America’s Worst Politician - The short, ugly career of Alan Grayson

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America’s Worst Politician - The short, ugly career of Alan Grayson

URL Source: http://www.newsweek.com/2010/10/24/america-s-worst-politician.html
Published: Oct 26, 2010
Author: George F. Will

There are hundreds of plausible nominees
for the title of America’s Second-Smarmiest Politician, but surely the
top spot is un-contested. Americans of all political persuasions can
come together in affirming one proposition: Public life would be
improved by scrubbing Rep. Alan Grayson from it. This act of civic
hygiene probably will be performed Nov. 2 by voters of Florida’s Eighth
Congressional District. Polls indicate that a majority of them plan to
deny Grayson, 52, a second term by electing his resonantly named
opponent, Daniel Webster.

Grayson, never missing an opportunity to live down to his reputation, ridicules Webster’s “18th-century name.” Given Grayson’s relentless advertising of his intellectual shortcomings,
it is surprising that he recognizes the name.

Grayson’s preferred name for Webster—he used it in an ad—is “Taliban Dan.” Grayson’s idea that whatever rhymes is witty is sophomoric. His innuendo
is worse. Consider:

Webster, 61, the third-generation manager of his family’s air-conditioning business, served in Florida’s legislature for 28 years, becoming the first Republican speaker of the
state House in 122 years—since Reconstruction—then serving in the state
Senate until retired by term limits two years ago. A devout Christian
who home-schooled his six children, in 2009 he addressed a religious
conference of men in Nashville on the subject of how to be a good
husband. Concerning relations with their wives, he urged the men not to
focus on biblical verses that enjoin wives to be submissive: “Don’t pick
the ones that say, ‘She should submit to me.’ That’s in the Bible, but
pick the ones that you’re supposed to do. So instead, ‘Love your wife,
even as Christ loved the church he gave himself for it’ as opposed to,
‘Wives, submit yourself to your own husband.’ ”

Grayson sliced and spliced a videotape of Webster’s words to depict Webster as saying, “She should submit to me. That’s in the Bible.” When asked about his
lie-by-editing, Grayson blithely said, “These were his words.” Grayson’s
ad says: “Religious fanatics try to take away our freedom in
Afghanistan, in Iran, and right here in central Florida…Daniel Webster
wants to impose his radical fundamentalism on us.” Hence “Taliban Dan.”

In another ad, titled “Draft Dodger,” Grayson, who never served in the military, falsely says that during the Vietnam War Webster “refused the
call to service” and “doesn’t love this country.” The truth is that
Webster, after receiving routine student deferments, reported for his
draft physical but was classified as medically unfit for service. What
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Grayson’s rhetorical style is schoolyard crude. He has said, “If you get sick, America, the Republican health-care plan is this: Die quickly.” He has compared Republicans to “knuckle-dragging
Neanderthals” and Nazis burning the Reichstag. He has said, “I have
trouble listening to what [Dick Cheney] says sometimes because of the
blood that drips from his teeth while he’s talking.” He has referred to a
high-ranking woman official at the Federal Reserve as a “K Street
whore.”

The vulgarity of Grayson’s brief congressional career validates the axiom that there is unseemly exposure of mind as well as of body. Concerning his nonstop anger, whether real or feigned,
remember: “Anger is not an argument.” So said Sen. Daniel Webster
(1782–1852).

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Comment:

Holding a steady 7-point lead over a controversial and increasingly malodorous incumbent, Republican Daniel Webster is poised to knock out U.S. Rep.
Alan Grayson, a new Sunshine State News Poll shows. Webster, a former
state senator, leads Grayson, D-Orlando, 48-41.

"Webster has to be the favorite here. Grayson has failed to turn his negative image around, and is still viewed in a negative light by a 55-38 margin," said
Jim Lee, president of Voter Survey Service, which conducted both polls.