Topeka — Johnson County Dist. Atty. Paul Morrison on Tuesday shook the Kansas political landscape by announcing he would switch to the Democratic Party to run against Atty. Gen. Phill Kline, a conservative Republican.
Morrison, a 25-year criminal prosecutor from the most populous county in Kansas, said he wanted to return the attorney general's office to "core missions" of safety and security.
He said he was concerned that Kline, an ardent opponent of abortion, was using the office to pursue a social-conservative agenda.
"I will uphold the law for everybody in this state, rather than pursuing a narrow agenda that serves the interest of only a few," Morrison said.
Political observers said Morrison's move spotlighted the division between moderate and conservative Republicans. The GOP remains philosophically split over issues such as abortion and school funding.
"This reflects the moderate Republican frustration with social conservatives and Phill Kline is emblematic of that," Bob Beatty, a political science professor at Washburn University, said.
If Morrison remained a Republican, he couldn't have defeated Kline in the GOP primary because the primary draws more conservative voters than moderates, said former state Sen. David Adkins, a Republican who lost to Kline in the 2002 primary.
Johnson County Dist. Atty. Paul Morrison announces his plan to run for Kansas state attorney general as a Democrat. He made his announcement Tuesday outside the Johnson County Courthouse in Olathe with his family behind him.
So, Morrison joined the Democrats. Of Kansas' 1.6 million registered voters, 46 percent are registered Republican, 26.8 percent Democrat and 26.3 percent unaffiliated. The remainder is made up of various minor parties.
Adkins predicted Morrison would still face the political fight of his life if he ends up meeting Kline in the November 2006 general election.
"No one should underestimate Phill Kline in a general election. He is the most articulate elected official in Kansas today. He appeals to his base with a passion and fervor only reserved for him," Adkins said.
Kline has said he will seek a second term; no other Democrats have announced their intention to run.
Republican offensive
In 2004, Morrison was named the state's "Prosecutor of the Year" by the Kansas County and District Attorney's Assn. He said he has tried more than 100 jury trials, including the successful prosecutions of serial killers John Robinson and Richard Grissom.
Morrison said he was concerned over Kline's pursuit of medical records from abortion clinics in what Kline has said is an investigation into allegations of child rape and illegal late-term abortions. The clinics have denied any wrongdoing and have accused Kline of trying to frighten women seeking abortions.
Morrison said he supports abortion rights.
Phill Kline
Age: 45
Family: Married, Deborah, one child
Education: Undergraduate degree in public relations and political science, Central Missouri State University; law degree from Kansas University.
Experience: Kansas House of Representatives, 1992-2000. Failed candidate for U.S. House in 2000.
Paul Morrison
Age: 51
Family: Married, Joyce, three children
Education: Undergraduate degree in criminal justice at Washburn University; law degree from Washburn.
Experience: Assistant district attorney, 1980-88; district attorney, 1989 to present.
"As attorney general, I'll insist we get that office back to the basics: safety, security and the kind of independent approach Kansans ought to be able to expect from the state's chief law enforcement officer," Morrison said.
Republicans responded quickly to Morrison's announcement.
GOP Party Chairman Tim Shallenburger said Morrison "pulled a Benedict Arnold" and he tried to link Morrison's support in 2000 of a criminal justice bill to the release of Reginald and Jonathan Carr, two brothers who later were convicted of a killing rampage in Wichita that left five dead.
Kline also issued a statement referring to Morrison's "efforts to let violent criminals back on the streets early" and a conservative state legislator, Rep. Peggy Long Mast of Emporia, quizzed Morrison about the legislation during a news conference.
But Morrison and Democrats countered that the bill had nothing to do with the release of inmates.
"For Phill Kline and Tim Shallenburger to spread outrageous lies about him is pathetic," Mike Gaughan, executive director of the Kansas Democratic Party, said.
Adkins, who had been a sponsor of the bill when he was in the Legislature, said Shallenburger and Kline should back off that contention.
"They came out swinging," Adkins said. "It's just a smear. It probably runs Kline the risk of alienating prosecutors when you bad-mouth one of the best prosecutors in the state," he said.
Worked for Moore
Meanwhile, Kansas Democratic Party Chairman Larry Gates welcomed Morrison to the fold.
"As Democrats, we admire Paul's independent approach to leadership, his dedication to public safety and public service, and his clear vision of what an effective attorney general ought to be," Gates said in a written statement.
