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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

Kentucky’s Republican Secretary of State Thinks Conservative Activists Are Extremists

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  April 26th, 2010 at 04:00 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Another reason I’m with Rand Paul? In an editorial board meeting in Kentucky, Trey Grayson is asked what he thinks about the “extremist,” Jim DeMint.

His response? Well, he does not defend DeMint and likeminded conservatives from the “extremist” label. What he does do is go on about how Jim DeMint has been a harsh critic of Mitch McConnell for working with Democrats, then praises McConnell for keeping Olympia Snowe and DeMint together on a few issues.

Where does Grayson really part ways with Rand Paul? Well, Grayson is happy to have budget deficit busting budgets and disagrees with Rand Paul’s desire to have a balanced budget.

Grayson says he is happy to vote for a big budget deficit if congress promises to rein in spending later. Just like they did with Obamacare.

Seriously. With Republicans like Grayson, who needs Democrats?

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COMMENTS

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  • Tbone

    Well, in all fairness, these people used to be the Democrats before the Democrats became European Socialists, Marxists, racists, atheists, traitors and Jew haters.

  • constitutionalconservative

    For being non-committal in response to a reporter’s question about whether he would favor DeMint or McConnell as the Senate Republican leader. It was pretty clear from Paul’s answer that he favored DeMint. The whole incident got a fair bit of press in Kentucky.

    A vote for Grayson is another vote for McConnell and the status quo– a status quot that embraces the description of Jim DeMint as an extremist. DeMint is our best Senator– and he said Rand Paul is “clearly a conservative” and “a great candidate”. Just one more reason for KY Republicans to give Rand Paul their vote.

  • Kentucky Scott

    The candidates debated on friendly grounds in front of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce last week. Rand Paul took him to school once again. It is obvious Grayson has spent his life learning how to walk, talk and speak like a politician but forgot to develop the principles to accompany his ambition. He represents exactly the type of Republican of the 2000′s that led to Barack Obama. The sooner we retire these professional politicians and gain a conservative majority, the sooner sanity returns to our country.

  • JadedByPolitics

    I will take his SMALL GOVERNMENT promises over a RINO who doesn’t respect MY MAN Senator DeMint :)

  • Chieftain1776

    …increasing the retirement age one bit. This, of course, is a lie and Democratic one at that. Everyone knows that it will have to go up and the fact an establishment *GOP* candidate is demagoging the issue like this is enough to see they aren’t serious about cutting spending:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g51gnBXL_E

    If you believe that they will… then you should also believe Obama and Pelosi as well as Grayson. In fact they sound quite alike as someone mashed up quite well here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWrLWkNkUdc

  • redtillimdead

    By being asked about Jim DeMint, whom the asker described as an extremist, Trey Grayson is calling conservative activists extremists? Erick, what do you think of birther JD Hayworth?
    Oh, you just called JD Hayworth a birther b/c I asked you about him. According to your logic anyway.

  • Aaron Gardner

    Pack away your attempt to redirect and try again later..

  • liandro

    who morphs into a squishy Party man. He will tell you he felt really torn about this or that bill, but “we had to do something”. These are the kind of candidates that went on to vote for the bailouts, and TARP, and medicare part D, etc. These are the kind of candidates that ignore the deficit most of the time…and ALL of the time when their party is in power.

    Rand will undoubtedly, once in awhile, give the party fits. But a good share of those times will occur when someone SHOULD be giving the party fits. Such as during votes like the above. Grayson will say “yes, sir” and probably pocket some donations.

  • redtillimdead

    But, how many candidates would think first thing to correct the reporter? Some may, but many won’t

  • jpniner

    In the spirit of being a hack like Erick here, my guess is that Dobson was highly skeptical of Paul’s claim to being pro-life, given the real world application of his views…..along with the fact he had as his main campaign spokesman from the beginning till December when he was outed, a Satanic Christian hating bigot(Chris Hightower).

    http://cincinnati.com/blogs/nkypolitics/?p=1978

  • streiff

    to reframe a reporter’s question, or to dodge it completely, you don’t need to learn those skills as a US Senator.

  • jpniner

    applies to Rand Paul?

  • IJB

    In fact, I favor means-testing *before* I’d favor raising the retirement age (compulsively, as opposed to voluntarily).

  • IJB
  • Chieftain1776

    That’s an even more stringent approach. If Paul’s opponent is demagoging simply raising the age without a cut in benefits can you imagine what he’d do if Paul called for wholesale cuts for classes of people who paid into the system?

