Bringing Out the Long Knives for Jeff Frederick
The party chairman is under fire. But the real problem isn’t
with him.
Promoted by Erick. Great state political stuff!
Lobbyist and one-time RPV director Ken Klinge’s
email calling for current RPV chairman Jeff Frederick’s head is
making the rounds…much to the glee of some.
There can be little doubt that Frederick has rubbed a lot of
folks the wrong way. That’s especially true of more establishment
Republicans who feel “their” party is being run into the ground by
an tyro. But there are others, too, who wonder if the chairman is
right for the job, for a number of reasons.
I tend to believe that squabbles over party chairmen generate
little of substance and actually fail to address the larger
problem:
Virginia Republicans have, since 2001 but with a vengeance since
2004, gone out of their way to undermine their own cause. Yes,
things have gotten better for them, at the margins at least, with
the departure of people like John Chichester. But they remain
ill-served with a leadership that has no agenda, with members who,
generally, tend to wait until January to focus on the road ahead
and an overall message that is neither coherent nor energizing
(quick…what does the GOP hope to accomplish in the next session?
One priority…just one…will do).
This intramural spat may make some feel good and it certainly
will make for delicious gossip. But until the underlying matters
are addressed, it’s just theater. And bad theater at that.
(cross-posted at
Tertium Quids)
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http://hamptonroadsgop.wordpress.com/2008/11/18/a-call-for-chairman-fredericks-resignation/
TJ
November 19th, 2008