U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, a Democrat whose district includes eastern Lawrence, said Morrison "will make an outstanding attorney general."
Morrison worked as an assistant prosecutor under then-Johnson County Dist. Atty. Moore in the 1980s.
In 2002, Kline defeated then-Geary County Atty. Chris Biggs, a relative unknown in statewide politics, by fewer than 4,300 votes out of more than 821,000 cast. In Douglas County, Biggs bested Kline 18,937 votes to 11,664.
Comments
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merrill (anonymous) says…
Moderates must learn that a primary election is equally important as a general election. It is at this juncture where the choices are made for ballot choices. History shows that high voter turn out puts far moderates in office be they republican or democrat.
Paul Morrison is excellent news. I would have registered as a republican to vote against Kline.
coldandhot (anonymous) says…
What a surprise...Merrill supports another liberal. Merrill doesn't look at the person...only the party. Kline will win hands down.
cait48 (anonymous) says…
If people were to TRULY look at Kline as a person rather then an ideologue then Morrison will win hands down.
John1945 (anonymous) says…
Probably get me censored again, but it seems to me that liberals will do just about anything to continue the slaughter of the unborn. What a pathetic day for America when slaughtering unborn babies is the height of the liberal political agenda. No wonder we're such a sick society.
Horace (anonymous) says…
Morrison is a great DA. He let me walk with diversion on a 6 count felony indictment.
bankboy119 (anonymous) says…
True John, very true. Amazingly enough the general public doesn't elect a majority of liberals because of their extreme agenda.
Thank God for Bush.
Haha I bet that will get some people up in arms.
erichaar (anonymous) says…
Phill Kline is an outstanding individual. As a friend, he's honest, caring and open. As an attorney general he holds no priority higher than that of protecting our state's most vulnerable. And as a candidate for public office, he's brilliant.
There's a reason why Phill Kline is attorney general; he is the absolute best man for the job.
John1945 (anonymous) says…
This is a sick society when a man like Morrison will campaign against another candidate's record of protecting children from child molesters and child rapists and expect to win. It's even sicker when our media oppressors will support him in that endeavor. Liberalism has made this such a diseased and filthy society.
I could complain about the filth they pour into our schools, but if I used the language they put in front of our children in the Blue Valley School District it would get me pulled off this forum.
If you wanted to talk about what homosexuality was really about, that would get you pulled off, and heaven forbid you'd ever utter anything about killing babies. Why that's too extreme and it hurts our little libs sensitivity to describe what their agenda is really about and the tragic consequences it has for our society.
When a country supports behavior that it won't allow people to talk about, something's gravely wrong.
"Liberalism" isn't an ideology, it's a virus that infects every institution it controls from our tyrannical courts to the perverted curriculum of the government schools.
John1945 (anonymous) says…
Good morning, Wendt. And why would this be a week of contrition?
Jamesaust (anonymous) says…
No doubt, we'll see the same Rove-like attempts to smear Morrison as we saw in the 2000 GOP primary cycle employed against John McCain.
The AG's office is not an appropriate place for an ideologue. There are only so many hours in the day. The AG's budget and resources are only so large. Time spent tilting at windmills is time spent not fulfilling the core duties of the position. In short, less "values" and more value.
Where was Phill when George W. was thinking of nominating the White House cleaning lady to the Supreme Court? Its sad to think that if, instead of developing a 'personal relationship with Christ,' Kline had focused on developing a personal relationship with Bush, HE might be the Court nominee. Would that I could get the Radical pundits on the record excoriating Kline for "unqualified" credentials!
John1945 (anonymous) says…
So protecting children is beyond the pale, huh? And it's more important to pursue an earthly career than an eternal life?
Thank you once again for stating both the callousness and shallowness of the liberal agenda.
bankboy119 (anonymous) says…
Wouldn't developing a personal relationship with Christ supercede the Bush relationship....
John1945 (anonymous) says…
My political participation, as is yours, is grounded on ideas, not people. The fact that some bureaucrat or elected official does something stupid doesn't affect me one way or another.
You didn't give up medicine, or hang your head low, because of the incompetence of a few doctors at the Dead Center, did you?
flange (anonymous) says…
'"Liberalism" isn't an ideology, it's a virus that infects every institution it controls from our tyrannical courts to the perverted curriculum of the government schools.'
I don't support extreme liberalism, but I do find it interesting that I often have nearly this same thought, in reference to organized religion.
