Wis. GOP Recall Candidate: ‘I Don’t Smoke Rocks, And That’s The Truth’

[RandySF]

David VanderLeest, the Republican candidate in next week's Wisconsin recall election targeting Democratic state Sen. Dave Hansen, is continuing to rebut stories of his legal and financial problems. Allegations about his personal finances and reports of domestic violence in his former marriage have dogged his campaign.

"I read a social services report yesterday that says I smoke crack," said VanderLeest, during an interview on Joy Cardin of Wisconsin Public Radio. "None of it's true. I don't smoke rocks, and that's the truth."

To be clear, VanderLeest was not the GOP's preferred candidate. Instead, Republicans became stuck with VanderLeest after their originally recruited candidate, state Rep. John Nygren, failed to submit the required 400 valid petition signatures. Nygren submitted slightly over 400 signatures for himself -- despite the fact that Republicans had been able to gather 18,000 signatures to trigger a recall -- with not enough of a buffer for when a few them were disqualified. Nygren initially filed a lawsuit to get onto the ballot, but lost in court and announced he would not further appeal the decision.


http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/07/wis-gop-recall-candidate-i-dont-smoke-rocks-and-thats-the-truth.php?ref=fpblg

[Scuba]

1. I listened to his BS this morning....

...I could actually feel Joy biting her tongue.


Nothing is his fault; every charge against him is a smear tactic.

The reason he wants Democrats recalled is because "they left the state". He seemed totally lost on policy matters, except for wind farms (he's a wind farm developer) when he was obviously reading a position statement on wind farm siting.

I hope he remains politically active - as a Republican - for years to come.


Wife beating, child molesting asshat of the highest order. Prison, not the Senate, is where he belongs.

[rucky]

5. Maybe he can start a Young Republicans chapter at the state pen?

[damntexdem]

2. If he didn't smoke them, then how did those rocks get into his head.

But then, he might do better if he was stoned. ;-)

[ljm2002]

3. The thing that jumps out at me...

...is his phraseology: if I was accused of smoking crack, I would not counter by saying "I don't smoke rocks". That seems to me a term that one would use if one were familiar with the drug.

Just an observation.

[kick-ass-bob]

4. I wouldn't either. That hit me as well.

Unless you are spending time around people who use that term, you wouldn't use that term.

[SpiralHawk]

11. "I did not have stoned out smoke with that rock, that Crack I mean." - RepuliWanker (R)

[Aerows]

6. I caught that, too

I don't smoke crack, and I have never referred to it as anything other than "smoking crack", since I don't routinely discuss smoking crack with others.

[DefenseLawyer]

7. An astute observation

That was the first thing I noticed as well. "Also, let me be clear I never hit the pcp either. You know, angel dust, sherman hemsley, love boat, ashy larry? You know? Well I don't hit that either. Just to be clear."

[Erose999]

8. Yep, sounds to me like he's been partying with Charlie Sheen and Tyrone Biggums...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI91d75nOPw

[11 Bravo]

9. Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

That was the very first thought I had upon reading his comments.

[gratuitous]

12. The obvious follow-up question

So, what form of crack do you smoke, if not rocks?

[Scuba]

13. What I heard was "rock" not "rocks" ....

... and I too immediately thought he sounded pretty familiar with the jargon. Maybe he picked it up when he was in jail.

[jmowreader]

10. No, David, the report did not say you smoke crack

It said, "is this guy on crack or what?"