Opinion Editorial
By: Kurt Feigel
One of the things we learned in Guerrilla Politics 101 was you never go into the stronghold of your opponent because it will stir up a hornets nest and turn out voters. Well I don’t know if Feda Morton’s campaign is causing more voters to turn out but they have been stirring up the hornets nests around the 5th District.
Her campaign has been fueled largely by “family values voters”. They have “political and social beliefs that hold the Nuclear family to be the essential ethical and moral unit of society.” This definition found at Wikipedia is a good one and I would say I ascribe to that belief myself.
Further, “these groups variously oppose abortion, pornography, pre-marital sex, homosexuality, certain aspects of feminism[7], cohabitation, separation of church and state, and depictions of sexuality in the media.”
To that I’d say “Me Too”.
Historically the above Christian Values were morphed into the newer moralist driven “Family Values”. Typically… in a 1998 Harris survey it was defined as “loving, taking care of, and supporting each other” by 52% of women and 42% of men, as “knowing right from wrong and having good values” by 38% of women and 35% of men, and as the traditional family by 2% of women and 1% men. The survey also noted that 93% of women thought that society should value all types of families.[12]
The above can be summed up as “good people” and as any true Christian knows there is no such thing.
If your talking about “Family Values” and the “essential ethical and moral unit of society” that “unit” being Marriage then why are so many people that ascribe to that belief jumping on a campaign of a woman who has been married THREE times?
This oddity would make great sense were the field populated by a bunch of lecherous drunkards and adulterous scum. However to my knowledge Hurt/McPadden/Boyd/Verga/Ferrin are all still happily married to the same woman for the many years they’ve been married. Many of them have kids and have kept that “essential ethical and moral unit of society” intact.
Say it with me now “1 man and 1 woman”. Well…I guess it all depends on what your definition of “is” is.
I’m sure Feda is a nice lady. I’m sure she is a nice teacher. I’m sure she has from all accounts I’ve received, served her local Republican Party well. But not once has anyone ever been able to tell me why they, as “Family Values Voters” are supporting her instead of one of the FIVE other candidates I previously listed. Isn’t this just hypocrisy to support someone who lives something other than what she professes to represent? Isn’t this saying one thing and practicing another? They say the family “unit” is the core of society, but are willing to set that aside to suit their political ambitions. What else might they be willing to set aside to suit that agenda?The truth?
There are other reasons not to support Feda Morton. I’ve detailed those out in past postings. Yet, those are mainly raw political reasons. For me as a TRUE family values voter, Unlike those I’ve encountered, online and in person, I can not and will not support her candidacy in this race, now or after June 8th.
“Everyone makes mistakes” you might say. Well this may be true. But “everyone” is not trying to be my congressional representative. I’ve got other choices before me.
Wasn’t Virgil a Family Values candidate? Didn’t he leave his wife and daughter for a younger woman?
Feda needs to drop the acting. If she wins this June, this is the exact dirt that Tom Perriello will be pulling up on her. It’ll be highly publicized and I don’t think Feda has what it takes to endure the pressure from these attacks.
Besides Feda, there is only one other candidate who has been running on family values and that is Ron Ferrin. I mean, if you are going to talk the talk, at least have the background to back it.
I still cannot see how so many socially conservative organizations could support her even with her 3 marriages. There are 6 other candidates to choose from, who may not be running strong on social issues, but they are much better than Coach Morton. If you want a socially conservative candidate, heck, choose Ron. At least he’s only been involved in one marriage.
You still have Boyd, Hurt, Verga, McPadden, Mckelvey and Ferrin to choose from.
Please, if you plan on voting for family values on June 8th, DON’T VOTE FOR FEDA KIDD MORTON!!!
I did not know this about Feda. This is really sad, and it’s bad for her campaign. I don’t know what people see in Feda, really. She doesn’t seem like that hard-nose kind of person – I just see Hilary, NH in 2008, in her. How in the world could she stand up to Tom or even debate him? Also, whenever you hear her speak, she never says what she wants to do if she gets elected! All she does is give a good speech, rile up the crowd, say America is great, liberals suck, and that’s it. How about tell us what you will do to end the norm in Washington and provide out-of-the-box ideas and solutions. Don’t listen to this hype that she will get a lot of votes. Stuff boxes in polls will get her no one. She is a woman, which quite frankly will get her nowhere, she isn’t strong-willed, she has these “skeletons,” and she doesn’t provide us with the real change that Washington needs, like most, if not all the other candidates provide. As a social conservative, this race is appalling. McPadden and McKelvey are socially all over the map, Hurt has that vote, Feda with this. I’m starting to like Ron Ferrin more and more.
