Opponents of Mayor Bill Haslam criticized the 2010 gubernatorial candidate yesterday, both for his hesitancy in taking a position on guns in parks and also his ultimate support for maintaining the city's 47-year-old prohibition against them. Haslam's comments came after the city council voted 6-3 to uphold the law.
Rep. Zach Wamp of Tennessee's 3rd district had the most eye-catching quote:
"While letting the criminals run free" is the best part, in my estimation.
Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey followed Wamp's lead (at least in the article), and the rest of the piece colors Haslam as someone who waffles on positions or only takes a stand once he's no longer politically vulnerable. In contrast, Wamp and Ramsey take firm, black-and-white stands on issues, circumstances be damned. No moral relativism there.
This is a pretty routine political maneuver and harkens back to the Bush-Kerry "flip flop" hullabaloo. Wamp and Ramsey are both running to the right of Haslam, attempting to turn his reputation as a moderate into a weakness in the primary. It might work, depending on how energized the base is (and how good their memory of the Bush years is).
But this strategy will also box Wamp and Ramsey in to some fairly radical positions and could set up a loss to the Dems in the general election. It's a calculation they've determined they have to make -- if they don't get through the primary, nothing else matters.
Rep. Zach Wamp of Tennessee's 3rd district had the most eye-catching quote:
"Once again, Mayor Haslam comes down on the wrong side of our Second Amendment rights guaranteed in the Constitution," Wamp said. "Limiting the rights of citizens who have gone through the training and permitting process required to legally carry a gun in order to protect themselves and their families - while letting the criminals run free - makes little sense to me."
"While letting the criminals run free" is the best part, in my estimation.
Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey followed Wamp's lead (at least in the article), and the rest of the piece colors Haslam as someone who waffles on positions or only takes a stand once he's no longer politically vulnerable. In contrast, Wamp and Ramsey take firm, black-and-white stands on issues, circumstances be damned. No moral relativism there.
This is a pretty routine political maneuver and harkens back to the Bush-Kerry "flip flop" hullabaloo. Wamp and Ramsey are both running to the right of Haslam, attempting to turn his reputation as a moderate into a weakness in the primary. It might work, depending on how energized the base is (and how good their memory of the Bush years is).
But this strategy will also box Wamp and Ramsey in to some fairly radical positions and could set up a loss to the Dems in the general election. It's a calculation they've determined they have to make -- if they don't get through the primary, nothing else matters.
Comments » 0
Be the first to post a comment!
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.