  • Lycurgus

    I’m sure Dr. Dobson endorsed Dan Coats because he really didn’t trust Marlin of Hostettler on abortion… right? It couldn’t be that he’s been hooked into the establishment for twenty years…. no way!!!

  • http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

    You’re losing credibility fast with your attacks on Erick.

    Pull up before you crash.

  • streiff

    But as Paul hasn’t agreed DeMint is an extremist while Grayson has, let’s talk about Grayson, ok?

  • Achance

    the reporters throw at them. I have a one sheet set of instructions and about a fifteen minute lecture I used to give witnessess that had never even seen an adversarial proceeding except on television that would prepare them for hostile questioning better than the average Republican handles reporters’ questions. Most of the MSM reporters don’t even ask questions; they’re like Senators: they testify and then ask the “witness” to agree to the testimony.

  • eburke

    That’s the problem with the GOP establishment these days – they either can’t, or won’t, think fast enough on their feet to take a biased question from a reporter and shove it (politiely ala Liz Cheney) back in the reporter’s face. It’s why we’re always on defense.

    I’m not a big Rand Paul fan (mostly because of his dad) but if Greyson doesn’t have the testicular fortitude to challenge the premise of a question that labels Jim DeMint as an extremist, that leads me to belief that *he* thinks DeMint is an extremist. And whether that’s true, or whether he’s just too incompetent to push back on a reporter, I think I’ll pass.

  • crassus

    Like all the other pro-lifers he was willing to embrace David Souder. The only conservative who testified against Souder was Howard Phillips (who supports Paul). From his testimony it was obvious where Souder stood on abortion. And Bush knew it too.

    “One moment of truth for Mr. Souter came in February 1973, when, as a member of the board of trustees of Concord Hospital, he participated in a unanimous decision that abortions be performed at that hospital.”
    Howard Phillips before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, September 19, 1990

    http://www.conservativeusa.org/supremecourt.htm

  • houstoneagle

    Rand Paul it is. Neutral no longer. My opinion and $1.98 will get you a mocha, seeing as I am not a Kentucky voter.

    JPNiner, how could you possibly call Erick a hack? That wasn’t nice. I think your 2 years is what saved you from the blamstick.

  • shadowtax

    Watching the Youtube clip, it takes some effort to get to this post title.

    I understand the criticism, but the “gotcha” didn’t get me. I see a candidate laboring to make a point that Republicans are united. I hear a reporter challenge him by raising Demint. He then uses Demint in support of his contention that the GOP is united under McConnell. Boring.

    I don’t read too much into the smile. The setting seems rather informal.

    I am glad that I have the privilege of voting for the extremist. I don’t have to pick either Kentuckian.

  • Adjoran

    Who needs surrender monkeys?

    Grayson may well be an establishment squish. Paul is an isolationist nut. Barbara Boxer is stronger on national defense issues than he is.

    Sure, Rand hits all the right all the right notes on fiscal issues. Gee, that’s familiar, who else does that? Oh, yeah, his Daddy. And who is one of the top Republican ear-markers of all time, who ensures all his pork is loaded in the appropriations bills and they are sure to pass with bipartisan majorities, then turns around and votes AGAINST them, knowing he will lose, so he can then convince the gullible he is against big spending? Yep, Daddy again.

    It’s no sin to make a mistake by picking this fringe nut in the first place. Don’t compound the error by sticking with him.

  • jpniner

    that is simply a Lie Erick wishes for people to beleive.

    its like reading one of Charles post at LGF

  • jpniner

    that is simply a Lie Erick wishes for people to beleive.

    its like reading one of Charles post at LGF

  • jpniner

    i.e.: “The Reporter called Demint and extrimest, therefore Grayson agrees he’s an extremist”

    which is absurd, and on the level of political hacks with agendas.

  • jpniner

    i.e.: “The Reporter called Demint and extrimest, therefore Grayson agrees he’s an extremist”

    which is absurd, and on the level of political hacks with agendas.

  • jpniner

    …..many of the things they promise are politically impossible to actually implement. Its not as if the GOP in general is against ‘abolishing the Dept of Education” or the “IRS” and all these other idealistic agendas, its that they know it is absolutely politically impossible and political suicide to run on something like that, knowing it would be impossible to actually deliver it. Along with the demonization that comes with the turf in a statewide or national campaign.