I don’t think we even need to get into this.. She has no ability to raise enough money to win.. that’s reason enough not to vote for her. Don’t vote on a losing horse because you like the color of its coat.
This entire discussion is irrelevant. Being married to the same person doesn’t mean you know more or less about family values. All this is personal anyway. I don’t need to know ANYTHING about these candidates personal lives. It just does us no good. Every candidate trots their family out and says they support family values. Unless you can show that this is some character flaw it’s really useless.
It’s not irrelevant Nigel. She and here supporters are parading around the district with the Banner of Family Values. So does she not need any?
If a candidate is running on a cut taxes platform but he has a record of raising taxes would you say the same thing?
Lets look at personal finances. Say a candidate wanted us as a nation to get out of debt and to start saving as American families again but he had 50K in credit card debt would you take him seriously?
Personal debt is personal and shouldn’t be talked about it’s irrelevant! No it isn’t
We need to all get behind a true conservative Candidate to make sure Hurt doesn’t win. McPadden or McKelvey are the two that could get the job done.
@Chris – While I believe this is a total waste of my time I will respond anyway. If you want to know the truth – Virgil’s first wife left him for another man in the early 80′s. I did not meet Virgil until 1987. He was divorced. Of course this is none of your business but what the heck. Now Chris where did you do your research? Why not use your full name? Are you really Chris? You will continue to hide I am sure.
Nigel, if she can’t get her personal life straight, if she doesn’t ‘walk the walk,’ then what are we going to expect from her in Washington? Feda has been targeting the Evangelical, social conservative, family values vote all throughout the district, yet she breaks all the values her supporters stand for. You don’t see a problem with this?
Thanks for responding to that Lucy.
People are missing the big part of this story. It is not the divorce(s). It is the fact that so many people that ascribe to the “Family Values” model of politics are supporting FKM despite those divorces.
Didn’t Feda have an affair as well?
I’ve heard that rumor but there is NOTHING to substantiate it.
I’ve also been assured by someone I trust within the FKM campaign that this is a lie.
So until I hear some hard evidence instead of rumors I’m not going to go there and will just believe what I’ve been told.
Lucy all of this fighting could be ended VERY quickly by an endorsement by Virgil.
Kurt – You are more than likely not going to like this –
So what you are saying here – Is IF an individual has been divorced once, twice, three times or whatever – that they cannot say – “Hey I am a Family Values candidate”. Now when we hear Family Values – that means different things to different people. For Ms. Morton – I think she means and her campaign can correct me if I am wrong – I think she means that she believes that life begins at conception and that marriage in America should be between One Man and One Woman. You could also call both of those positions respectively – Pro-Life and Pro-Traditional Marriage if you want. If she said it that way – would she still be a hypocrite? Are you saying an individual running for office who has been divorced CANNOT say to potential voters – Hey I am Pro-Life and I will vote Pro-Life if I am elected to Congress and I support Traditional Marriage and I will support a Federal Marriage Amendment if I am elected to Congress. I also believe that Ms. Morton has worked openly for both of those causes for many years. Is it wrong for her to try to attract voters who believe the same way as she does on both of those causes? Or again – because she is stained by the fact that she is divorced – she cannot say she supports those positions strongly without you calling her a hypocrite.
Or is Mr. Perriello more of a hypocrite. He claims to be personally opposed to abortion but he does not want to criminalize it. Hmmmm – so he is Pro-Choice but he wants to also get votes from people who are Pro-Life and maybe even make them think he is Pro-Life? Hmmm again. Does that mean if it comes to a vote for overturning Roe V. Wade – He is personally opposed to abortion – HIS WORDS – but would vote NO because he does not want to criminalize Abortion – Or he would go with his beliefs and vote to strike it down? Hmmm – hard to know based on his public comments. He has said over and over – that he wants no taxpayer funding used for abortion (Is this him masquerading as Pro-Life or is this him voting what he believes is the will of the people who came to those Town Hall meetings last August and told him that is what they wanted???) So again if Roe V. Wade came up for a vote would he vote with the people who put him in office – Liberal Dems – or would he vote with those people who came to the Town Hall Meetings who asked him to vote against federal taxpayers funding for abortion. As we all know – the Healthcare legislation that passed the House of Representatives will force taxpayer funding for abortion. And besides – he is Pro-Choice anyway or is he? I do not see you calling him a hypocrite.
