Oh, wow. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard thinks that the Democratic party thinks that she’s people: “Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, a vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, said she was disinvited from the first Democratic presidential primary debate in Nevada after she appeared on television and called for more face-offs.” At least, that’s the only reason that I can think of for her being upset at the way the DNC chastised her for speaking out of turn. Hasn’t anybody explained the rules to Rep. Gabbard yet?
Then again, possibly they have not. Rep. Gabbard comes from a cozy little one-party-state matrix where the trick for a Democrat is usually to actually get elected in the first place. It’s all very genially feudal over there; and none of the Democrats on the mainland seem particularly interested in jinxing the system, so it gets to continue on its merry way. But the price of such forbearance? …Well, Hawaiian Democrats must not interfere too strongly in the workings of their mainland colleagues. Particularly minority ones. They’re strictly there on the stage to serve as, ah, local color; and the sooner that they accept their place, the happier everyone is going to be.
And if one of them gets out of line? Well, removal of access is a powerful thing, is it not? And making a vice chairwoman stay home on Tuesday reinforces the lesson mightily, methinks.
Via @NoahCRothman.
Moe Lane (crosspost)
PS: Rep. Gabbard once had some pretensions towards being a moderate; but the national Democratic party made sure that she was broken on that wheel years ago. So shed no tears. The Congresswoman made her choice.
PPS: I’m sorry, but this quote from Rep. Gabbard (from the same article) really says it all: “When I signed up to be vice chair of the D.N.C., no one told me I would be relinquishing my freedom of speech and checking it at the door.” …really? Nobody explained reality to this woman? They didn’t even have the common courtesy to have someone meet her for a quiet lunch in order to gently mention, Oh, by the way: you are a trained seal now, and we expect you to bark on command? The woman is a Democrat! Surely she should have gathered by now that there is no room for public disagreement in her caucus*.
*Many people would like to argue that there’s no room for public disagreement in the Republican caucus, too. Admittedly right now those people would have to raise their voices in order to be heard, given that the Republican caucus is busy blowing up the House leadership election process in a very loud, and very public, manner. But, hey: one grows to love one’s narrative.
… what’s she going to do, change parties?
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Mew
You mean reward her by not forcing her to sit through that crapfest…?
I’m curious to see if Webb makes his move, our continues to play dead.
Not curious enough to actually watch, mind you. But I’m kind of hoping he goes loose cannon.
The best thing about the world we live in is that you can find out the next day and not have to sit through it all!
If Webb becomes their Huntsman/Kasich I’ll watch the highlights.
That being said, I’m pretty sure Webb’s entire Senate career and campaign revolved around pandering to NOVA Democrats. So he’ll probably just play dead.
It is called the “party line” for a darn good reason.