    Which is why bush simply ran on one of those issues, Soc. Sec Privitization(which Ron Paul oppossed along with most of congress. To the “Libertarian” it wasn’t perfect enough and still had govt. influence therefore he oppossed so that there could be even more Govt. Control than the proposal.(idiot)….

  • jpniner

    …..many of the things they promise are politically impossible to actually implement. Its not as if the GOP in general is against ‘abolishing the Dept of Education” or the “IRS” and all these other idealistic agendas, its that they know it is absolutely politically impossible and political suicide to run on something like that, knowing it would be impossible to actually deliver it. Along with the demonization that comes with the turf in a statewide or national campaign.

    Which is why bush simply ran on one of those issues, Soc. Sec Privitization(which Ron Paul oppossed along with most of congress. To the “Libertarian” it wasn’t perfect enough and still had govt. influence therefore he oppossed so that there could be even more Govt. Control than the proposal.(idiot)….

  • mnewcomb

    Do you think our current foreign policy is spot on?
    Would air bases or army posts in Guam/Hawaii be close enough to Japan and South Korea to serve the same function, but keep the dollars we spend in American hands?
    What would you do different?

  • jpniner

    Unless you like Paul, want to elminate much more of Active Duty personell under his Humanistic worldview, your Fortress America proposal will cost a FORTUNE, thus making your point against you.

    http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=5415&type=0&sequence=1

    the military was already slashed in the 90′s, and the Federal Budget is an inverse of itself compared to the budget in the 1960′s.

    Why on earth anyone callling themselves Conservfative would team up with the Far-Left and Dems in slashing Military spending(which they’ve been good at) instead of focusing on out of control Domestic, SOcial Engineering spending and waste, is beyond me….unless its Ron Paul who has a utopian worldview to explain it.

  • atlasintel

    I know Chris Hightower and the man is no Christian-hating bigot. The language at issue is from some random fan of his old band that wrote negative junk on his myspace page that hadn’t been deleted. Most middle aged folks that have social networking profiles pay more attention to their facebook pages than myspace accounts. Myspace is for kiddies and is notorious for not working that effectively, too many glitches thus people tend to not waste their time with it after a while.

    Anyway, Hightower knows of my Christian beliefs and has never came off negatively towards me because of it.

  • atlasintel

    Personally, I supported Bush’s call to privatize social security, even though his plan didn’t go far enough for me. Regarding campaigning on doing away with specific depts, we need more of this not less of it. It might not be the most popular stance for mainstream conservatives to make, but we have to face up to our debt which is on the verge of wiping us out. It’s not very conservative to saddle future generations with debt they didn’t incur. So, I give Paul credit for his hard-lined stances on fiscal issues. Candidates like Grayson are too willing to spend our money like democrats do. In fact, I’d bet a year’s salary that had Grayson been in the US Senate during Bunning’s term, he wouldve voted for the bailouts.

    Being in the financial condition we’re in is a huge national security threat for the future.

  • mnewcomb

    I just got back from Grafenwohr this past February.

    Every job that does not require US citizenship is fulfilled by a German. Even the base/post guards are contracted out to Germans. Everyone who works at the PX. The guys clearing the snow off the sidewalks. The guys who work at the gym.

    Now, if that exact same post was here in the US. At a minimum, those German jobs would be fulfilled by Americans. Even if they were fulfilled by illegals living in America, at least some portion of the tax money used would be spent in America instead of being spent in Germany. Right now, they are expanding Grafenwohr, again, using German labor and companies to do the work.

    We are at 10% unemployment and 20% underemployment, why would we spend money overseas when we could spend it here? Certainly there is value and savings to be had by spending the money at home than abroad?

  • jamesmackey

    As far as the eye can see. The conservative thing to do is look where we can cut spending. The Money is in entitlement programs and defense. Right now we are defending Europe, Japan, Korea, and the Middle East. These are all nations and regions capable of defending themselves. We can’t afford to defend Germany and Japan anymore.

    On Jan 17, 1961 the former Supreme Allied Commander of the European Theater of Operations during World War 2 and very popular two term Republican President used his farewell address to the nation to warn the American people about the dangers of the Military Industrial complex. Rest assured, Dwight Eisenhower didn’t hate the military.

  • jpniner

    and he personally wrote the referenced on his Page, other racist pics and comments were left by fans. Screen Caps here:

    http://barefootandprogressive.blogspot.com/2009/12/rand-pauls-spokesperson-is-satanic.html

    There is a reason Rand Paul had to dump him in December for crying out loud.