Finally I must say the utter disrespect for women running for office – whether democrat or republican – is alive and well in 2010 in Virginia’s Fifth. It is truly shocking to me. I believe the old Democratic guard in the U.S. Senate – primarily the democratic men are the ones who torpedoed Hillary’s bid. Women still have a long way to go in Virginia and in America today.
Lucy.
You bring up perriello but he isn’t running for the GOP slot. FKM is. If I was supporting a candidate because he said he wants to restore the constitution but in his past has done everything in the world to shred it then I’d be a hypocrite wouldn’t I? The fact that she is a woman has nothing to do with this. She has not hidden the fact that she has been married 3 times. it is openly on her website. The fact that she is divorced is AGAIN not the big problem here. What is the problem is voters who have 5 other candidates that are ALL pro family, ALL pro-life and All still married to the same person.
People make mistakes. That isn’t what this is about. It’s about a person that has made mistakes trying to be our congressional representative.
Perriello isn’t pro life. Isn’t pro family. Yet, he is also not married (ever)and has done a fantastic job of insulating his private from his public life (I’m sure there is a story there).
I agree with the point of this article, but ONLY insofar as it extends to the candidates involved, only one of whom is a multiple-divorcee. That being said, THIS particular story line is by no means the best avenue of attack for Mrs. Morton’s opponents to embark upon. I will even go a step further and say that this course is VERY ill-conceived.
I have called, repeatedly, for civility in this campaign, both for the primary AND the general, because the simple fact remains: Voters proved in 2008 (and will do so again this year) that they are sick to death of politics-as-usual. Like it or not, THAT is the central reason why the vacuous “Hopey-Changey” slogans were effective. The Hope-A-Dope mantra espoused by Obama et al steered well clear of mudslinging, backbiting, and personal attacks.
2010 is NOT (nor should we endeavor to MAKE it) a war of attrition. This is philosophical warfare, plain and simple. Just as you would never bring a knife to a gun fight, we should be very careful to refrain from bringing personal attacks, vitriol, and (worst of all) the utter distraction of political-football social issues into this philosophical nuclear war. We are waging this war for one simple reason: Liberty. Don’t fog up our goggles and blur that central overriding issue with these trivialities.
Pretty please? With sugar on top?
Kurt,
I am very disappointed by this article. As someone who looks at character as an important factor in my vote, I see this article as a desperate and pathetic attempt to try and stunt the momentum of one of the seven candidates running for Congress.
This kind of sleaze politics not only has the potential to muddy up your personal name, but also the credibility of the TEA Party in which you are a leader. If you truly believe that Feda is lacking in character, the proper thing for you to do is to talk with her personally concerning the matter, not to air it out in public so that your preferred candidate can get a one up from it.
We do not know the circumstances behind these three marriages, not all divorces are the fault of both parties. But again, this is something that you should have taken up with Feda personally to get your answers, instead you have assumed the worst and have tried to make the case that Feda is immoral without knowing all of the facts yourself. I am saddened to see this.
I too, do not like the personal attacks, but Brad, I have to say!
Correct me if I am wrong but I am told that on your show recently you referred to Feda as “whore”.
I hope I am wrong, but if not, I would have to say that in light of your comment above, the term ‘hypocrite’ would better apply to you than to Feda.
Chris, by attacking Virgil you are following in the footsteps of the Feda attackers who accuse her of adultery with no knowledge whatsoever of that which they spew; Just as with Virgil, there was no adultery by Feda then, and there is none now……..never was.
Kurt used to believe that as well, but once he actually heard the facts, he had to admit that it was not the case;
Now that you have effectively slandered both Virgil and Feda, why don’t you be a man(if that is what you are) and call them personally and ask?
But, then, that takes guts to do, while it is easy to spread slime like a bottom-feeding catfish, using an assumed name so that no one can sue you for libel and slander.
