What is Jeanine Pirro thinking?
Josh Marshall has a post today related to the NY Senate race between Hillary Clinton and Jeanine Pirro. That post links to an article reporting on something Pirro said at a campaign stop:
Consequently, I am very interested in hearing from at least one Republican in New York in order to get a better understanding of this situation.
During a speech to Chemung County Republicans on Tuesday night, Pirro continued her criticism of the Democratic-controlled state Assembly for its refusal to adopt legislation that would civilly confine violent sex offenders after their prison sentences end.Look--I am no Hillary fan. In fact, I have stated elsewhere in this blog that I think Hillary being the nominee in 2008 would be a disaster. However, these comments by Pirro are just insane and insulting. Read the rest of the article to see if her campaign manager's claim that the quote is out of context rings true. Statements like this create their own context, and no amount of spin can change that. Then again, maybe I am not aware of the full picture here.
"That's a difference between Democrats and Republicans--we don't want them next door molesting children and murdering women," said the Westchester County prosecutor, according to Wednesday's Elmira Star-Gazette newspaper.
Consequently, I am very interested in hearing from at least one Republican in New York in order to get a better understanding of this situation.
posted by WCharles @ 10/20/2005 11:41:00 AM
4 Comments:
Bet you're surprised I'm commenting on this one. It has been widely reported in our press that Pirro will make sex offender legislation a priority. I agree, for her to imply that Democrats favor molesting children and murdering women was insane and insulting. It was pure dirty politics. I do not know the details of any pending sex offender legislation, but based on NY political observation, the Dems don't want to appear to agree with the Repubs and vice versa, so legislation stalls.
So, why would Pirro make such an outrageous remark? From what I've read there isn't that much difference between Pirro and Clinton. Pirro is a centrist Republican and Clinton has positioned herself as a centrist Democrat. Pirro is fighting an uphill battle against Clinton which could be a reason for inanities such as this. Clinton is well known nationwide. Pirro was not known outside of downstate until her name started to appear in the paper as a senate candidate. If the election were held today, Clinton would win hands down. What Pirro did was give Clinton the proverbial kick in the shins.
From what the article said, I have no problem with Pirro calling out the Dems in the Assembly, but she sure could have chosen a better way. Also, I do not understand why passage or non-passage of a bill in the state Assembly has anything to do with what a U.S. Senator does. Is Pirro pushing a national law for civil confinement?
"...and Clinton has positioned herself as a centrist Democrat."
She has been shamelessly trying to do this. I find this as humorous as the fact that Newt Gingrich has appeared with her trying to make himself appear more centrist. I remain unconvinced.
Yancey Roy, New York Journal commentator, had a good editorial today. Sorry, I can't find an electronic link for you.
He quoted from a recent news conference where she was trying to defend herself against the numerous verbal gaffs she has made during her campaign. Roy wrote:
"...Pirro misspoke while trying to address hiccups in her campaign, especially the kickoff speech.
'I got to tell you, was it my best day? Absolutely not,' Pirro said. 'Am I better than that? Absolutely not.'
...Democrats zinged Pirro, saying in a news release she had reached her 'gaff-a-day quota'."
Roy concluded his article discussing Pirro's sexual predator commments saying that she going after the crime angle and staying away from the anti-Hillary ads.
I find myself conflicted over this Senate race. On the one hand, I don't want the Democrats to lose a Senate seat, but if Hillary loses, her chances of winning the nomination in 2008 go down.
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