It is one thing for a comedian like Wanda Sykes to publicly wish that Rush Limbaugh’s kidneys fail (that one thing, by the way, is gratuitous nastiness without humor), and quite another for a candidate for Congress, Democrat Keith Halloran of New Hampshire, to send out a tweet to his Twitter followers expressing regret that Sarah Palin and Levi Johnston were not on board the doomed plane that crashed, killing former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens.
Halloran is auditioning to be a a national leader, and his duty is to encourage, stand for and engage in civil discourse, fair debate, and respect for the political system. Wishing death on ideological adversaries is a tactic of religious zealots, totalitarians, and over-rated snarky comics. The House already has Bob Etheridge, a Congressman who mugs citizens who annoy him; Allan Grayson, whose idea of civil discourse is to accuse members of the other party of plotting genocide; and Joe Wilson, who shouts insults at the President, to name a few of the mean-spirited and hateful members among the mere crooks and charlatans. If the productivity and collegiality in Washington, D.C. is going to improve—and it had better—we need fewer of this rude and abusive breed of representative, not more.
It’s up do you, New Hampshire.
UPDATE: 8/13/10—Halloran withdrew from the race, after initially refusing to apologize. Good.
Ethics Alarms 
I had a PM exchange with Mr. Halloran on facebook today (the day after his comment). He still defends his comment, and strikes me as a very sarcastic, sad, and immature individual. He is truly morally bankrupt.
How could he possibly defend that comment?
Jack, I honestly don’t know. But he never retracted it (actually avoided it and didn’t ever address it), was extremely sarcastic, and after labeling me a “Tea Partier” continued only to attack the Tea Party and my misspelling “Levi” as “Levy.”
It was like arguing with a 2nd grader who isn’t aware yet that there is a great big world surrounding him.
Amazing, and depressing. How can any party nominate someone like that?
I agree. Sadly, I think this is how far politics, and politicians, have sunk.
Whether your Democrat, Republican, Tea Party, Green Party, heck….even Socialist or Communist….when someone is openly wishing for the death of a political foe, something has gone far off the track 😦
That’s what is expected from a progressive liberal. They have no hearts but continue to breather and spew hate all over the place. Make sure he doesn’t make it to Congress.
Hyperbolic, but it is true that a distressingly a large number of progressives feel that they are so intrinsically compassionate and virtuous that it justifies condemning anyone who has different views as cruel and Hellbound. I think this guy is an extreme case.
~~~ God works in Mysterious ways. ~~~
I hope nothing happens to Keith or someone He cares about for saying such a horrible thing about another person who is a Mother and an American.
I will pray for this Man and ask GOD to come into His heart so He can have GOD forgive Him for being so hatful.
This guy is just an idiot and has no place in congress but is typical of the loony left