicited for publication by any political candidate, campaign, or PAC.

The Plot Thickens

Just a short update today on the Linda McMahon-Obama ad scandal. 

Connecticut Republican State Central Members gathered in Madison Connecticut last evening for their quasi-monthly State Central Committee Meeting.  Given the state of emergency sparked by the new Linda McMahon ad (a cross-endorsement of Linda McMahon and Barack Obama), Team Linda dispatched every one's favorite errand-boy, Justin Clark, to the scene to quell the screams of the angry hordes. 

You can always count on Justin Clark to
 be on the side of the bad guys

For twenty-five or so minutes, the embattled Clark attempted to explain away the the ad as nothing more than a good political strategy to attract independent voters.  Clark claimed that Mitt Romney is too far behind in Connecticut to win the State, and that Linda is specifically using the Obama cross-endorsement strategy to attract [urban] voters.  The crowd, incensed by his nonchalant attitude, met Clark's sales pitch with angry boos, and groans.

As the minutes wore on, the scene turned ugly.  Two rival groups emerged in the room bantering back and forth; on one side you had those loyal to the Republican Party and it's Presidential Nominee, these whom we shall refer to as The Friends of Mitt, and on the other side - you have those who are (and always have been) in blind allegiance to Linda McMahon; we will refer to these people as Linda's Paid Minions. 

In the front of the room sat Chairman Jerry Labriola, Jr. who in typical fashion, sat wide-eyed, mouth-agape, observing the comedy with nothing to say.  He allowed Clark to ramble on incoherently as the crowd assailed him, and each other.  At a time when the Republican Party faithful is looking for answers and direction from it's State Chairman, Labriola seems aloof at the helm, preferring to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the whole nauseating affair.  "This too shall pass" - yeah, like a kidney stone.

Then Clark said something which surprised even some of the most veteran Republicans in the room. He said that Mitt Romney was not only aware of Linda's strategy, but endorsed the ad for airing.  One state central member asked for some form of written confirmation from the Romney Campaign as evidence that Romney supports McMahon's ad strategy, and in response - Justin Clark told the crowd that they would have an email in their in-box by the next day (update: no such email has arrived as of this writing). 

And if such a communication does arrive, let's hope that Chairman Labriola will live by the doctrine of transparency which he has so publicly advocated for in the past, and make it available to all Connecticut Republicans across the Nutmeg State.  (After all, State Central is not a secret society, but a representative body of all Connecticut Republicans).

When upset State Central members demanded that the ads be pulled, Clark dismissed the requests and said that the ads would continue through Thursday. He also mentioned that robo-calls would then begin which will include Mitt Romney voicing support for Linda McMahon. Whether or not Clark was making things up on the fly to quiet the angry crowd is uncertain, but whatever the case may be, the night was ruined - and any sense of Republican unity that had been fostered in the late summer has certainly abated.

As an aside, staunch McMahon follower, and RNC Connecticut Committee Chairwoman Patricia Longo has posted the following comment on her Facebook page: "Have it from  the highest sources that McMahon ad everyone is complaining about was ok'd by SRCC, Mitch McConnell, and the Romney Campaign."

If such a claim turned out to be true, Connecticut Republicans who've purchased Romney signs, bumper stickers, made phone calls, or attended, or hosted fundraisers, or even donated their hard-earned cash would certainly have a right to feel betrayed by both the Republican National Committee, and the Republican Party.  And sadly this could lead to a large scale defection not just on November 6th, but well beyond this year's election. 

The King's advice to Chairman Labriola, the Romney Campaign, Mitch McConnell, and the RNC is to set the record straight, set Linda McMahon straight, and give Connecticut Republicans a respectable brand they can be proud of.

I AM

THE KING

This original blog entry can be found at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer: This entry and others will be modified/updated at a future date. All entries are for the sole purpose of entertainment. This article does not imply endorsement of the candidate mentioned above, nor has this article been solicited for publication by any political candidate, campaign, or PAC.

Linda McMahon's Connecticut Cluster?

Duke of Marlborough

There is a new development regarding the latest Linda McMahon ad "Independent" which I wrote about a day ago here.  Since what I'm about to impart is likely to add fuel to an already raging political fire - and cause additional inter-party stir, I would suggest readers proceed with caution before embarking on a witch-hunt of sorts for our court informant.  As with previous referenced material, I've agreed to protect this person's identity as a courtesy.  I can only offer that the information comes from the quaint town of Marlborough.

And before proceeding, this is a perfect opportunity to remind readers that this little crisis is not one of any particular group or individual Republican activist's making, The Tea Party's making, The King's making, or even Chairman Jerry Labriola's making (fact be told the McMahon camp has refused to acknowledge Labriola's existence since he tried to run an impartial State Convention earlier this year), but rather this nightmare is both owned and perpetrated by Linda McMahon and her desperate Campaign Team which unleashed a video that targets demographically-specific Obama supporters on her behalf while throwing Mitt Romney under the bus.