John1945 (anonymous) says…
The Pitch just did an excellent series on violence in the inner city and also a good story on the stadium fiasco.
It says much when our alternative to journalism is a constant embarassment to the establishment controlled press (The Star, not the JW) because it produces a higher quality product.
John1945 (anonymous) says…
Posted by flange (anonymous) on October 26, 2005 at 11:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
'"Liberalism" isn't an ideology, it's a virus that infects every institution it controls from our tyrannical courts to the perverted curriculum of the government schools.'
I don't support extreme liberalism, but I do find it interesting that I often have nearly this same thought, in reference to organized religion.
------------------------------
And you're welcome to do so. That's what America is about, not the politically correct totalitarian wet dream that liberalism wants to change it to.
spikey_mcmarbles (anonymous) says…
I think it's funny that people get so hung up on titles like liberal and conservative, republician and democrat. Dirty liberals, damned conservatives, damned republicans, dirty democrats, etc etc etc.
Partisian politics is what's killing america; not abortion, not tax breaks, not the war in iraq, or gay marriage. People get so hung up that a senator is a republican or democrat that they vote not against the man but against his political affiliation.
You can thank a liberal for overtime after 40 hours, social security, medicare, and medicade. You can thank a conservative for ending the cold war, tax breaks for the middle class, and school vouchers.
People are the same the world over, and 99.9% of them can agree on 99.9% of the issues. Everyone wants clean water, food, and air. Everyone wants a job, reasonably priced housing, and reasonably priced medical care. Everyone wants to send their kids to school, and to live a life free of crime. It's that .1% of the issues that we disagree over, and the media seeks to magnify these differences, and get people stirred up.
Yes, if you look hard enough, you can find fault with anything. Stop being so hung up on the minor issues and focus on the major problems like pollution, unemployment, and skyrocketing medical costs. Once we get the big things out of the way, you'll see how much you enjoy life, and you'll see that you've forgotten about that .1% that you've been tripping over.
hottruckinmama (anonymous) says…
while we are on this subject i wish someone would answer one question for me. i still hear everyone so glad that the repulicans are in power but for the life of me i cannot think of one damn thing that they have done to help anyone other than the rich people.i cannot think of one good thing he has done for the common working people other than make life harder for them.
John1945 (anonymous) says…
Post 60s liberalism is an entirely different animal than the liberalism that stood up for worker rights during the 50s. Back then both parties agreed that America was a wonderful country and agreed with the principles that it stood for, valuing human life amongst them. The differences were basically different pathways to implement the same goals.
Post 60's liberalism was born in the hate-America campaigns of the radical socialist tradition. However, that quickly went by the wayside, and there really isn't a left left in this country because the radical feminist movement and the radical homosexual lobby hijacked the Democrat Party and neither of them give a damn about the working class.
We no longer agree on the goals for this country, much less the pathways. I have no problem respecting another's program for making the country better, but I am not going to sit back while people who hate this country destroy its culture, savage its children and defile its constitution and democratic institutions.
senegal66025 (anonymous) says…
Which rich people did the Republicans help? Kennedy, Kerry, Rockefeller, ect. There are more rich millionaire Demorcats in the Senate than Republican. There is no such thing today as a"party of the working man." There is just tweedle dee and tweedle dumb and as George Wallace used to say, and the only thing he said that I agree with, there is not a dimes worth of difference between them.
ModerateOne (anonymous) says…
erichaar wrote: "Phill Kline is an outstanding individual. As a friend, he's honest, caring and open. As an attorney general he holds no priority higher than that of protecting our state's most vulnerable. And as a candidate for public office, he's brilliant."
Everyone should note that even Eric, who appears to be a staunch supporter of Kline, acknowledges that his man is a brilliant "candidate" but not a brilliant "attorney." I agree. The problem is that our state's "highest ranking" attorney should be a brilliant attorney, not just a great politician.
Folks, there's a reason Kline was a radio announcer and not a practicing attorney before he became AG. There's a reason Bush considered and then rejected Kline as unfit to be appointed to the spot of U.S. Attorney for Kansas.
Eric, I disagree that Kline's highest priority is to protect children. His highest priority is to grandstand and get elected to higher office. Please ask your "friend" to quit grandstanding, hire someone smart enough to do his job for him, and stay out of the way until a real attorney gets elected. Kline would be a serviceable legislator but he is a disastrous AG.
jmckean (anonymous) says…
Hey anybody remember when Kline was trying to ban certain books from our schools? dump kline!
