Greensboro Editorial Editor Says Demo Party Chairman Meek is a Goose-Step Nazi
Republican Party Hack today
June 14, 2006
One step forward, one goose-step back
The Associated Press reports that N.C. Democratic Party chief Jerry
Meek has
endorsed Supreme Court Justice Mark Martin.
If that's true, it's a development I missed before my column ran this
morning. I relied on information on the party Web site (still posted
there
now) saying that Meek would recommend that the party withhold an
endorsement
in the contest between Martin and Rachel Lea Hunter.
I put in a call to Meek Friday seeking comment for my column but never
heard
back from him.
An endorsement of Martin by the Democratic Party, if it happens, would
be a
significant step toward real nonpartisanship in judicial races. Martin
is a
registered Republican, but he's obviously the better candidate in the
race.
All North Carolinians -- Democrats, Republicans and independents --
should
want the best qualified individuals serving in the judiciary.
Meek could take another positive step by changing some of the rhetoric
found
on the party's Web site:
"Judicial races are non-partisan, right? Tell that to the Republicans."
"After the 2004 election, the Republican Party methodically sought to
throw
out the votes of people who -- in good faith and at the advice of
elections
officials -- cast legal ballots. Republicans turned to the courts,
knowing
that their appellate court judges would march goose-step to their every
command. And their Judges did exactly what the Republican Party
expected of
them."
That refers to the contested outcomes of the state superintendent's
race and
the Parks-Wade commissioners' race here in Guilford County. The state
Supreme Court ruled that the law required voters to cast ballots in
their
own precincts -- a pretty obvious conclusion. Improperly cast ballots
were
disallowed, although not enough in either case for the Republican
candidates
to defeat the Democrats.
Anyway, the offensive language here is "march goose-step."
It would be fine if it said judges marched in lock-step with the
Republicans
-- not really true in all cases, of course, but still well within the
bounds
of fair comment.
"Goose step," however, is intended to evoke images of Nazi
stormtroopers.
Get it? Republican judges are like Nazis. Very nice.
I guess that includes Mark Martin, whom the Democrats now have decided
to
endorse because he's better than Rachel Hunter who, in her own brand of
Nazi-baiting, is calling Meek "Der Fuhrer."
Meek, not surprisingly, doesn't like that. Hunter's name-calling is way
out
of line. So how about dropping the goose-step slur, Democrats? Let's
have
positive, nonpartisan judicial campaigns that give the public more
confidence, not less, in the men and women who serve on the bench.
Posted by Doug Clark at June 14, 2006 07:39 AM
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