For the record I am Tim Boyer, hated by the political establishment of both major parties, and proud as heck of it; I have known both Feda and Virgil for many years, and your slanderous statements are not only false and libelous, but reveal far more about you than your intended victims; Your actions are, from what I have observed, standard procedure for a floundering McPadden campaign that refuses to take a stand on marriage, and is paying a high price for its arrogance; one of your crowd went after Virgil the other night in Lynchburg, showing how misguided your campaign really is….hmmm, anyone see a pattern here? As a pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-values voter (who has been married only once, and never divorced), I strongly support Feda(and Virgil), knowing the FACTS surrounding her(their) personal life that you cannot be bothered to take time out from slandering her and Virgil to go seek. At least in the polls Feda wins, she does not have to sponsor or fabricate a victory, unlike other candidates from north of the river. BTW, she kicked McPadden’s butt in the WCHV poll in C’ville this past weekend…….wait, let me guess….the station rigged it for her, right? Chris, if someone else’ low down acts disqualify the victim thereof from public service, then God help us all!
Here is how I read all the false attacks against Feda;
A certain campaign stepped in it not too long ago, cannot recover, and is exacting payback as best they know how against Feda, as they see correctly her as the candidate with the guts to actually take an unapologetic stand on social issues because she believes in them.
My advice to this campaign is to give people a reason to vote FOR you, not AGAINST someone else.
Why they’re are fool enough to go after Virgil is beyond me; it defies all logic…..anyone see another pattern?
If Feda wins this election, I’m done voting in this district from here on out. I can’t believe ANYONE would take her seriously as a CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE. It has taken her how many months to even create a coherent sentence? She reminds me of a spoof character in a South Park episode! This district has become an absolute joke and it’s an embarrassment to all of us who live here that we have let it get to the point where we let a person like FEDA even be considered a possibility to represent us in DC.
Looks like someone got paid to go ugly early this morning. This post is completely out-of-line, if you ask me.
Whoa, Tim I think you misinterpreted my remark. I thought the post by Watchdog was uncalled for and off the mark. I tried to show this by showing that he supported a divorced candidate in the past. I apologize to Lucy for my tone and getting parts factually wrong, but my larger point that Goode had been divorced was meant to rebuke Watchdog. I didn’t even mean it as a criticism of him. I personally don’t think that a “person who has made mistakes trying to be our representative” is a bad thing, like Watchdog does. I think there are very few sinless people out there. If the person makes mistakes in office that’s one thing, but to say people don’t deserve to run b/c they made mistakes in the past is another.
The problem with efforts to ignore personal life issues is simple: We don’t know much about most of these candidates. Most of them have no voting records. It seems to be a common sentiment that the 5th district is not overly pleased with the voting records we have to choose from. So they talk about and we listen to stories about their private lives. Their experience with work, family, their churches, local government, etc.
I personally dislike hypocrisy. I hate listening to politicians talk about fiscal responsibility and then increasing spending without compensatory changes to spending or taxation. Or claiming to be a constitutionalist and proposing endless changes to the document. Or claims at being pro-life while voting for a bill that funds abortion. All hypocritical, all obnoxious.
I’m not sure hypocrisy is the issue here.
Being divorced and being pro-family aren’t necessarily at odds. In Feda’s situation, I don’t know what caused her divorces and don’t presume to judge her. Both situations could have been entirely out of her control.
However, I take vows of marriage pretty seriously. Choosing your spouse is not a task to be taken lightly. And when you swear yourself to one person for the rest of your life, it is the most important decision of your life. Feda has done that three times. Twice she has chosen poorly and broken her word.
If she is unable to keep the most sacred promise a person makes, why would you trust her to keep her political promises? I’m sure she is a great person. I’m sure she is honest. However, I have choices and I’m going to choose someone with a better track record.
Tim,
Thank you for your comments. I sincerely hope that those addressed to me, specifically, ended very early in the post, when you referred to Chris. If not, please clarify that.
As to my comments recently on my show, you have been misled. I did NOT refer to Feda as “whore.” As most talk show hosts will do, from time to time, I simply let my tongue get ahead of my brain. I said “her,” and in the process of doing so, ran two words together. That is the “inside baseball” of whatever you were told. I believe I followed it up with “Freudian slip” or something along those lines, but I was referring to her establishment Republican relationships, NOT interpersonal ones. There is much to dislike about many of the 7, without resorting to specious attacks on their personal dirty laundry (or lack thereof).