John1945 (anonymous) says…
Posted by jmckean (anonymous) on October 26, 2005 at 12:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey anybody remember when Kline was trying to ban certain books from our schools? dump kline!
-------------------------------------
Kline never tried to ban any books from schools. It's one thing to oppose someone, but at least let the space ship land before you start throwing nonsense like that around.
John1945 (anonymous) says…
According to Morrison during the time he told the people of Johnson COunty that he was a Republican so they would elect him to office, he was actually talking to Kathleen about running as a Democrat against the state's top Republican attorney. Is that the kind of ethics we can expect from now on from Mr. Morrison?
I truly believe that this man deceived the people of Johnson County. He knew that he wouldn't win as a Democrat and so he withheld the truth from them. In my business errors of ommission are as bad as errors of commission and he should resign from office.
I'm so sick of these deceitful lib lawyers. Are any of them honest?
erichaar (anonymous) says…
Attorney General Phill Kline's principled stand on issues critical to effective law enforcement has certainly angered many on our state's Left, including Wichita's notorious late-term abortionist Dr. George Tiller as well as the ACLU-- who are, believe it or not, staunch defenders of the North American Man Boy Love Association (nambla). Yes kids, it is disgusting.
In fact, these denizens of extremism are so displeased with General Kline's effectiveness as Attorney General that they are determined to unfairly smear Phill Kline and his past. Simply read some of the above drivel and you will quickly see how strong a leader and how electable a candidate they perceive General Kline to be; otherwise, their words wouldn't reflect such a boiling hatred, nor a palatable fear.
Densmore (anonymous) says…
From Erichaar:
"In fact, these denizens of extremism are so displeased with General Kline's effectiveness as Attorney General that they are determined to unfairly smear Phill Kline and his past. Simply read some of the above drivel and you will quickly see how strong a leader and how electable a candidate they perceive General Kline to be; otherwise, their words wouldn't reflect such a boiling hatred, nor a palatable fear."
That's a hot one. How about a little editing? It reads better as follows:
In fact, these denizens of extremism are so displeased with Paul Morrison's effectiveness as JoCo District Attorney that they are determined to unfairly smear Paul Morrison and his past. Simply read some of the above drivel and you will quickly see how strong a leader and how electable a candidate they perceive Paul Morrison to be; otherwise, their words wouldn't reflect such a boiling hatred, nor a palatable fear.
Good job, erichaar. See what can be accomplished with a little help from your friends?
westernksgirl (anonymous) says…
Densmore: With faulty reasoning and irrational arguments, I seriously doubt you are a "friend" to Eric Haar. Now, do I think that Paul would be a bad A.G. Nope. I don't. However, there is more to being the AG than prosecuting, which, is the area of law that his a "lawyer" in. I don't give a rip whether or not someone is Democrat, Republican or Libertarian. What concerns me most is their personal character and their ability to do their job. No one has stated how Phill has "failed" as an AG. So waht if he didn't pay $100 to keep his law license current? It's not like he was sanctioned for being unethical and lost his license because it was taken away by his bad behavior. Furthermore, he didn't get U.S. Atty job. Once again, who cares? What matters is, the job he has now and his outstanding ability to do the same. Additionally, with Phill, there was no hidden agenda, he has never strayed from what he has stated day one was his agenda. I may not always agree 100% with his methods, but, I do know that whatever he does, he is guided by a moral compass that is seriously lacking in a majority of politicians.
John1945 (anonymous) says…
Don't get me wrong. I applaud Morrison for switching to the party that most reflects his political stance. I wish John Vratil and David Adkins and Bill Graves and many of that ilk would also do so.
Where i object is that he hid behind the mantle of being a Republican as long as it suited his purposes and now he's doing the same with the Democrat mantle. I don't think he's any more sincere about being a Democrat than he was a Republican. I think he's the kind of sleazy opportunist we both hate.
westernksgirl (anonymous) says…
wendt:
You have no idea what I do, or, how many licenses that I hold. But, that is why, I know, that while it isn't advisable to let a law license lapse, it is not the same as having the same thing yanked by Stan Hazlett or Frank Diehl. Give you any clue now? At least when you let it lapse, you pay a fine, get it back. Unlike, say, Mr. Jim Rumsey, who was, I think a democrat candidate for DG County D.A. many moons ago, who had his license taken away for a year.