    Oh, and checkout his Chomskyite Foreign Policy worldview just after his Anti-Christian rant from a leader in a Satanic Metal Band for all things.

    For this guy to be so intertwined from the beginning of his campaign shows how out in left Field Rand Paul is, and why the Dems in Ky are giddy at the idea of the R’s nominating him.

  • jpniner

    Active Duty Personell is nearly half of what it was at end of the Cold War. While domestic spending soared…Our Combat Brigades were Cut in Half in the 90′s(which caused major problems in the 2000′s).

    Paul not only wants to Cut, he wants to Eliminate and make the “Military Industrial Complex” next to nothing, listen to what he’s been saying for years now. When you talk about the “Cost” of something, Paul uses Static Analysis and Single Entry Accounting, plus he’s been known to Fib(ALOT) on these paticular numbers.

    And those bases aren’t just ‘defending those other nations” they are defending Global Trade and our entire Way of Life by extension. Those Host countries have asked for us to be there, by contract, AND they are Footing some of the Bill.

    Rumsfeld tried to move to draw down the Germany base, and move those resources to current hot spots of American Interest, and the Germans pitched a fit making actually closing it not so easy.

    anyway, its another case of his Humanistic naive worldview and of course selling Snake Oil politically to the Isolationist/Fortress America crowd.

  • jpniner

    Active Duty Personell is nearly half of what it was at end of the Cold War. While domestic spending soared…Our Combat Brigades were Cut in Half in the 90′s(which caused major problems in the 2000′s).

    Paul not only wants to Cut, he wants to Eliminate and make the “Military Industrial Complex” next to nothing, listen to what he’s been saying for years now. When you talk about the “Cost” of something, Paul uses Static Analysis and Single Entry Accounting, plus he’s been known to Fib(ALOT) on these paticular numbers.

    And those bases aren’t just ‘defending those other nations” they are defending Global Trade and our entire Way of Life by extension. Those Host countries have asked for us to be there, by contract, AND they are Footing some of the Bill.

    Rumsfeld tried to move to draw down the Germany base, and move those resources to current hot spots of American Interest, and the Germans pitched a fit making actually closing it not so easy.

    anyway, its another case of his Humanistic naive worldview and of course selling Snake Oil politically to the Isolationist/Fortress America crowd.

  • jpniner

    He has said this to leftist and Anarchist and Nutjob Groups for years now:

    http://chattahbox.com/us/2009/07/23/ron-paul-make-love-not-war-to-fund-health-care/

    Hey, lets shut down all the Military spending like you leftist have been pushing for and been successful with partially, and with “all the money we save” we can Finance your Socialist Programs “until we come to our senses on freedom”….you know, since Entitlements are So Easy to reverse once implemented.

    /retarded Scoundrel.

  • jpniner

    He has said this to leftist and Anarchist and Nutjob Groups for years now:

    http://chattahbox.com/us/2009/07/23/ron-paul-make-love-not-war-to-fund-health-care/

    Hey, lets shut down all the Military spending like you leftist have been pushing for and been successful with partially, and with “all the money we save” we can Finance your Socialist Programs “until we come to our senses on freedom”….you know, since Entitlements are So Easy to reverse once implemented.

    /retarded Scoundrel.

  • jamesmackey

    We spend more on our military then Russia and China combined. Our supposed newest enemy Iran has a smaller military budget than that powerhouse Greece. You are unhinged.

    http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/spending.htm

  • Richard Mullins

    That’s what happens when you play around with numbers. I think you know just about nothing but to be an idiot. Why don’t you take you leftist self and get lost.

  • jamesmackey

    Play around with the numbers. Do anything you like. China our biggest economic competitor isn’t spending up to a trillion dollars a year overseas. What they are doing is taking our dollars they get from trading with us and investing them in Africa, South America, Iran etc etc etc. In the meantime we’re defending Europe, Japan and Korea from the non existent Soviet Union.

  • Richard Mullins

    I guess I would have to put you on the DMZ for you to understand that. Have military facilities in Great Britain and Italy isn’t necessary since we don’t have to worry about Bonsia and Britain can take care of itself. We need to keep Lanshuel. BTW, where do get a Trillion Dollars overseas? If you have real answer and some idiot website. Also, you seem to not like criticism and call everyone that challenges you, unhinged. I think you’re a moby and a plant for someone.

  • jamesmackey

    Is a very wealthy advanced nation. North Korea can’t even feed its own people.

  • Richard Mullins
  • Richard Mullins
  • jamesmackey

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8y06NSBBRtY