From this week’s Political Scoop:
This is not to excuse some of the national types. They story was there in the audience. Ayotte’s team was able to pack the audience the same way gun control groups artificially packed the audience. But Team Ayotte wasn’t doing any effective blocking and tackling either. Just one example: with all the Republican sheriffs who backed Ayotte in 2010, no one was put out there to defend Ayotte?
Well, for starters, James Pindell, there was at least one “Republican” Sheriff at one of Kelly’s town halls: Craig Wiggin of Belknap County at the Tilton event. Two friends of mine was there and relayed these takes on how “supportive” the Sheriff was:
We were told at the door by a police officer that no signs were allowed in the auditorium. We complied and played by the rules. However, the left wing radicals were allowed to display two signs while in the auditorium, one disparaging Ayotte and the other a pro-gun control slogan and nothing was done about it. These signs were not far from Ayotte where the media could film and exploit them for their usual purposes. Jeb Bradley who moderated this said nothing while the media cameras kept rolling.
So, who actually made a stink about following the rules and trying to knock this down for Kelly? Well, the other friend made it clear that it was neither Jeb Bradley or Sheriff Wiggin:
As a proud member of the Belknap County Conservatives, I DID jump up and bellow “Point of Order! No Signs allowed!” Only a moment later, Jeb Bradley asked them to move out of Kelly’s way, as Kelly was trying to answer someone standing behind them. Sheriff Wiggins of Belknap County was standing right there (I believe laughing at me) and he never said Boo to those girls.
How fickle “Republican friends” can be when even a hint that any human effluent might hit the vertical atmospheric recirculating device? After all, one can not let any of that be spattered upon them by association, eh? After all, cannot be deemed guilty by association, eh?
It also a reason, partly in revulsion to the cavalier attitude that many in politics have in leaving those getting mud on them, that we don’t judge people by the silly things that our friends might say from time to time (er, just like us, sometimes stupid stuff just comes out) but where we know they stand on principles. We’ll continue to hang with folks because of their principles when other won’t. That’s what true friends do’; so Kelly might take this chance to see who continues to stand with her – and who bailed.
And who simply laughed.