Feda, as a matter of fact, is scheduled to be a guest on this Friday’s show. I hope you will tune in and see for yourself that I conduct interviews fairly and with all propriety. My calls for civility are indeed sincere, and I apply that civility in all cases (*where it is warranted*).
Again, I hope everything after your mention of Chris was intended for him rather than me, as I have no part in any of your statements/accusations from that point forward.
OK, Chris;
You’re right, I did misinterpret your remark to be insinuating negatively on Virgil; I apologize;
But reading your remark, it is VERY easy to get that impression!
George, why don’t you substantiate your comparison of Feda to Hillary?
and I just love how in your first comment you feign ignorance, and follow that up with two comments that show a pre-prepared agenda;
Kurt: “For me as a TRUE family values voter, Unlike those I’ve encountered, online and in person, I can not and will not support her candidacy in this race, now or after June 8th”.
Are you saying that you would support Perriello over Feda?
If so, I think that says it all about what you do not know about Feda that you think you do know. Are you aware that her first divorce was before she was saved and barely out of college? Or that the second divorce was precipitated by a cheating hubby who left her, not the other way around? If not, then you did not do your research; If so, you are ignoring the facts purposely, which begs the question, why?
Tell us who you support for Congress, Kurt.
What if I told you that a McPadden supporter who is not even in this area of the state called a friend of mine here in the district and tried to tell her more junk about Feda, saying much the same thing you have said in this post?
Is that merely coincidence, or is this coordinated effort by McPadden?
There are very few coincidences in politics, and this looks to me to be no exception to the rule.
“Your actions are, from what I have observed, standard procedure for a floundering McPadden campaign”
Way to stay positive Tim! Go after a campaign, based on the actions of “Chris” a non-supporter! That is… interesting.
“one of your crowd went after Virgil the other night in Lynchburg, showing how misguided your campaign really is”
Sure it was a McPadden supporter? Or are you just jumping to conclusions again…
Here I see a man claiming others have done wrong, while committing those accused acts. How hilarious!
Tim you are supporting a candidate that won’t get 5% of the vote anywhere outside of Fluvanna county she also has NO money.
I know who the man was that went after Virgil, and yes, I am sure.
Dave, you sure do assume a lot; what’s the basis for your claims?
Brad, everything in my statement to Chris was intended for Chris.
For those of you who think I have it in for McPadden, here is a direct quote from MM to me a few weeks ago: “man, it looks like I am going to have to hire someone just to go after Feda!”
Gee, I wonder why I would think his campaign is going after her!!
Are you all aware that MM drove to Franklin County to confront Virgil when he thought VG was going to get in the race as a Republican, and basically let him have it?
So he tells me he needs to hire a PR person just to “go after” Feda, drives three hours to get in VG’s face, but I’m the one going negative………..
You see VA#5, I have a lot more to go on than you insinuate;
Further, I never make any pretense of “staying positive”, as you characterize it. All I ask is that the rumor mill be kept to truthful rhetoric, and if one seeks the truth about Feda, one finds either a non-issue, or one has to disregard the truth. If a failed marriage alone prevents one from being a believer in Family Values then Ronald Reagan and Virgil Goode are disqualified, and I must say, I think they both did a bang-up job! O for more like them. Drawing distinctions between oneself and other candidates based on their own public statements is not negative campaigning, but spreading lies about an opponent would be classified as negative campaigning. If you want it kept positive, you’re talking to the wrong folks; I will defend Feda’s honor because I know her, I know the facts, and so can anyone else for whom the facts are not an obstacle.
http://va5thdistrict.com/2010/05/10/mcpadden-needs-to-answer-some-questions-2/
Okay Feda supporters, you can dish it out when it comes to McPadden, but can’t take it when someone comes out with something very real and TRUE about Feda’s issues (be they personal or not). However, you can’t take it when evidence is presented against her that shows her for what she is: a hypocrite. Especially when these issues and inconsistencies are not in line with the social values her campaign espouses. Pun intended. This is dirty politics and if you can’t take it, you probably want to get out now, because it is JUST starting.
Tim and others. I find it funny that EVERY and I mean every campaign sees a conspiracy around every corner. I wrote this post as my opinion and have been very careful and sure to stop the idiotic rumors that are floating out there about an affair.
“saying much the same thing you have said in this post?” I’d say that your friend must have read my post. I didn’t write one thing that isn’t accurate, did I? In fact I made sure to leave out any hints or guesses at reasons for the divorces because I didn’t want to spread rumor. I merely wanted to ask “why family values voters…” and I did.
