I owe an apology to Congressman Joe Wilson. On this very site, I impugned his intelligence by, among other things, suggesting that in a deck of Republican playing cards, he would be the Jack of Ass. Now it appears that the man I cast as a simpleton is, in fact, an evil genius.
While the connection is still tenuous, many in South Carolina political circles place the diminutive congressman, who is most famous for heckling more powerful men from the shadows, behind the effort to insert Republican-backed candidates into Democratic primaries in South Carolina.
One of these candidates, Alvin Greene, actually won his race to be the Democratic nominee against Republican loony tune Senator Jim DeMint. Bravo, Joe Wilson! This is campaign chicanery of the highest level. The unqualified and uncomfortable Greene now ensures that DeMint -- a man so unstable that United States Senator is the only job he is still able to perform -- will be reelected and, upon the retirement of fellow Republican Jim Bunning, rise to the chairmanship of the Senate's Crazy as Bat Shit Caucus. (Although Joe Lieberman also has supporters for the post).
Not that Senator DeMint was in danger of losing anyway (especially now that we see that the Democratic establishment candidate wasn't even able to beat Alvin Greene!) but now he doesn't even need to run a campaign. Instead, he can spend his time and money helping prospective members of the CBSC, Rand Paul and Sharon Angle.
The true genius of the alleged Wilson scheme was it's boldness. Never before had the tried and true Republican strategy of "let's hope the voters are stupid" worked on Democrats. Experts had always thought Democrats were too intelligent. But, once again, Joe Wilson has defied expectations -- just like when he told us he was against government-run health care at the same time he was enjoying the benefits of government-run health care for he and his family.
Well, when I see excellence, I call it out, so, Addison Graves (Joe) Wilson, you are indeed an excellent South Carolina-style politician.
And while we may never know the complete truth, when I hear your smirking denial of any involvement by you or your associates in this, my instinct is to quote the great Palmetto State orator, Congressman Joe Wilson: "You lie!"