Flashback: Parker Griffith Called Himself A “Lifelong” Democrat
Here’s something that could create problems for newly-minted GOPer Parker Griffith in the GOP primary he now seems to be facing, and make conservatives even more reluctant to accept him into the fold: Griffith has described himself as “lifelong” Democrat who wants health care for “all of the citizens.”
Ever since switching to the GOP, Griffith has been embraced by the GOP establishment. But conservatives say he only switched to save his hide, and have targeted him.
From a May 2006 interview with Speakin’ Out News, an African American publication in Huntsville, Alabama, that a Democrat sent over (via Nexis):
QUESTION: What kind of Democrat are you?
GRIFFITH: A life long one, a Democrat for the little man, for small businesses, for small children, for families, for seniors. I am a Democrat that believes in an excellent education and health care for all of the citizens. This can only result in a strong, vibrant, and prosperous city.
Ever since Griffith announced his switch, conservative activists have been warning he may have now landed himself in even more trouble because he’s facing a GOP primary — and the wrath of right wing activists who only want real conservatives in the party.
“We will not fix the GOP’s problems if we keep allowing people who are not one of us to suddenly switch the letter next to their name and magically become one of us,” RedState’s Erick Erickson vowed. “We can pick this guy off and get a real Republican in that seat.”
Conservatives have already unearthed several other reasons for targeting him in a GOP primary. They have pointed out that Griffith donated money to Howard Dean and voted with Nancy Pelosi some 85% of the time.
Griffith’s claim that he was a “lifelong” Dem won’t allay the right’s zeal to bump him off.
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It will be interesting to compare this primary with the Specter general. What do you want to bet that Republican voters boot this party switcher while Democrats embrace Specter?
Bed made, time to lie down, Mr. Griffith.
Republicans never booted Richard Shelby, Strom Thurmond, or any of his ilk. In fact they made all those old racists feel right at home.
The Republican Teabaggers told Arlen that he was no longer welcome in their party.
sbj, in fairness, there are plenty of liberal activists who want to knock off Specter.
@Greg: “In fairness?” Commenting on blogs has nothing to do with fairness!
Greg:
Lifelong Democrat
It seems to me that his self-description as a “lifelong Democrat” was simply a matter of fact, not value judgement. He had always belonged to the Democratic party, hence he was a life-long Democrat. And all of the other qualities, such as “for the little man, for small businesses, for small children, for families, for seniors. I…believe in an excellent education and health care for all of the citizens”, is simply anodyne political fluff that could have been (and probably has been) uttered by nearly any politician in any party.
It is testimony to your ideological blindness (or your disingenuity) that you think expressing a wish for “health care for all citizens” somehow blackballs someone from Republican ranks. No one in either party is opposed to “health care for all citizens”. The dispute is over the possibility of legislating such an outcome into existence, and the costs (both economic and in terms of personal freedom) of trying to do so.
Scott:
I’m sure Griffith’s primary opponents will adopt the charitable interpretation of his quote, too, and will decline to use it against him.
@Greg: Any other “Top Five” lists planned?
Greg:
I’m sure Griffith’s primary opponents will adopt the charitable interpretation of his quote, too, and will decline to use it against him.
Of course they will use it against him. And I would bet, along with sbj, that the R’s boot him out.
If your sole point was that the R’s will use it against him despite it’s anodyne context, you probably should have at least noted that context.
sbj:
How about a “Top 5 liberal canards about conservatives”.
“How about a “Top 5 liberal canards about conservatives”
Doubtful – Greg knows which side of the bread is buttered!
Once in a while, Maureen Dowd is still capable of offering up a good column.
“Is There A Real McCain?”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/23/opinion/23dowd.html?_r=1&pagewanted=print
“An undauntable film critic
rescues “Avatar” in Egypt”
http://blogs.suntimes.com/foreignc/2009/12/-dear-roger-it-all.html
This is a great read, from a very couragous film critic in Egypt.
It is on Rodger Ebert’s Blog site.
Give it a read, folks.
Russian Veterans reflect on their war experiences in Afghanistan.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/world/v-print/story/81136.html
Worth reading. Food for thought on what we have gotten ourselves into in that hellhole.
May all our Troops be safe from harm, and return home to their families, and their own country soon.
Liam:
May all our Troops be safe from harm, and return home to their families, and their own country soon.
Agreed and seconded.
Scott C,
Can you give me an example of a Republican using the phrase “health care for all citizens”? Thanks.
http://rsc.tomprice.house.gov/Solutions/EmpoweringPatientsFirstAct.htm
sbj:
Thanks.
“Access to Coverage for All Americans” is NOT the same thing as “health care for all Americans”. We have universal access to coverage now, as long as you can afford it.
For the record, the CBO has estimated that the Republican Study Group proposal would leave about 52 million legal nonelderly residents uninusred, so it definitely would NOT constitute health care for all Americans:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/05/cbo-gop-uninsured/
Scott C. is mistaken. I think it is simply wrong to assert that “No one in either party is opposed to ‘health care for all citizens’.”
Bill Clinton brought the idea of universal coverage up 17 years ago. The GOP controlled Congress, The White House and the Supreme Court from many of those years. They did nothing.
And the basic argument against coverage for all is that there is not enough to go around, so the Have’s represented by the GOP better keep the Have-Not’s down and out.
The GOP uses Old People, who admittedly are easy to use when it comes to politicians providing benefits to them and denying them to others, to campaign to keep Health Care exclusive to those who already have it.
That is the fact. The GOP deny health care to millions of Americans and always will. The GOP is the party of protecting the powerful and keeping everyone else in their place.
tomcj:
I think it is simply wrong to assert that “No one in either party is opposed to ‘health care for all citizens’.
Name a person of either party who has declared opposition to health care for all citizens.
The GOP controlled Congress, The White House and the Supreme Court from many of those years. They did nothing.
Opposition to socialized medicine is not opposition to all people getting health care.
And the basic argument against coverage for all is that there is not enough to go around…
It is not an “argument”. It is a fact of reality. Health care, like all commodities, has a limited supply. That is precisely why it isn’t free.
The GOP uses Old People, who admittedly are easy to use when it comes to politicians providing benefits to them and denying them to others, to campaign to keep Health Care exclusive to those who already have it.
No one campaigns to “keep health care exclusive to those who have it”. That is simply your self-serving and disingenuous spin on opposition to socialized medicine.