I’ll say this again. It boggles my mind that with such a broad range of candidates that the “family values” voters are gravitating to a candidate like FKM. Much the same as the so called fiscal no tax “conservatives” that are calling Robert Hurt a fiscal conservative when he isn’t. He has patches of conservatism like the 2A and he is Pro Life but that is where it ends. Those are hot button issues for me so I’m inclined to like him for that but lets not kid ourselves and pretend Hurt is a fiscal conservative.
The purpose of my post was simple. To expose this lie for what it is. It was also to serve to expose the phony people I’ve encountered in support of FKM. They strut around with an arrogance and look down their nose at you if you dare to question their candidate. The rare exception being Tim and the other Boyers who have been gentlemen about it.
I’ve held my nose for a long time. I refuse to do it any more. Candidates like Feda, Verga, Ferrin, (and as much as I like Boyd) need to drop out of this race. They will ensure that Robert Hurt wins and that will make the return of Tom Perriello a likely possibility as an independent will siphon off votes from Hurt. I will not vote for Feda for more reasons than her past. Her supporters are the biggest reason. Speaking of that? Why did Feda’s attack dog feel the need to go negative in Campbell county at the mass meeting? Why is the only issue she talks about Abortion and Gay Marriage? You all do know that it takes a 2/3rds majority to amend the constitution? At best we’ll have 51-52% of the house and senate and then likely the presidency in 2012. With that simple majority we could pass the “sanctity of life act” and once again move forward abortion bans in the states. Same with the Gay issue. How about all the people that are bashing Mckelvey and McPadden for being “all over the place on Social issues” most of them at least on this site are FKM supporters.
After reading this, all I can say is “Holy crap, what a hatchet job.”
I don’t give a damn that Feda Morton has been married three times, and it has absolutely no relevance on her campaign.
I’ll have more to say on this late tonight on SC.
Tim: “but spreading lies about an opponent would be classified as negative campaigning.” Kinda like how people (mostly Feda supporters) have said Mike McPadden isn’t pro life?
Oh no everybody! SC doesn’t like this blog. What a surprise. Oh wait no it isn’t.
Nice unsubstantiated and consequently undebatable points. Take your useless accusations elsewhere, Tim. You are a troll with no interest in debate or issues. You merely make accusations. I too could claim wild quotes without context, intonation and most importantly, without any PROOF.
“All I ask is that the rumor mill be kept to truthful rhetoric”
I agree, truthful rhetoric. I got my information from FEDA’s website. I merely made the point that multiple divorces disqualifies her in my mind. You on the other hand link McPadden to people you don’t like(that’s a reference to Chris) even when there is no connection. You make claims to private conversations that you can’t prove. You say he’s been to Virgil’s house and “basically let him have it”? What does that mean? It’s meaningless. Did he beat him up? Or did they just talk? Was McPadden invited? I’ve seen them talk before and it’s always been quite civil.
Mrs. Goode, you’ve been in the conversation. Did Mike McPadden show up to your house and behave inappropriately as Tim is insinuating? That is something I’d be very interested in. However, Tim you’re behavior in this thread alone makes you a dubious witness.
Tim talk to a few people and take a drive around and see how many signs you actually see in yards not stuck beside road ditches. Tim you are upset because you know your family values candidate has been married 3 times and the front runners in this race are Hurt,McPadden,and McKelvey.Tim you must be a VERY confused person if you can’t get along with anyone.
SC doesn’t like anyone. Aaaaaaand moving along.
Watch Dog: “Strawman on Aisle 6!” I didn’t say I didn’t like this blog. There’s some good content here, but this isn’t part of that “good content”. It’s a hatchet job on Feda Morton, and I vehemently disagree with it.
Red Herring: Thanks for the hate mail. Keep it coming!
Soutside, You rarely come on here, when you do you say stuff like your last.
Just because I post rarely doesn’t mean I don’t visit often.
I try and stay as objective as possible. In fact, I’d be glad to set up some time on one of my shows and let you talk about this.
Wow! IMO-This has absolutely gotten ridiculous. I just sat down and read all this stuff. I sure hope all of you got it out of your systems.
