Conservative Columnist Lays Into Cuccinelli

Most of the carping that the GOP must change by pundits has focused on the GOP at the national level and its growing inability to compete in a nation with rapidly changing demographics which include the dying off of the hard core Christofascist disproportionately concentrated in the 65+ crowd.  Now, Jennifer Rubin - typically not among  my favorite columnists - lays into Ken "Kookinelli" Cuccinelli and the danger he poses to the GOP ticket herein Virginia in the 2013 statewide elections in the Washington Post.   As regular readers know, in my view Kookinelli belongs in an insane asylum rather than being a contender for the Governor's mansion.  It is perhaps a positive sign that even someone like Rubin recognize that Cuccinelli is toxic.  Here are some column highlights:

Cuccinelli faces a few challenges of his own making. Whether or not Bolling runs, they heighten the unease with his candidacy that led Bolling to reconsider a run and some major business leaders to call for an alternative.

First, Cuccinelli has decided to stay on as attorney general, defying state custom. The Post reports, “Cuccinelli broke with a tradition started in 1957   .  .  .  .  Cuccinelli fired back that he’d be criticized if he left his position early, but the move put him on defense. Moreover, for a candidate accusing opponent McAuliffe of being a carpetbagging national pol who doesn’t understand the state, it’s unwise to fuel the perception that he also is not adhering to the Virginia playbook.

Second, Cuccinelli wrote a book and began promoting it on talk radio shows. Again, this plays into the perception he’s no more Virginia in temperament and style than McAuliffe and really has is eye on national office or at least a higher national profile.

And lastly, as I have written here at Right Turn, he has no discernible agenda or specific policy items.    Why is he running? What does he want to accomplish? If he opposed Gov. Bob McDonnell’s transportation plan, would he seek to repeal it? His staff gives the assurances that more detail is coming, but the longer he waits the more the news vacuum gets filled with negative stories.

There are several things he could do in short order. First, he can pledge to enforce existing anti-abortion laws but not add to or change them. As attorney general he can credibly say no more legislation is needed or constitutional. His reassurance of protecting the status quo would give some measure of comfort to those wary of him launching a social issues crusade.

He can also come out with an actual agenda. What does he want to do on education (especially the over-crowded state university system.)? If he doesn’t like McDonnell’s transportation plan, what is his idea? How is he going to handle the challenge of sequester .  .  .  .  (Speaking at CPAC this week, he would be smart to show some restraint and show how his conservative values will fit into Virginia.)

Finally, he would be wise to start giving the voters a sense of who he is and convincing them he isn’t a scary extremist

[U]unless Cuccinelli gets his act together quickly, he will find himself in an endless string of accusations and attacks, never getting to lay out a positive message of what sort of governor he wants to be. The next month or so will be critical for him.

Of course, the truth is that Kookinelli IS A SCAY EXTREMIST.  He will not leave the abortion laws alone and will likely launch other lunatic attacks on the rights and liberties of non-far right white Christians.