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All opinions are those of The Republican Gazette and its editor, Gary Abernathy, except letters or commentary signed by others, and do not reflect the views of anyone else, including clients of Abernathy Strategies.
Email to the Editor
Jones-bashing off base; GOP must claim center
Dear Gary:
I am amused by your recent writing regarding Danny Jones. At the outset, I must disclose that Danny is one of my closest personal friends. And I’ve known Danny since 1984, shortly after he was first elected Sheriff of Kanawha County. Danny is undoubtedly one of the brightest, most colorful and most pragmatic politicians I have ever known. As to your assertion that he will likely switch parties, I can tell you that I, for one, would be shocked if he became a Democrat.
Embedded within your column is the notion that somehow it is the duty of every elected Republican politician to embrace the ideals and platform proffered by the party. While that might be the appropriate stance for a party activist such as yourself, it would the apex of hypocrisy for a sitting Charleston Mayor to adopt such a position. No Republican Mayor of Charleston can be elected without Democrat votes. To blindly adopt the party platform would disenfranchise the very voters who placed him in office.
It is good for public discourse to contain elements of both parties. On a state level, we can see very clearly the outcome of over 70 years of one-party rule. It is my view that this sad state of affairs is the result of exactly the sort of party allegiance which your column apparently supports. The fact is that your Republican party has permitted the Democrats to shove them to the fringe. That shortcoming will stifle any attempt by your party to gain control of either house of the legislature. It must be corrected in order to establish a two party system in this state. And it cannot be corrected as long as party activists like yourself castigate successful Republicans who attempt to claim the center and govern on a basis other than pure party loyalty. It is, in a word, disingenuous.
As a former journalist, I know that the love of the facts surpasses even your interest in a good story. That is why I am certain that a response is necessary to a few of the assertions in your column. First, while the column accurately states that Danny has endorsed the Democratic candidate for City Treasurer, it fails to note that the Republican candidate declined to endorse Danny a week prior to Danny’s endorsment of Vic Grigoraci. It also fails to disclose that the Republican is none other than the uncle of a former City Councilman who is employed by the same law firm that employs Nick Casey – the Democratic Chairman with whom Danny has apparently met an excessive number of times.
And finally it fails to disclose that the City Councilman in question is leaving the City Council on a hostile note after Danny spoke out against his possible appointment to the federal bench. Serendipity? I think not.
Secondly, as to the support of Republican candidates, your article fails to disclose that Danny made $2,000 in contributions to the candidacy of State Senator Mike Hall during the last election. As you know, I – a Democrat – managed that campaign for Senator Hall. Also, you well know that it is impossible for a State Senator to be elected from that district without support from Democrats. And thanks to your skilled help and Danny’s help and the votes of thousands of Democrats, an excellent State Senator was elected.
It is my hope that the Republican party will halt their march toward political irrelevance and claim the political center from which success flows. Their failure to do so after all these years has apparently failed to yield any serious thinking by their leadership. It is tragic for our state that this is the case. Online blog whining by party activists such as yourself do nothing to correct this serious problem.
Sincerely,
Michael E. Greenleaf
Scott Depot WV
Final few days for reservations to event honoring Shelley R. Moore
Former First Lady Shelley R. Moore and Gov. Arch Moore are shown at a Lincoln Day Dinner last year in Beckley.
Only a few days remain to make reservations for Saturday's event honoring former First Lady Shelley R. Moore.
Organizers say ticket sales have been
strong for the April 14 event at the Marriott in Charleston. The event, a fundraiser for the West Virginia Republican Party, will also make note of Gov. Moore's 84th birthday, which will be April 16. Festivities begin at 6 p.m.
Immediately following the program, a concert will be performed by The Runaway Band, featuring Memories of Elvis.
For tickets or for more information, contact the WVGOP at 304-768-0495.
Why did Bernstine drop effort to be WVU prez?
DANIEL O. BERNSTINE
Speculation continued over the weekend about why Portland State University President Daniel Bernstine suddenly withdrew his name from consideration for the West Virginia University presidency.
Bernstine went so far as to visit the Morgantown campus last week, but then
suddenly announced he was dropping from contention. The trouble is, the announcement came not from Bernstine himself, but from Steve Goodwin, WVU Board chair and head of the search committee. In fact, so far no reporters seem to have spoken to Bernstine. The Oregonian newspaper reported Friday that Bernstine could not be reached for comment.
Either Bernstine's visit to the WVU campus was that bad, or -- and this is the most popular theory making the rounds -- his on-site visit provided him with major clues that Mike Garrison clearly has the position wrapped up.
The Oregonian's online edition contained this comment from a reader:
Glad to hear Portland State President Dan Bernstine has withdrawn his name from West Virginia's search for a new university president.
With PSU appearing to have finally put the pieces in place for potential athletic success after a series of body blows, losing Bernstine would have been a tough punch to take.
I couldn't ever really see him in West Virginia but, for a sports fan like Bernstine - and yes, contrary to what some local pundits have written, he is a sports fan - the allure of moving to a system that supports athletics with actual state funding (what a concept!) and a school that just hired Bob Huggins, one of the nation's top recruiters, to lead its basketball program, had to be tempting.
You can bet that more searches will come looking for Bernstine and at some point he will leave, but for now he can focus on stoking the fire the hiring of Jerry Glanville has lit.
