When I am upset and passionate, well it hurts when a gadfly bites. And I have generally been very upset with what I regard as the general and ubiquitous incompetence shown by most of the National Republican Campaign Committees. You’ll note the new modifier: “most.”

At the Red State gathering in Atlanta Georgia this past weekend just by chance I happened to sit at the table where John Randall was eating lunch. I listened to what he had to say, and since I’m generally anonymous, he didn’t know who I am (not that I’m important enough to know in the first place) or things I might have written at Red State. He talked passionately about beating the Democrats and taking back the House. He spoke knowledgeably about races without notes. Later at his public address he repeated some of those same things and said some things that tell me that he, and the NRCC get it. It looks like Moe just posted a link to his public speech, so I’ll just highlight a few things John said that I like (some may have been during lunch):

• He wants a Republican majority in the House next year. He doesn’t care if you don’t give to the NRCC as long as you do donate to Republicans in races against Democrats.

• He thinks the NRCC needs to be an echo chamber for the grassroots, not the other way around.

• He’ll consider himself to have accomplished one of his key jobs when Nancy Pelosi starts having nightmares about what John Randall at the NRCC is going to do to her today.

As John was rushing off to on Sunday morning, I promised him my first post on RedState would be an apology for my earlier statements. I spent about 45 minutes trying to find the most egregious one I know I have made, but was unable to locate it*, so I’m leaving the apology here. I’m including Neil because he did attempt to defend the NRCC. When we are wrong, it is important to acknowledge that we have been wrong, and then attempt to make restitution for that wrong. And on this count, I was wrong. Ordinarily, this would be followed by me sending my standard $25.00 off to a worthwhile cause, but as I was laid-off last Monday it would be irresponsible for me to do that today. I will commit to doing so after I have again found gainful employment.

And a note to the RNC and the NRSC: Look at what the NRCC is doing, and think about the damage that your actions are having on them. I may have been wrong, but there are still a lot of people out there who feel what I expressed in those earlier posts. And that hurts everybody’s chances at accomplishing what needs to be done in 2010 and 2012.

*I found this one, but there was a thread where Neil said the NRCC was different and I said something along the line of it didn’t matter they were all the same to those of us in the base who were tired of getting shafted. If anyone finds the specific exchange I will link to it and wish I could edit the comment to link to this post.