My good friend Shaun started quite the brouhaha over the Attorney General’s race, even getting the attention of candidate John Brownlee. Upon closer look though, Brownlee may have done more to hurt his own cause than help it.
Brownlee was miffed about Shaun’s comments on the Bearing Drift podcast, in particular Shaun’s declaration that Brownlee “is not as strong on the pro-life issue as Cuccinelli has proven to be.”
Brownlee’s response revealed a shocking, jaw-dropping, ignorance (Bearing Drift):
“We both believe that life begins at conception and that abortion should be illegal unless it is to protect the life of the mother or in cases of rape or incest,” said Brownlee.
WRONG!
Cuccinelli’s pro-life position does not include rape or incest exceptions. While I can understand that such exceptions divide the pro-life community, for those of us who agree with Cuccinelli (Shaun and myself are among them), that clearly delineates Cuccinelli as more pro-life than Brownlee. More to the point, it shows Brownlee really has no idea what his opponents’ views are. This reveals a shocking amount of ignorance about state politics, one that Republicans must keep in mind when nominating a candidate.
That ignorance flows through to his second statement on the issue:
Brownlee also stated that in the six years Cuccinelli has served as a state Senator that abortion is still legal and he has done little to advance the cause of making it illegal.
Crystal Clear Conservative already dealt with this, but once again, Brownlee seems to have no clue what Cuccinelli has done in Richmond to protect unborn children, including his fight to defund Planned Parenthood. Moreover, it forces me to bring something else up.
John Brownlee, according to his own website, was U.S. Attorney for seven years, longer than Cuccinelli was in the state senate. More importantly, Brownlee was active with the judicial branch of the Federal government, the branch which actually legalized abortion in 1973. How many times did Brownlee fight to have Roe v. Wade overturned? In how many cases did his office stand up for pre-born children? If there were any, his website makes no mention of it.
Given that the Attorney General of Virginia would have to defend any pro-life measure signed into law in the federal courts, you would think Brownlee would at least note some role he played on that issue. More likely, he did nothing.
Perhaps he had no opportunity, but that doesn’t give him the right to pretend Cuccinelli’s pro-life record doesn’t exist; nor does it give him (Brownlee) the right to mischaracterize Cuccinelli’s position.
All in all, Brownlee’s response actually made me happier for choosing to support Ken Cuccinelli for Attorney General.
Cross-posted to Bloggers for Ken Cuccinelli
[...] to the right-wing liberal Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)It’s Official! Ken Cuccinelli Declares [...]
How exactly is Cuccinelli supposed to make abortion “illegal”?
Brownlee is a lawyer, correct? Is he familiar with Roe v. Wade?
I kinda figured it was required reading for anyone that has been through law school…
Is Cuccinelli supposed to run for the United States Senate or Presidency so he can appoint SCOTUS justices or something?
We have three very good candidates for this office. I just hope this doesn’t turn into a huge fight. We all may lose if it does. Just remember, any of these three guys would make a great AG. I am supporting Dave Foster becouse he has already worked around the state to other Republicans get elected and becouse he can win in all parts of the state.
Granted, probably a bad move on Brownlee’s part to take issue with Cuccinelli’s abortion position. Particularily this early.
What I am suprised by DJ is that you have ignored Cuccinelli’s problem on the tax issue. His vote for the 2006 senate transportation tax included in the senate’s budget that year and HB3202 in 2007, I would think steer you away. Brownlee’s position is totally clean since he hasn’t had to take a vote on any tax issue. I thought the tax issue was the only real issue potentially dividing republicans.
From one of DJ’s previous posts, in part:
http://rightwingliberal.wordpress.com/2008/07/15/ken-cuccinelli-for-attorney-general/
“not” should also be italicized but I forgot to do that when I copied and pasted it.
I blame my messed up keyboard which makes me go to character map if I want to type /, ?, ‘, or “.
Tip: Diet Mountain Dew + Laptop keyboard = Bad news.
Although, I must admit that I’m amazed that the keyboard functions at all now.
Brandon,
I consider the budget vote and the gas tax vote in 2006 to be two separate items; we’ve already had that discussion.
As for HB3202, as Tim mentioned, it did delay my decision for quite some time.
Having said that, I’m glad I chose Ken. Brownlee is clearly the candidate of the GOP establishment that has fouled things up for so very, very long.
DJ,
It good to know you can look at the total record of a candidate and not let one vote become a litmus test for support.
Frankly when you speak of GOP establishment I’m really not sure who you mean anymore. Our statewide leaders are Frederick, Gilmore, Bolling and McDonnell–maybe throw in Howell. Which one is part of the GOP establishment problem? I know your thoughts on Howell–but who else?
I’m fairly happy with Frederick, and Bolling has improved lately. Howell did the right thing on HB6055. My biggest fear is McDonnell. He seemed completely tone-deaf during the special session, and some reports (granted, they’re MSM) lead me to fear he’ll try to have the party back a tax increase next year to get the transportation issue “off the table” (saheds of the 2007 disaster). I really, really just don’t trust Bob McDonnell anymore.
[...] Cuccinelli is (Bearing Drift). That is, in point of fact, true. Brownlee tried to respond, and got his facts wrong. I called him on it. If that’s a “personal attack,” then the English language [...]
[...] aside the fact that Cuccinelli is more pro-life than Brownlee, I’d like to know where Brownlee was during the special session, when Senator Cuccinelli was [...]
[...] both supported raped, incest, and a mother’s health exceptions to a ban on abortion. As D.J. McGuire pointed out, Cuccinelli does not support rape and incest exceptions; Cuccinelli follows the “Catholic [...]