You talk about it being difficult to obtain a law license, how many times did you have to take the bar . .or, pass the Professional Responsibility portion of the test?
Densmore (anonymous) says…
Wstrnksgirl:
How has AG Kline failed? He has used his office as the chief law enforcement officer in KS to push a political agenda and to grandstand. Important business is left undone while he spends his time trying to intimidate poor desperate women and furthering the interests of the anti-education, anti-tax mob. He is an ideologue and, as they say in sports, a hot dog. He is a crusader, playing "I love me" on his big fat trombone, not an officer of the court. Vern Miller had more on the ball than this guy.
Anyway, I'm done with this. Phill Kline will be history soon enough.
westernksgirl (anonymous) says…
Wendt:
You are correct in the fact that Kline's religious orientation is important to me. But, to say he does not uphold the constitutuion, is, unfortunately a matter of interpretation it appears. Strict constructionalism v. Activism. Whatever. What the point of my statement was, that unlike a lot of people milling around the Capital, Phill has never lied about what his intentions were, nor, the "driving force" in his life. You may not like what Phill does, or how he does it, but, he has never pretended to be anything than he isn't.
There are a lot of outrages that can not be corrected. But, to attack me personally as someone that does not know how hard it is to get a law license, was irresponsible. I know how hard it is, and it is exaclty why, I will not move to another state unless I win the lottery and don't need to work anymore or, there is reciprocity for lawyers. Period. That is also, why I said that when Phill didn't renew his license, it WAS a matter of a fine . .as he had already gone through law school and passed the bar at that time. He had his law license, he let it LAPSE (not lose it), and he paid the money and got it back. However, that fact was the "minor" part of my post that you were fixated on. I didn't attack you or your views, but, that is how you chose to deal with my statements regarding Phill (heck, I wasn't even criticizing Morrison!) I was mearly adding my view. And with that, I need to get back to work.
westernksgirl (anonymous) says…
P.S. I read your link, Wendt, and while I think that the way the Trents were treated, especially Mrs. Trent, is abhorrent, that your outrage is more accurately directed at Carla Stovall, and not Phill. It appears as if the statute of limitations have run on any kind of lawsuit against KU Med. I agree, it is outrageous, but, it wasn't Kline's office at that time.
and, to Densmore:
WTH? Once again, you give really broad, generally sweeping statements . .without giving any specific examples of how other areas are "neglected" and exactly how poor desperate women are intimidated. It's not just poor women who get abortions (if so, I would suspect that our medicaid, medicare, SRS and ECKAN groups would be needing less money); and, it further appears, that Phill is trying to stop them from their perceived NEED to get an abortion by getting predators in jail before they get other women/girls pregnant. Fact of the matter is: every politician is an idealogue. It just so happens, your ideas are not on the same page as Kline's.
senegal66025 (anonymous) says…
Do your own research. It is a fact that there are more millionaire Democrat senators than Republican. The working class Demos are the dopes here. The vote for the millionaires.
Densmore (anonymous) says…
Well, I wanted to get off of this, but I must first thank you Arminius for providing the link to the Phill site. This provides persuasive evidence in support of my assertion that Phill Kline is a grandstanding hot dog. Wish that I had thought to provide the link.
By the way, are you the same guy that, when pressed for evidence in support of your views, provides links to your own writings? You are a riot!
Jamesaust (anonymous) says…
Of course Phill Kline has failed as AG!
Just last week, Kline failed so miserably at his duty to defend the State of Kansas in court that a statute passed by the Legislature was overturned unanimously.
Kline, leading up to the Court's decision, told lies, half-truths, and misleading statements (to be fair, its not always clear if Kline just is ignorant about some things or knows but lies about them) in interviews with all manner of radical, agenda-seeking supporters of his. After painting a picture of oncoming armegeddon beforehand, after leaving the woodshed, he announced that he wasn't going to appeal.
It's not the first time he's lost in court, the most notable example was the setting aside of the State's capital punishment statute.
Perhaps he was too busy letting off the hook child rapists who didn't arrange to abort their progeny. Perhaps he's too busy suing the executive branch for participating in Medicaid. Perhaps he was too busy advising a select board of education cabal in secret how to get around the law. Perhaps he was too busy thinking up bogus constitutional theories in furtherance of legislators thumbing their noses at the courts. Perhaps he was too busy previewing the lyrics from librarys' records. Perhaps his marijuana-smoking, nephew/chauffeur just took a wrong turn and got lost. Perhaps he's just dazed from trying to come up with a theory that would allow him a search warrant for everyone and every place in Kansas. Perhaps he's unable to refocus after sitting in on university sex-ed classes.
