So I’ve blogged a couple of times on this site about Greg Ball, the (literally) insane State Senate candidate in my old hood of Putnam County, N.Y.
Every so often I visit Greg’s website, sort of in the same way one can’t help staring at a really bad auto accident.
Greg’s most recent news was his being endorsed by the following groups:
• The New York State Rifle and Pistol Association
• The Putnam County Fish & Game Political Action Committee (Jeff Note: Can’t find this group anywhere. Not sure it exists. So I’ve linked one of my personal favorite sites instead)
• Westchester-Putnam Right To Life Committee
• Northern Westchester Rifle Association
• Deer and Elk Farmers of New York
• Westchester Bowhunters Association
• The National Rifle Association
For a moment, let’s set aside the NRA and Right to Life Committee—two groups most rural Republicans would rightly want to endorse them (I detest both, but I’m not politically blind). I’m fascinated by the other organizations, primarily because of what they say about the man. Once upon a time, when people used their brains and voters strove to be represented by intelligent humanoids, one sought the endorsements of, oh, groups fighting for the poor, the hungry, the needy, the under-represented. A candidate desired to show he was a man of the people; that he’d look out for everyone, not merely the loons. Look back at the campaigns of Ronald Reagan, George H. Bush. Maybe they were completely full of it, but at least they tried to make the case.
Now here’s Ball, basically telling the world that, if you dig guns, you’ll dig him. That’s the message. The only message. He likes guns and will fight like hell for your right to shoot people. He hates immigrants, and will, ahem, fight like hell for your right to shoot them. Otherwise, well, he has a dog. A pretty dog. Woof!
On the bright side, Ball’s likely going to lose—badly.
On the dark side, there’s always the next election.
PS: I’m not actually sure who the above photo depicts, but it’s straight from Greg Ball’s Rockin’ Ribfest. Yeah, boy!