The King's View received an email which was distributed, and re-distributed widely to constituents - all over the state -  and even to a few select individuals in the media.  The pathetic action underscores the incredibly self-serving nature of the McMahon Campaign.  Moreover, it implies a possibly illegal cross-coordination of federal campaign activity which doesn't make a shred of sense because it assumes there would be no loses in her dwindling base support as a trade off for assumed independent voter gains. 

Here is the communication, as written (with errors), sans author's name:

Subject: Linda Mcmahon's Ad Courting Independent Voters

Hello all,

I have received several calls about Linda's latest ad regarding her spot on the Independent line and that she can "work with President Obama". I called the McMahon campaign headquarters and spoke to them about this. The response I got was that it was a stratigic move, coordinated with the Romney campaign, to court the urban vote. They claimed that the Romney campaign has written off Connecticut, which is probably true, and that this is an effort to pick up some urban voters who would be voting for Obama and may add Linda to their ballot with her being on the same independent line.

I can understand the strategy, but I will admit that this approach sticks in my craw! If you want to convey your thoughts to Linda's campaign headquarters please feel free to call her office in North Haven. 

McMahon Campaign Headquarters
556 Washington Ave.
North Haven, CT 06473
P: 203-691-8592

Again, is it a smart move? Maybe politically....but it is one that may turn off a number of Republican voters. Hopefully it will not turn off Republicans enough to vote for Chris Murphy, but perhaps enough to leave that column blank out of principle.

(End Communication)

Analysis:

First, it's The King's view is that it's highly unlikely that the Romney camp would ever agree to any strategy that would expose weakness of their candidate via any medium, let alone give approval for the distribution of a televised cross-endorsement of their opponent for the sake of electing a Senate candidate (particularly, the one in question). Second, and more important, it would be a violation of Federal Election Law to coordinate communication between two federal candidates unless specifically identified, and this includes the filing of required legal paperwork, and inclusion of appropriate disclaimers. The risk on both fronts wouldn't be worth the exposure.  It's more apt to be another fairy-tale from the McMahon Campaign. Or another expendable McMahon Staffer simply overreaching their perceived accountability (we all remember at least one loud Communication Director who became drunk and obnoxious in Hartford, and was subsequently removed weeks later).

It's widely understood that the Romney Campaign has been contacted regarding both the McMahon Television Ad and the email distributed above.   At this point, the Romney campaign is still working to determine an appropriate response to what has been referred to by some Washington Republican insiders as  "The Connecticut Cluster---k".  Oh, how charming! Thanks, Linda!

As to the author's reference to a "craw" and what that is... well, I don't know.  But to the question as to whether this is a smart move?  If the anger and outrage of the Connecticut Republican base is any indication, you would have to agree that so far, the McMahon-Obama strategy is a flop.  It's The King's only hope that Linda hasn't upset the party faithful to the point where other Federal and State Republican candidates suffer on Election Day because of her selfish motives.  

Developing...

I AM

THE KING

This original blog entry can be found at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer: This entry and others will be modified/updated at a future date. All entries are for the sole purpose of entertainment. This article does not imply endorsement of the candidate mentioned above, nor has this article been solicited for publication by any political candidate, campaign, or PAC.

Linda McMahon: Unforgiveable

My friends, for the past four years under the policies of President Barack Obama, the United States has seen one of the worst economic periods in our nation's history:  skyrocketing unemployment as high as 8.9%, trillion dollar deficits, climbing gas and fuel prices, rising health care premiums (thanks to Obamacare), and businesses closing their doors in every city and town across this great land.  It's been painful to watch friends and neighbors suffer under this inept administration - particularly in Connecticut where the crisis is compounded by a Governor and Legislature hell-bent on driving businesses out of state.

Back in November 2008, we at The King's View understood the excitement and euphoria of a historical moment come true.  The rhetoric of hope, and allure of promise was more than enough to convince even some of our closest friends that a new day was upon us.  Knowing that Obama's ideology was nothing but a pipe-dream, Republicans accepted this loss as a unique, hopefully unrepeatable moment in history.  We shook our heads, folded our tents, but recognized the obvious sociological impact of the election which at the time outweighed sound reason, and substantive facts. 

As the dark clouds gathered our economy went from bad to worse, but there were high hopes that Connecticut's Old Yankee Spirit might be awakened by the steadily soured course upon which we were treading.  Early signs showed a re-energized Connecticut Republican Party which - although out of practice - might produce a slate of charismatic candidates who Party minions could work earnestly for and help catapult over the wall to victory. 

During the primary season, many Republican activists like Joe Visconti, et al fought long and hard to level the playing field, and elect their candidates of choice; the manner in which some candidates won was highly suspect (which as you know, has been long documented in this blog).  Notwithstanding, some of our picks won handily, while others went down in a fiery defeat. But let the record show that when all was said and done, in the races where our preferred candidates lost, we grumbled a bit, but quickly swallowed our pride and came together under the banner of a unified Republican Party - more than willing to compromise our personal convictions for the greater good of Party and Country.    

But there comes a point when you can be pushed too far.  It's the point when a candidate does or says something that is so incredibly contrary to the core of your political belief system that you can no longer support or stand with them. 

