Your Democratic Consultants

I was perusing this article in the LA Times about why Democrats are scared of touching the issue of gun control. And no, it apparently has nothing to do with stupid advice from an overly cautious and completely elitist consultant class who also tell Democrats to shy away from public financing, universal healthcare, an Iraq timeline, opposing unfettered free trade and other issues that have the support of 70-80% of the public.

No it's that you can't win and be for gun control. Which is why Sherrod Brown lost in Ohio in 2006, for example. Oh wait, that's right HE WON. Standing up strongly for what he believes in. With the rest of the 80% that support a ban on assault weapons.

In any case, here is the wisdom of our consultants, replete with repetition of unbelievably simplistic and damaging stereotypes:

"A lot of people on the two coasts don't appreciate that hunting and being a sportsman are as much about the culture as having a latte and reading the Los Angeles Times is to them in Los Angeles, or having a latte and reading the New York Times in New York," Struble said. "The perceived infringement of those rights would be just as much an affront as saying you can't have any more lattes."

Where to begin. First of all, you couldn't, I don't know, stand up to the NRA and tell people you strongly favor hunting rights but don't support allowing terrorists, wife-beaters and bank-robbers to get guns, like Republicans do? Could one be so crazy bold?

Because that list of wonderful folks is only a small percentage of the minsanthropes who end up with guns when there are no reasonable background checks. I could go on about assault rifles, gun locks, etc., but you get the point. All, by the way, have majority public support (and often much more like 80%).

Additionally, nice to repeat Republican talking poins. I mean everyone in downtown Chicago hunts, while nobody in Upstate New York does, right? I live in Columbus, Ohio now. Shhh, don't tell anyone, but we have lots of Starbucks here. I lived in New York City growing up and was on a riflery team. I still have metals awarded to me by the freakin NRA. How is that possible? It doesn't fit with Struble's stereotype, it must not be!

So, in any case, this is a guy we have making a lot our ads. And you wonder why our candidates sometimes seem to have their heads up their...um, a place where the sun doesn't shine.

Ok, I admit it, he's right. Ever since I moved from DC to Ohio, I do find myself no longer Jonesing for that 14th latte everyday, but desperately in need of an AK-47 and cop killer bullets.

Idiot.

PS This story lists all the candidates he's worked for who have won. I am sure it was all his doing. Now, can we see the rest of the list. Because he worked for at least one candidate in 2002 whose campaign I was on, and she most assuredly got her ass handed to her by 30 points by listening to ridiculous advice from up on high.

UPDATE: Quelle coincidence, as the French would say, or those from the East Coast like me who must love latte, hate guns and took the time to learn a whole other language! It turns out our consultant friend here, or so I have been told, went to Ohio State, which is mere miles from where I currently sit. All the more reason why he should know better than to rely on stupid stereotypes that harm the Democratic Party in places like Ohio, not to mention repeating them to major newspapers.