Update: this will be topmost for a while – newer posts after this one
Nice. As Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit says – punch back twice as hard. Here is the video:
Here is the background: I am a co-founding member of the NH TEA Party Coalition and I believe in the TEA Party’s three (and ONLY three regardless of what the Left, the Democrats, or the Establishment wing of the Republican Party says) Principles: Constitutional bounds for Government, Fiscal Frugality, and Free Markets.
Everything else is merely what those others wish. So since the TEA Party began, that is what I have advocated and worked for. Any other issue is outside of that sphere.
I also have Rule #1 here at the ‘Grok, which I have made VERY clear to the writers; adult themes, but kid friendly. If that is violated they can write somewhere else.
Now, I have to break it myself.
“Teabagger” was a term first introduced into the political lexicon by CNN’s Anderson Cooper back in March of 2009 (I think I have that right). Havenstein’s usage was just after the Nov 2010 election – again, after that amount of time, I find it hard to believe that a person at the C-level suite doesn’t know politics. That being CEO of two defense organizations meant that he didn’t know about the politics at DoD – or the Congress. Or, given how it could affect his business, the politics at large.
Thus, I asked for the apology and called him out on his usage of it (short version here, longer and with more context here)- I REFUSE to let the Left, the Democrats get away with its usage (and yes, Carol Shea-Porter has called me that to my face, along with other Leftie political operatives.
There is NO WAY that I am going to allow someone in the Republican Party in a Primary that wants my vote call me or any other grassroots person that attribution. In fact, once I process all of the video (for GraniteGrok ALWAYS provides as full a context as we can possibly muster, you will see another person WHO IS NOT A TEA PARTY person but is a prior Marine ask for an apology as well (note: he is a personal friend of mine and he hates seeing stuff that is wrong in politics). At tonite’s Belknap County Republican Committee (New Hampshire), I did just that.
As to the subtitle of: “Wife says of her husband’s rival: he’s just a young man out to make trouble.” A I was taking down my equipment, she had come over to the table next to me and began to be an apologist for her husband’s words and started to run down Andrew Hemingway (who we just gave a GraniteGrok endorsement to at the CNHT Annual Picnic this past Saturday). I listened but said nothing and never approached the older ladies she was talking to but that was what was said.
After talking with several other people, I did make my way back up to Walt who was standing with his wife and said that as a double Blue Star dad, I thank you for your service. A couple of other words were exchanged, including mine of “Do you realize the tremendous PR problem you now have with the conservative / TEA Party / Libertarian / Constitutionalist wing of the NH GOP? He sighed and walked away (I was actually trying to be helpful, not a confrontation moment).
Well, generally I make it a rule that family member of political types are off-limits – until they insert themselves into it. She did, and was repeating what Havenstein had said earlier. THen she started to run Andrew Hemingway down.
Me: Look, I have known Andrew for 10 years
Sidenote: in thinking back, not quite that long – 2006 is my earliest recollection of that dark stormy nite that he called me out of the blue (I am SO horrible at dates in my own life….sigh). So
She: Then you know he is just making trouble.
ME: (slightly raised voice to display ire): MA’AM, YOU HAVE JUST SAID THE WRONG THING!
and I quickly walked off and out the door. I am probably one of few guys that still thinks that Chivalry should be followed.
NH TEA Party Coalition co-founder Skip Murphy confronted Walt Havenstein and requested an apology for Havenstein’s “teabagger” comment.
He refused.