Before I go further,  please view this Campaign Ad by Linda McMahon which was televised during the New York Jets vs New England Patriots Football Game on Sunday entitled "Independent".  This ad is still airing and is paid for by Linda McMahon:

Independent or Insane?  Have you ever seen a Senate candidate throw

a Presidential Candidate from their own Party under the bus?

 

 

If you're like me, you aught to feel pretty gutted about now.  In the first place, certainly, no one in The King's circle signed-on to trade our real deal Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney for a lackluster, imitation Senate Republican candidate like Linda McMahon.  And second, and for God sakes, Barack Obama is more ideologically in opposition to Mitt Romney and the Republican platform than anyone else in our party's history.  If Linda McMahon is willing to hitch her cart to a President who has lost 23 million jobs, quadrupled the deficit, and raised the misery index to an unprecedented level - can you imagine how she would vote if she were ever elected?  She'd make Olympia Snowe look like a Snow White.

And you have to wonder how former First District Congressional Candidate Ann Brickley, seen in the last frame laughing and smiling in the background, feels about being used in the closing moments of the ad as a tool to help Linda McMahon throw Mitt Romney under the Bus? It begs the question as to whether or not Ms. Brickley gave permission to be used in an ad as contentiously divisive as this?  Certainly her father, John Miller, a well-respected and admired, former RNC delegate must be scratching his head at the notion of seeing his legacy tarnished by this blasphemy.

You also have to wonder if the popular Republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who is expending his political capital and reputation to campaign for Linda McMahon is aware of this act of extreme treachery?  After all, as the RNC Convention keynote speaker, chosen by Mitt Romney, Governor Christie has been stumping all over the country.

There should be no mistake about what we're seeing because it's what we've already known to be true.  Slowly but steadily, Linda McMahon has moved from a pretended centrist moderate to a pretentious liberal over the past few months. Linda McMahon's operatives with a wink and a nod, politely begged conservatives to ignore her political rhetoric on homosexual marriage (DOMA), on Reproductive Rights, and even changing her position on Obamacare from Repeal to Repeal and Replace.  Even Peter Wolfgang had to scrambled to diffuse his outraged donors - not once, but twice. And moreover, Linda has hurt our GOP brand to the extent where other statewide Republican candidates will suffer because she's elevated the Independent Party by seeking placement on their line which in turn has caused additional independent candidates to gain stature. 

For now, one can argue rather strongly that Linda McMahon has been the Connecticut Democratic Party's most productive weapon.  After all, she deserves credit for single-handily taking out Nancy Johnson (via funding Rahn Emmanuel and DCCC), Rob Simmons, Chris Shays, and indirectly killing Tom Foley's gubernatorial race, and sinking our Congressional ticket in 2010, and now -  she's teaming with Barack Obama in her ad to to guarantee that Mitt Romney loses in Connecticut.  Where are the Boughtons? Markelys? Labriolas? Caferos? McKinneys? and Foleys, now?  

So now you ask, King, what are we to do? 

There is no lesser of two evils in this race.  Linda's quest to sell herself as an independent by damaging the Republican brand is clearly over the top.  And the emails I've received from readers have reached a red fervor pitch.  Yet, Chris Murphy is for raising payroll taxes on the middle class to continue social security, and is in lockstep with President Obama on pursuing class warfare, Socialized Healthcare, and pushing the rest of the Democrat Party's counter-productive agenda.  

While loyal Republicans like Joe Visconti have pulled their endorsement of Linda McMahon, The King does not feel comfortable telling Republicans to support either Linda McMahon or Chris Murphy, or any other U.S. Senatorial candidate.  Both candidates are equal, and neither is worse than the other.  And at this point, you can say that at least Chris Murphy isn't running any cross-endorsement ads featuring himself with Barack Obama. 

My friends, when it comes to casting your vote in this particular race, I'm afraid you're on your own.  After this week, no Republican hack would dare hold your decision against you.   

Part of me says that losing the U.S. Senate seat in Connecticut wouldn't be the most detrimental (or unexpected) outcome in this election.  It's far more important that we elect Mitt Romney to the White House to serve as our Chief Executive in order to restore a sound economy, and a credible foreign policy.  If it's Linda McMahon's decision to abandon the platform then I suppose that's one thing, but to abandon our Presidential nominee for her own self-serving interests is quite another.  And that is something, if true, is unforgivable.  Remember, Mitt has a track record of working across party lines to get things done, and we expect that after this election, it will be no different.

As an aside: we think there may be a Federal Election Commission rule that requires that if you mention another federal candidate in your ad that you must insert a disclaimer that there is no coordination with any candidate or candidate committee, etc.  The media can check this fact for federal election compliance. 

I AM

THE KING

This original blog entry can be found at http://www.thekingsview.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer: This entry and others will be modified/updated at a future date. All entries are for the sole purpose of entertainment. This article does not imply endorsement of the candidate mentioned above, nor has this article been solicited for publication by any political candidate, campaign, or PAC.