Colorado GOPer: 'Trying to kill ex-wife is just “being a slice of Colorado'

[BurtWorm]

This refers to a Denver Post article that looked into the criminal records of Colorado's current crop of candidates and found numerous instances of Republicans (mostly) getting into trouble for violent and other crimes. It's from the feisty blog at the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee site:


http://www.dlcc.org/node/2081



See if you can spot the logical fallacy in GOP state Rep. Frank McNulty’s argument about why it’s OK that so many of his fellow GOP legislative nominees have violent arrest records (including one nominee, Clint Webster, arrested for threatening to kill his ex-wife and shooting at her):

"You're seeing normal people stepping up and running for office," McNulty said. "You see folks who are ordinary people, who face the real challenges that families in Colorado face and that have the real problems that people in Colorado have." (…)

Now that he has the fuller story, McNulty doesn't think it will be devastating to Webster's campaign. "Even though you have folks with blemishes on their record, some more serious than others, this is something people should recognize as being a slice of Colorado," McNulty said. "These are honest, everyday folks who want to go out and serve their neighbors in the state legislature."

See? All these candidates are just “a slice of Colorado!”

So in other words, McNulty is arguing that because:

A.) state legislators should represent the people in their state, and
B.) some people in Colorado have shot at or otherwise tried to kill their ex-spouses;
Therefore:
C.) Colorado should elect a few legislators who’ve tried to kill their ex-spouses.

Presumably, McNulty would use the same argument to defend other GOP nominees who’ve been arrested for assault, domestic violence, perjury, and assaulting a police officer (among many, many others).

Of course, we all know what McNulty wanted to say but couldn’t: It's OK if You're a Republican (IOKIYAR).

[RaleighNCDUer]

1. sounds like he's preemptively explaining away the as yet unearthed

blemish in his own record.

Just a guess.

[BurtWorm]

3. Or just trying to frame what could be a constant issue with teabag candidates

[Dappleganger]

2. Obviously that sentiment only applies to white republicans.

[yellerpup]

4. "Ordinary people...." Always plunking off shots at the

wife. Reminds me of the super in our building who once said, "Who among us hasn't run off a fifty dollar bill on their copier?" Crazy is crazy no matter where you are.

[drm604]

5. Dup

Never mind.

[drm604]

6. What does this say about the GOP, at least in Colorado?

Are these the only kinds of people who are willing to run as a GOP candidate?

[HereSince1628]

7. Do people not understand how this works...?

Celebrities, politicians, and criminal defense attorneys ignore the questions that they are asked and provide a soundbite that can be used later. As obviously wacky as this answer seems, this guy is setting up a future ad that says Teabaggers just a slice of the population of regular everyday Coloradans (yes, I do KNOW! TeePee is entirely unrelated to an attempt to murder a spouse)).

[gratuitous]

8. Violent sociopaths with anger management issues need representation, too!

And for them, there's the big tent of the Republican party.

[Mrs. Ted Nancy]

9. Good one

:o

[Permanut]

10. Sympathy to Colorado progressives

who not only have to deal with this crap, but Fungus on the Family and the US Air Force Academy Bible thumpers.

[Bonhomme Richard]

11. Republicans...taking us back to the pre enlightenment age. n/t

[Bozita]

12. So, ... "a slice of Attica" looks a lot like “a slice of Colorado”

[AuntPatsy]

13. If he feel that this country would be better off with such umm (ordinary individuals)

then I wonder if those voting are similar in character of those running...scary and horrific future if such becomes seen as a viable running tool for a sure win...

[CrispyQ]

14. This is just a variation of O'Donnell's "I am you."

"Hey, I'm just a normal guy, who like so many other normal guys, has tried to kill his ex. No big deal!" This isn't much different from "I am you. Sure, I claimed to be a witch & I have 17th century hangups about sex, but, hey, I'm you - someone you can relate to, so vote for me."

I remember when Bush was re-selected in '04. Bill Maher nailed it when he asked, "Since when do we want Bubbah down the street running the country?" That's what's wrong with too many Americans. They want someone who is like them running the country.

I am not stupid. I have a good education & in my field, I am very good at what I do. That said, I DO NOT WANT SOMEONE WITH MY LEVEL/TYPE OF EXPERIENCE RUNNING THE COUNTRY!! What the fuck has happened to Americans? Where is their common sense?

[BurtWorm]

15. Exactly. 'I'm not a law-abiding citizen. I'm not even a good guy. I'm you.'

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.