Monday, June 09, 2008
Would You Be Offended If You Lived In Canton?
The Ohio Democrats are hoping to channel George Allen’s ‘macaca’ moment in posting this YouTube video featuring Republican congressional candidate Kirk Schuring, also known as Ohio State Senator Schuring from Canton.
Here is how Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director Alex Goepfert described it in a press release sent out today in which he quoted himself.
Standing before a crowd of fellow Republicans at a “John McCain for President Rally” on Thursday, Republican congressional candidate Kirk Schuring launched into an ugly, partisan rant attacking the residents of Canton, Ohio.
“It is appalling to witness Kirk Schuring speaking with such venom and disdain toward the very individuals he is seeking to represent in Congress,” said Ohio Democratic Party Communications Director Alex Goepfert. “Kirk Schuring’s ugly, divisive, hyper-partisan comments do a terrible disservice to the residents of Canton and to all Ohioans.”
And here is a partial transcript from the June 5th event in Ashland:
“So the other thing I know is that Ashland County has a rich history and tradition of rallying around Republicans, and I was telling people earlier where I come from we could never have a rally like this in the center of Canton. If we did we might be shot at, but not in Ashland and that’s what makes you so great.”
Would this offend you if you lived in Canton? Or if similar thoughts were uttered about your town? It’s clearly meant to be a joke, but is it an offensive joke? Is it even funny? At the joke’s heart is a shade of truth, the fear of being shot in downtown Canton. If true, it’s not that funny. I’m the first to give someone a pass for an attempt at humor that goes awry, so I don’t think it’s the game-changer that the Dems would like in the race to fill an open seat in the 16th district. But it reflects poorly on Schuring’s regard for his own constituents. Praising Ashland County at the expense of Canton begs the question, what’s he saying about Ashland County when he returns home?
