Endgame Viable

Hanover Delegate Frank Hargrove’s embarrassing remarks are well-documented. Supposedly they even made national news. I won’t repeat what he said because I wouldn’t want to be accused of “macacing” anyone, but I thought they were hilarious. And not in a we’re-laughing-with-you kind of way.

The fallout should be interesting and entertaining. Obviously, Democrat blogs are going to be talking this story to death. As one small example, The Daily Whackjob is trying to find a Democrat in Hanover County to challenge Hargrove’s seat in the elections this year. (Um, good luck with that effort. At the risk of generalizing an entire county, everybody *I* know in Hanover probably cheered when they heard Hargrove’s comments.)

Mainly I’m interested to see Republican blogger reactions. Have they learned anything from the Virgil Goode incident? So far, they’re pretty quiet, which suggests they have learned. Perhaps veteran Republican blogger Shaun Kenney is already working magic at his new position with the RPV. One can almost hear the secret blog alliance meetings: “Don’t say anything! Wait for it to fade away.” (Not to mention the secret back room directives to CASTLE bloggers: “For the love of God, don’t try to help!”)

But a few brave souls have publicly sided with Hargrove. So far, there are two main categories of Hargrove defenses from the Virginia blogosphere. First, the He-Said-That-But-He-Meant-This defense:

• Bacon’s Rebellion: So Much for Racial Reconciliation. Thoughtful writing that’s worth reading, but I think he’s giving Hargrove too much credit. “The point that Hargrave was raising, albeit in a clumsy way, was that nursing a cult of victimization does nothing to improve the lives of African-Americans or to better prepare them to prosper in a globally competitive economy.”

Next, the somewhat less nuanced He’s-Exactly-Right-What’s-The-Problem? defense:

• From On High: I Think I Like This Guy. A fairly predictable reaction From On High: “Now we all know that Frank here is in big trouble for saying what 70% of Virginians think. Despite that, he’s right. You all need to get over it. And move on.”
• The Journal of the Common Man: Del. Hargrove Gets it RIGHT. This just in from CASTLE… anyone surprised? “Somebody needed to say it…and somebod [sic] finally did. THAK [sic] YOU DELEGATE HARGROVE.”

Thomas Krehbiel writes The Krehbiel Strikes Back, a generally centrist commentary on news, media, politics, and culture.