The Battle for America 2010: In Maryland, Is the Left Emboldened or Afraid?
It was Cook’s involvement which led Langer to say, “For a paid operative of the Maryland Democratic Party to show up to disrupt a local non-partisan event is just stunning. It demonstrates that they feel so threatened by the very real popular discontent that they’re more than willing to have their paid employees invent groups in order to maintain their hold on power.”
In fact, I asked Maryland Democratic Party chair Susan Turnbull for a response to this incident, and apparently they’d already put a statement together for press inquiries like mine. How about some projection with a heaping side of in-your-face arrogance?
“The ones who should be apologizing are the leaders of Americans for Prosperity who are backed by big corporations that ship jobs overseas. The Offshore Bird and his supporters were simply there to politely draw attention to AFP’s hidden agenda at an event that was open to the public. It is clear from the video that the AFP only believes in the right to peaceful assembly when it suits their interests.”
In other words, you will listen to us and like it. That’s the attitude of a party that controls all the levers of power in Annapolis. It’s also hypocritical, when you consider the piles of money that leftist George Soros routinely showers on liberal groups and causes all over the country. To them, Chuck Cook has become a hero of the movement – he’ll likely get a promotion in the near future.
And just to correct Turnbull, the main thing that’s clear from the video is that a party whose policies are killing the Maryland poultry industry would be wise to steer clear of chicken suits.
As for the AFP, it isn’t going anywhere in Maryland. Their state chapter is doubling down with another more localized bus tour (dubbed the “Now or Never Maryland” tour) that will span the length of the First District, which wraps from the eastern suburbs of Baltimore around the top of Chesapeake Bay to encompass the Eastern Shore. And while AFP won’t be adding security, according to Maryland state director Dave Schwartz, they “will be aware of possible intimidation tactics, and be able to be more proactive because of the incident.”
With experts divided on whether the race is a toss-up or leaning Republican, and the First District’s history as an R+13 district, it’s certain that Free State Democrats will be cooking up even more mayhem for conservatives as the election draws closer. But it’s hard to top this kind of October surprise, even if a day early.
For other Tea Party believers trapped in various one party blue states this story is a reminder that there is hope. We will see on November 2nd just how many Maryland Conservatives come out to vote. Democratic incumbant Governor, Martin O’Malley is currently 5 points ahead in the polls against local moderate Republican Bob Erlich. There are 8 percent of the electorate in the polls that are still undecided. If O’Malley wins those candidates the hopes of the Maryland Conservatives for a light at the end of the Progressive tunnel will be very bleak indeed. If you are a Maryland Republican or Conservative or just are sick of one party rule, make sure you and all your friends and family make it to the polls. If you can dissuade a liberal neighbor from bothering to vote that would also be helpful. I will keep my fingers crossed.
Ocean City Maryland is NOT on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Repeat this five times out loud.
I mailed in my ballot yesterday in California 12th district. It felt great.
Boxer has got to go.
When did the Democratic Party give up its free speech rights? AFP is about as non-partisan as Greenpeace. The vast majority of its members are Republican as are the vast majority of Greenpeace members are Democrats.They have as much right to have counter-protests of AFP as the Republians have to counter-protest Greenpeace.
Charlie,
Ocean City is indeed part of the collective area known as the Eastern Shore of Maryland. In my original draft I included this snippet to give national (or at least regional) readers an idea of geography.
While there’s not many of us on the Eastern Shore, we’re among the most conservative in Maryland. When I moved down here in 2004 to take my previous job I was comforted by the vast number of Bush/Cheney signs I saw along U.S. 50.
Still, we have to put up with the occasional loony leftists, and boy are they scared of Andy Harris.
Born and raised Marylander here. MD is as blue as a blue state gets- there’s more divergent political discourse in China or Vietnam than in Annapolis.
Anyway, best of luck to Eastern Shore Republicans- I hear all three of them still meet every Friday for drinks.
Michael Swartz – Good article, read. And leftists wonder why the most successful, affluent, educated, tax-gouged Montgomery County residents are leaving in droves for D.C., VA and elsewhere.
Ocean City IS indeed the Eastern Shore.
Yeah, Turnbull’s response was expected.. as is the moronic Steny Hoyer who takes a page from the Harry reid protocol and deflects ALL ills elsewhere.
The ‘representatives’ of MD and their supporters.. I truly believe their brain matter is oxygen deficient.
>Ocean City IS indeed the Eastern Shore.
Yep. That part of Maryland is on the ‘eastern shore’ of the Chesapeake Bay.
Not to be confused with the Delmarva peninsula.