Kurt, posted his opinion. Agree, or disagree, it is his opinion. Looks like he struck a nerve with this one. Obviously, this is a sensitive issue, and at this point I suspect that the only people getting any use at all are the people who are actually our enemies. This, my friends, is the perfect example of the dreaded “circular firing squad.” It NEVER works out for those participating.
As far as opinions go, it is up to each individual to determine what criteria they will use to vote on June 8th. Kurt told us some of what he will base his decision on. He didn’t ask anyone to like it, or even agree. You can certainly judge his decorum if you wish. Will any of you use similar criteria to judge another candidate. or each other? I suspect you will. Ask yourself if your judgement is fair, or even reasonable. Is there a double standard in your decisions? All this is up to you to decide.
But, moving forward, I have a fear, a real fear, that this infighting is going to become so damaging that on June 9th we will find ourselves, as conservatives, so fractured, and damaged that we will not be able to come together and defeat L’il Tommy “the Commie” Pelosi-ello.
Something to consider; the left WILL scream “hypocrisy” at you anytime you hold yourself out to represent something akin to morality, just get ready for the attack. What Kurt has pointed out is a vulnerability, whether or not any of us deem it valid, or proper to bring up, it WILL be used against her if she does get the nomination. Right or wrong folks, it’s real, and we all know it’s coming. The whisper campaign has been going on for months, and we have all heard it. The vicious and unsubstantiated circulating rumors are much worse, and those that do go around spreading them are despicable gossips. You know who you are. (I feel like I’m chewing out my teenaged children.) I hope all of you will read what you have written and ask yourselves if you have damaged your own reputations, or the possibility of working closely together when the time comes.
The subject itself makes us uncomfortable, I hope, and although I wish the subject might have been handled differently, I think a this point it might have been for the better. Now, at least the whispering can stop and people can discuss it out in the open.
All of the bickering and accusations will ensure our inability to come together, if it keeps up. I’m not suggesting we hold hands around the campfire and sing songs, at least not now. But, the time is going to hopefully come when we are going to have to work together to achieve a much greater goal. Toss out Tommy the Commie. I hope that we might take this episode, ask ourselves if we are possibly hypocrites all the way around. Then maybe we can make real decisions based on our better judgement, reasonable standards, and with a real understanding of what is important.
Just my 2 cents.
“Tommy “the Commie” Pelosi-ello.” I love that.
I will trump you all.
I have known Virgil and his late father since I was 14 and Virgil was 15.
I am just a lowly private citizen who will attest Virgil Goode is a gentleman, a lively intellectual, a classically educated man of substantial studies, a mind like a bear trap , a scholar imbued with the ability to quote accurately at will the classical poets and authors, the epitome of eloquence, humility and integrity.
This thread of folderol, however initiated, is beneath the ideals and character of Virgil Goode and the other good people striving to maintain personal liberty and true representative government.
Nuff said.
“Let He who is without sin, cast the first stone..” This blog post is exactly what we do not need. Mark Lloyd is right. Ye who stand to judge, let ye be judged. The world is not perfect, and neither are we. What has actually been enjoyable about this 7 person campaign is the CIVILITY in it. I gotta say, the one who is now slinging mud is McPadden, through Kurt. Why? Tell me why can’t we be different and keep decorum in this campaign? I just heard on the Joe Thomas show how Mike McPadden is proud that his campaign has not gone negative, and has run a positive campaign, when he is actually low-pitching this one. Not good, Mike. Not good. Run on your issues, not on what you see as some personal animus. Otherwise, you have NO chance.
I went to the convention as a delegate, and heard our new chairman tell us that the negativity must stop, and that we must be unified. I agree. We should try something different, like offering people a positive alternative to the negative direction of our country. So what, FKM was married three times. Wow, like Mike didn’t do anything wrong in his life, or Ken, Jim, Robert, Lawrence, or Ron. Lord knows I have, we all have. If we keep doing this, we, and whoever is picked on June 8th has no chance to beat Perriello.
Get over it. Let’s run on the issues, not the power of personal destruction that the democrats have made so effective in the past. If we are all true conservatives, then we believe in tomorrow, our glasses are half full. Grow up. Jeez……..
Hey Red, way to take a verse out of context. Being that I’m not trying to kill FKM I don’t think it applies. I’m simply comparing and contrasting the hypocrisy of the so called values voters.
As I commented before since you wanted some “issues”:
Mr. Boyer writes, “Just as with Virgil, there was no adultery.”
