"Let The Air Out Of Their Tires"
VA Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe criticized the GOP's nominee, Bob McDonnell, for allowing Mike Huckabee, in state stumping for him this week, to suggest that the party faithful should block voters from going to the polls if they're not supporting the Republican contender.
"There are no jokes around denying peole the right to vote in this country," McAuliffe said on a call with reporters. "It's no laughing matter. It's no joking matter."
Campaigning in Tazewell County Monday for McDonnell, Huckabee told suggested that the Republican's backers have two jobs.
"One, get all those people who are going to vote for Bob out to the polls and vote," Huckabee said (video above). "If they're not going to vote for Bob, you have another job. Let the air out of their tires, and do not let them out of their driveway on Election Day. Keep 'em home. Do the Lord's work, my friend. I'm giving you an opportunity...yes, do the right thing."
The remark seemed to prompt laughter in the audience, but McAuliffe, one of three Democrats vying for the party's nomination, seized the opportunity to paint McDonnell as a serial opponent of laws to make voting easier. McAuliffe noted that, as a member of the Virginia House, McDonnell voted against a Motor Voter law. And McAuliffe, the former Democratic National Committee chairman, said McDonnell "stood by silently" when the House opposed proposals by Gov. Tim Kaine (D) to expand early voting and offer no excuse absentee voting.
"People fought and died for the right to vote in this country," McAuliffe said. "It's a fundamental right."
He said Huckabee's remarks could not be misunderstood. "There's no way to interpret this kind of language other than trying to suppress the vote," McAuliffe said. "I think it's time that Bob McDonnell stopped being silent on this issue."
McDonnell spokesman Tucker Martin said Huckabee, the 2008 GOP presidential candidate and former Arkansas governor, was teasing.
"Virginians are losing their jobs, unemployment is at its highest point in 17 years, and Chairman McAuliffe spends his afternoon feigning outrage over a lighthearted political joke by somebody not even from Virginia?" Martin said. "Demonstrates a complete lack of perspective and seriousness. Chairman McAuliffe clearly has no clue what Virginians are going through, and how tough times are. Bob McDonnell does. That's why Bob is talking about jobs and opportunity, and not wasting voters time with political stunts."
McDonnell recently resigned as state attorney general to focus on his bid for governor.
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
Oh, come on. It's a JOKE.
Huckabee isn't a guy who would squash voter rights.
We've lost money, jobs, and in some ways independence. What will we do if we can't make jokes and laugh?
Get the joke, McAuliffe! I think you could use a good laugh.
Except that talking about giving people flat tires and calling it the "Lord's work" isn't funny unless you have a sick sense of humor.
And that's the point.