Arkansas Blog: Tracking the DINOs

Brummett considers again the issue of Democrats helping Republican legislators get elected. Conclusions: Gwatney was right to remonstrate. Serious discipline is probably pointless and counter-productive. Counsel: Just say no to fund-raising for the opposition party.

This reminds me. I've just listened to a tape of a radio debate to be aired Monday afternoon on a Batesville station between Sen. President Pro Tem Jack Critcher, one of the Republican enablers, and James McLean, who is running for a House seat in Batesville. No, Critcher isn't running. His wife Vickie is, however, in hopes of continuing the otherwise term-limited Critcher family's pipeline to fat legislative expense reimbursements. (If she wins, wonder if Jack will land a legislative helpmate job as Vickie did?) The Critchers have been running as a team, with ads full of "we this" and "we that." Naturally, McLean has used this to run against the Critchers as a team, citing Critcher's record, including his fraternization with the enemy. This, the distaff Critcher complained, was a "personal attack." Before you knew it, debate challenges were issued. And who should show up to challenge McLean? Not the actual candidate, but her hubby. A lengthy taped debate ensued in which, among others, Critcher stoutly defended his hefty expense account and his help for Sen. Gilbert Baker, who was Republican chair when the state Republican Party set up an attack PAC to go after sitting Democratic legislators. I have this link to the tape, but WARNING. I'd be wary. It takes you to a site for downloading of giant files (use the free option) and the file itself is a whopper, 52 megs. You have been warned. Perhaps best to wait until the 6 p.m. show on Sky 99.5

Comments

James McLean is a solid Democratic candidate. He's well educated, active in his community and church. He's a former president of the local Jaycees. Given the Critcher family's snubbing of the party, Democrats from all over Arkansas should support his bid for a seat in the House. I did. You can send your contribution to the Mclean Campaign, P.O. Box 3748, Batesville, AR 72503.

Posted by: PVNasby | May 10, 2008 02:23 PM

Good idea, PVN. Critcher proved to be a power-grabbing DINO to the nth degree, and since his wife chooses to run on his coattails, my guess is that she believes just like he does.
Vot for and support James McLean!

Posted by: kizzy | May 10, 2008 03:47 PM

Sounded to me like Critcher smoked him. Mc-REAM can't seem to get his words right. Maybe he needs to STOP trying to point out negative things about his opponent and tell the voters what he will do. His belly-aching is pathetic and to my understanding--HE is the one who ASKED to debate Sen. Critcher. However, when Critcher arrived, his poor excuse of a campaign manager got his panties in a wad.
Mc-Ream also needs to educate himself on the position he is running for.....he made a statement that he (if elected-ha) will make a change on legislators getting paid for gas/travel expenses, etc.....IDIOT!!!!! That is not a STATE elected decision and if elected, he would have absolutely NO SAY/NO CONTROL/NO WAY to CHANGE that! Amuses me that he talkes SO big about things he does not even realize he has no control over.
I will be more than pleased to see McReam bury himself-gravedigger!

Posted by: Darion | May 19, 2008 11:57 PM

Posted by: Darion | May 19, 2008 11:58 PM

Darion...nice double post as you rant about people and what they "don't know." Check the election results this morning from the Critcher / McLean race....you'll find your opinion was in the minority.

Posted by: jacksoncountyproud | May 21, 2008 06:30 AM

Firstly I would like to congratulate Rep.-elect McLean for a hard fought battle and I am glad to see him victorious. Second---Darion, you need to get your facts straight---After Ms. Critcher asked on the radio for the "personal attacks" to stop, Mr. McLean tried to contact her---she did not respond to his call. After the personal contact failed, he said on the radio that there were absolutely NO PERSONAL ATTACKS and if the Critchers would like to talk about it he would be more than happy to and gave his home phone number. Senator Critcher came to the radio station and challenged Mr. McLean to a debate stating he would be there for 2 hours. Mr. McLean was not going to let a challenge go unaccepted, so on NO NOTICE he arrived and a one hour, no rules, no prep debate was taped. I don't think SMOKED would even come close to describing Senator Critchers performance. He sounded frustrated, badgering, and somewhat juvenile to me. For someone, in his words--" Third in line for Succession on the Governership", he sounded totally defeated and I for one was quite embarrassed for him. When researching this I found Vickie's web site. Quite appalling if you want to know the truth. Horrible grammar and punctuation, not capitalizing "A"rkansas---spelling Independence County "IndepenDANCE"--well they have only lived there for 2 years--moved as a way to run her for office and stay at the trough. In the About Vickie section, http://www.vickiecritcher4rep.com/About_Vickie.html it appeared to me that her "Legislative experience" seemed more in line with a Girl Scout leader and there is absolutely nothing listed under "Professional Experience"--well that explains the lack of professionalism. At one point in the debate he said that he was responsible for representing Arkansas around the country and the world---If his performance at any of these conferences were like the debate, well quite frankly, I'm embarrassed to have him represent our fine state. Darion--Critcher was sitting at the station when the "poor excuse for a campaign manager" came to accept for Mr. McLean, and it was Critcher that seemed to do do something is his panties. It would seem that "poor excuse for a campaign manager" did quite well against the most powerful elected legislator and the best consultants money could buy. Well it seems all that money could not "buy" enough votes...Cheers

Posted by: merely an observer | May 24, 2008 05:27 PM

Wow..."Jackson County Proud", do you really want to talk about juvenile?? Once again, just like this entire campain, you people have nothing better to do than look for the LITTLE, UNIMPORTANT garbage to point out just to make the Critcher's look bad. I have never seen more immaturity in a campaign in my enitre life!!
Pointing out that she spelled something wrong...WOW! A typo on the internet will definitely mean she would make a horrible representative. I mean, that never happens to people in the real world and I am sure people are so glad you were so kind to point that out!

Girl Scout Leader, huh? Why don't you, Jackson County Proud, tell that to those people at the Battered Womens Shelter who have spent their entire lives in complete misery, yet found hope in VOLUNTEERS like Mrs. Critcher, who was responsible for actually getting legislation passed to help these shelters. Tell it to all of the people who were informed on the methamphetamine problem in our local communities, who before, had little to no understanding of this drug, but now know how to better protect their children and families. Wait, did Mrs. Critcher help to eliminate meth labs? Oh gosh, what a girl- scout thing to do! Oh, and let's tell it to the John 3:16 ministry, who has been able to receive a great deal of money through fundraisers (organized by Mrs. Critcher). Wow! you are so right, jackson county proud.....she is definitely "girl-scout" all the way!

Better yet, let's see the record of MClean again? What volunteerism has he been a part of? What are his big accomplishments in the county? What awards has he won? I am not saying he doesn't have any of these on his record, but just that I have yet to see much of his accomplishments and have been left uncertain simply b/c his entire campaign was ran on Mr. Critcher's past. How sad!
Oh, and let me just point out.....GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT! 2 years in Batesville, huh? Wow, you really DON'T have a CLUE!!!

Posted by: Lee | May 27, 2008 11:50 AM

Arkansas Blog

Tracking the DINOs

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