I didn’t realize that he accompanied Virgil to all those legislative sessions during the 1970′s or even other decades.
Indeed, at the time of their divorce, quite a few people wondered how Martha Goode had stood it for so long.
After watching this Feda wave come across the 5th district, I find it quite humorous that her “family values” include three marriages. Her supporters (at least the ones that have been shoving brochures at me at various events) represent themselves as conservative christians who tend to come across as a higher and mightier than everybody else. This is yet another reason why she is not the candidate to represent the 5th district.
Was I the only one who felt a little uncomfortable in the debates when Feda mentioned she would govern by the principle laid-out in the Constitution AND the Bible? Also, her reference to the “wicked one”. I am a Christian, and I suppose a majority of people in the 5th are Chirstian, but this seems a little inappropriate to me. In the same way, for example, if someone of a different faith were running, and making references to their holy book…
jeffersonian1, you want to call Virgil Goode’s character into question, and undermine Mr. Boyer’s credibility. Why? I know both of them personally, and I consider them my friends. I would trust both of them with my most personal secrets. I do not question the integrity of either, even though we don’t completely align with our political priorities.
Do you have a point or purpose? I hope you have people around you that would defend your character because they have experience dealing with you, and have been dealt with honorably.
I am intrigued by the path this thread has taken. Kurt posted his opinion, on a blog he maintains, and in that post he identified a vulnerability that a candidate he chooses not to support does, in fact, have to overcome. Then he identified his position, and explained that this issue was a determining factor on how he would choose to vote. Ok, so what? He has every right to do so. Never once did he mention Virgil Goode. He mentioned McPadden, but he also mentioned four others in the same group, and did that to give some contrast and context to his blogpost.
I suspect what got the group more riled up than anything else was the question of “hypocrisy.” IMO-this is where the nerve was struck. He did not call anyone a hypocrite, he asked a rhetorical question. Then people started defending themselves and their positions by calling into question the character of others. That is sad.
FACT: Feda Morton has been a tireless worker for conservative causes. She is loved and admired by many. Deservingly, so.
FACT: Feda has been married 3 times. (I have been married for 30 years. My mom divorced my dad when I was 4, she was married twice more after that, both marriages to abusive alcoholics. I personally will not judge on that issue. Divorce is a horrible thing, but through sad experience I know other things can be more horrible.)
FACT: The left is going to find every little thing to attack our candidate with. If they can’t find anything, they will make it up.
FACT: Feda has taken the “family values” banner in this race and made it her rally sign.
FACT: The left will call her out on this issue. That is what they do. It might not be in the MSM, but they will certainly mount a whisper campaign, put it in the blogs, etc. They are masters at it. Hopefully, Tommy the Commie has some stuff to hide, so there would be a chance to dodge the issue. But, if he is found to be gay, or have multiple girlfriends, or be anything short of a child molester, remember he is a liberal democrat, and the media will defend him.
I know I’m preaching. Sorry, but I believe we all have some decisions to make. We need to look at things realistically. All 7 of our candidates decent people that have vulnerabilities. They are all going to exploited by the lefties. We have to decide if we are going to stand on pure principle, or if we are going to balance that with pragmatism. Our personal favorite candidate may NOT be electable for a variety of reasons. We may wind up having to support our second or even third choice in an effort to achieve the goal of TAKING OUR COUNTRY BACK.
I agree that FEDA is not the person to defeat Tom Perriello. Not only will Tom’s campaign exploit this aspect of her life. but there is also a strong risk that she will alienate the Independent and Moderate voters.
If Feda had not said a word about family values or her FRC endorsement, I would not care at all if she had been married 100 times. However, she shoved this aspect of her campaign in our faces, so her family history DOES become fair game. It’s her resume for a campaign that flaunts Christian family values and lacks anything else worth supporting.
Again, I would be appalled by this editorial if Feda had not defined herself as the family values campaign. But that is not the case, so let’s keep that in mind.
Just a short comment here. I think we should listen to Mark, to a certain extent. But, calling for civility and, in the next breath, calling names by way of giving our current Congressman a cutesy little nickname, is a bit disingenuous.
Tim- quick reminder for you: One year ago, your group were some of the most vocal supporters at the state convention for Muldoon’s campaign for Lt. Gov. Your main reason for backing him revolved around a single issue. And he lost, by an embarrassing margin. Might you be simply repeating history THIS May?
Just saying.