For Op-Ed, follow @nytopinion and to hear from the editorial page editor, Andrew Rosenthal, follow @andyrNYT.Mr. Jackson is known for his signature rants: that gays are “perverted” and “very sick people”; that Planned Parenthood has been “far more lethal to black lives” than the Ku Klux Klan ever was; and that Democrats are “anti-God” and “partners” in black genocide. Democrats, of course, instantly flashed Mr. Jackson’s record of hateful bombast through the state. Faced with his past words, he said he had nothing “to rephrase or apologize for.” Attacking him for his principles, he tried to argue, was to attack “every churchgoing person.” No one could have been more surprised by the convention’s upset choice than State Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli II, the Republican nominee for governor. Mr. Cuccinelli will probably have to try to moderate some of his own extreme positions (he is dogmatically opposed to the health care reform law, measures tackling global warming, immigration reforms, gay rights, etc.) in his search for the Northern Virginia vote. But there he was, yoked to Mr. Jackson by the heavy sway in the party of conservative zealots. “We are not going to be defending our running mates’ statements, now or in the future,” Mr. Cuccinelli briskly announced. The Virginia race should be a prime test of national Republican vows to reconnect with the mainstream majority. Heavyweight donors are lining up to defeat Terry McAuliffe, the Democrat candidate for governor who was President Bill Clinton’s fund-raising guru. Money may not win the election when Republicans can’t seem to resist a beguiling extremist who must face mainstream reality. Friday, May 31, 2013
An Addiction to Zealotry
Virginia Republicans delivered a rousing surprise at their gubernatorial nominating convention this month. They chose E. W. Jackson, an African-American minister and lawyer, as their candidate for lieutenant governor after he delivered a thunderously right-wing speech. For Op-Ed, follow @nytopinion and to hear from the editorial page editor, Andrew Rosenthal, follow @andyrNYT.Mr. Jackson is known for his signature rants: that gays are “perverted” and “very sick people”; that Planned Parenthood has been “far more lethal to black lives” than the Ku Klux Klan ever was; and that Democrats are “anti-God” and “partners” in black genocide. Democrats, of course, instantly flashed Mr. Jackson’s record of hateful bombast through the state. Faced with his past words, he said he had nothing “to rephrase or apologize for.” Attacking him for his principles, he tried to argue, was to attack “every churchgoing person.” No one could have been more surprised by the convention’s upset choice than State Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli II, the Republican nominee for governor. Mr. Cuccinelli will probably have to try to moderate some of his own extreme positions (he is dogmatically opposed to the health care reform law, measures tackling global warming, immigration reforms, gay rights, etc.) in his search for the Northern Virginia vote. But there he was, yoked to Mr. Jackson by the heavy sway in the party of conservative zealots. “We are not going to be defending our running mates’ statements, now or in the future,” Mr. Cuccinelli briskly announced. The Virginia race should be a prime test of national Republican vows to reconnect with the mainstream majority. Heavyweight donors are lining up to defeat Terry McAuliffe, the Democrat candidate for governor who was President Bill Clinton’s fund-raising guru. Money may not win the election when Republicans can’t seem to resist a beguiling extremist who must face mainstream reality.
For Op-Ed, follow @nytopinion and to hear from the editorial page editor, Andrew Rosenthal, follow @andyrNYT.Mr. Jackson is known for his signature rants: that gays are “perverted” and “very sick people”; that Planned Parenthood has been “far more lethal to black lives” than the Ku Klux Klan ever was; and that Democrats are “anti-God” and “partners” in black genocide. Democrats, of course, instantly flashed Mr. Jackson’s record of hateful bombast through the state. Faced with his past words, he said he had nothing “to rephrase or apologize for.” Attacking him for his principles, he tried to argue, was to attack “every churchgoing person.” No one could have been more surprised by the convention’s upset choice than State Attorney General Kenneth Cuccinelli II, the Republican nominee for governor. Mr. Cuccinelli will probably have to try to moderate some of his own extreme positions (he is dogmatically opposed to the health care reform law, measures tackling global warming, immigration reforms, gay rights, etc.) in his search for the Northern Virginia vote. But there he was, yoked to Mr. Jackson by the heavy sway in the party of conservative zealots. “We are not going to be defending our running mates’ statements, now or in the future,” Mr. Cuccinelli briskly announced. The Virginia race should be a prime test of national Republican vows to reconnect with the mainstream majority. Heavyweight donors are lining up to defeat Terry McAuliffe, the Democrat candidate for governor who was President Bill Clinton’s fund-raising guru. Money may not win the election when Republicans can’t seem to resist a beguiling extremist who must face mainstream reality. 