The AG's time is spent largely prosecuting/defending cases in court, and in giving public advisory opinions to various offices and localities. Kline's grossly inadequate legal acumen handicaps him at every stage. His insistence on excessively politicizing the office sinks an already leaky rowboat. Indeed, given the amount of time he spends nosing into matters that are not his concern, thinking up bizarre legal theories, and suing other parts of the government, its a wonder Kline has any time left for his day job as AG.
Densmore (anonymous) says…
From Arminius:
"Densmore:
My guess is that most liberal airheads (but I'm being redundant)..."
and this gem:
"...they, like you, took the coward's way out and attacked the messenger instead."
Nice. Are you the pot or the kettle?
Densmore (anonymous) says…
Forget my last question, Arminius. You are both the pot and the kettle.
Ceallach (anonymous) says…
My goodness!! You boys are playing too rough for me. Think I'll mosey back to the OTS board :-\
Jamesaust (anonymous) says…
LOL I've been called many things over the years but (honestly) this is the first time I've ever been called a "liberal." Amazing company though -- just as in the Harriet Miers context -- those "liberals" insisting on qualifications in our public officials now range to George Will, David Frum, and even Ann Coulter.
I don't care if Kline calls me up and asks me how to plan his day. He's just an ideological hack. [Mental exercise: name one Radical in this State who wouldn't immediately discover a competency problem with Kline should he announce tomorrow morning that he's had an epiphamy ("on the road to Damascus" so to speak) and henceforth supports abortion rights. Hmmm....there must be one.]
Is Kline the most qualified person in Kansas to be AG? Ooops...won't ask that - we all know the answer there. Is Kline the most qualified conservative Republican to be AG? Sheesh....he's not even in the top one hundred. Kansas is filled with conservative attorneys with actual experience.
Let's be quite clear about rape cases. Despite Phill's later-day catch up, he has now spent a year engaged in a holy war against abortion providers in this State using under-age girls as his invitation. He has attempted this in perhaps the single most un-conservative manner conceivable: via a virtually limitless search warrant. ("Your honor, if I can search every house in Wichita, I'm guaranteed to find evidence of some crime."), demonstating an incomprehension of the Fifth Amendment (hereafter known as the anti-Kline amendment).
Up until last week, Kline's office did nothing to seek out and investigate the fathers of those children born to underage girls. (In Rove-speak, Kline facilitated child rape - but that's Karl Rove's spin, not mine.) After month's of excoriation - some from our own Supreme Court Justices - Kline has (grudingly) expanded his focus, however slightly, away from the abortion providers. Of course, one thing you'll never see is Kline asking the Legislature for authority to prosecute the parents of these child parents for child endangerment and neglect!
No, for some lickboots, as long as Kline keeps up the abortion pressure, keeps the gays in their place, and overall works to keep Kansas a low-tax, low-education state where Paris Hilton heiresses inherit their estates tax free and monkeys run the board of education, they'll keep on lickin'.
tashtego (anonymous) says…
Will someone please post the website for Morrisson so I can send him some money?
Thanks.
John1945 (anonymous) says…
It's late in the day for this discussion, but it seems to me that the question as to whether you two are passionate about your beliefs is beyond question.
In the case involving Bill, the Dead Center's reputation, or lack thereof, has been well established before and after Bill's incident there. (I would point out that some of their problems stem from some overly zealous, politically correct hiring practices, cronyism, ala Adkins, and incompetent leadership, but that's another issue.) And it is indeed, a standard practice to trash the whistleblower's reputation.
Political beliefs aside, were I in the hospital I would be comforted knowing there was someone with Bill's integrity on the medical team operating on me.
Now, please feel free to continue the debate on the issues. Thank you.
John1945 (anonymous) says…
Personal character is not an answer to an argument. I can't even remember what the debate is about anymore.
Both of you are bright enough (obvious character flaws and all aside) to avoid the kind of silliness that seems to be the hallmark of so many of the more immature minds on here. What ever his other flaws, Bill is not an idiot and niether are you, it's one thing to pander to morons, but you two are both better than that.
This could be a real cafe society where debates, real debates, could exist. The 10-12 inches above this from either of you do nothing to achieve that. Thank you for letting me interject my 2 cents.