Jackson Free Press

In a story headlined In Mississippi, Democrat Runs in G.O.P. Lane, reporter Adam Nossiter explores John Eaves' run to Haley Barbour's right on social and religious issues:

Already, this most unorthodox of Democratic campaigns — a strange contortion of swings from the far right, aimed from the left — is attracting attention, some grass-roots support in a Deep South state with a history of hardshell populism, and enough last-minute scorn from Mr. Barbour that Eaves workers are gleeful merely at having forced the powerful incumbent on the attack.

Previous Comments

ID

115071

Comment

And notice who took the page 1 photo—our own Kate Medley. OK, she's not ours, but you know what I mean. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-10T12:17:45-06:00

ID

115072

Comment

It is remarkable to watch how well Eaves has forced Barbour to go on the defensive. Win or lose, that is something with this usually unflappable political machine. Of course, he's not used to his shady record being questioned in Mississippi—so in any many ways, Barbour is his own worst enemy. When people start noticing, that is.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-10T12:21:44-06:00

ID

115073

Comment

I read the article, and I see that people really have taken notice of Eaves' campaign strategy. I mean, the guy with AFA had something to say.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2007-10-10T12:41:16-06:00

ID

115074

Comment

"At Pap’s Place, a diner on Main Street in Ackerman, the Bible was open under the Elvis albums and the Ten Commandments were on an engraved plaque in the window. 'John Arthur sounds pretty good. He’s going to cut the sales tax and put prayer back in schools,' said Charles Salley, behind the cash register, as Mr. Eaves’s bus pulled out of town. 'Put the Good Lord back in everything. That’s a priority,' Mr. Salley said." (Jesus, Take The Wheel!) Which is as close to unvarnished mockery as the New York Times will come, in a straight news article anyway. Oh, and look what's on TV as we speak: a Jamie Franks ad in which he reminds us how much he hates the thought of homos getting married. And shows off his guns. In a church. To say the least, this is awkward election for true-blue lefties. Can superstitious pandering and gay bashing ever really be the lesser of two evils? Should you ever just refuse to take a side on principal?

Author

laughter

Date

2007-10-10T21:46:19-06:00

ID

115075

Comment

law talkin guy,please read adam lynch's story this week on medicaid/SCHIP.eaves is running to help poor people.barbour is actively working to screw people who need health care.we all need to take a pass on the gun/gay stuff.,as the democratic nominees need to innoculate themselves on these issues in order to talk to mississipi's rural white working class on bread and butter issues.barbour's positions on guns and gay marriage are the same as eaves and these issues are pretty much decided.i know both these guys and i do not believe them to be homophobes and i believe it is unfair to refer to them as "the lesser of two evils".

Author

chimneyville

Date

2007-10-11T04:09:33-06:00

ID

115076

Comment

Holy cow! Kate Medley's got a page one NY Times photo??? Oh yeah! That's something else. What a huge resume builder that must be. Congrats, Kate.

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-10-11T07:26:07-06:00

ID

115077

Comment

It's not her first, Izzy. ;-)

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-11T08:01:35-06:00

ID

115078

Comment

we all need to take a pass on the gun/gay stuff.,as the democratic nominees need to innoculate themselves on these issues in order to talk to mississipi's rural white working class on bread and butter issues. You are saying that in order to reach those voters on "bread and butter issues" that Democrats need to establish commonality by bashing and dehumanizing gays? That is an outrageous statement. If that isn't what you are saying then please clarify. And please define what you mean by "take a pass". Let us make no mistake about it, John Artrhur Eaves and Jamie Franks are campaigning in our state by trading on hate for gays. You can find in their campaign lit, in their recorded stump speeches and in their TV commercials. It is right there out in the open. There can be no quibble as to what is going on and what they are doing. Those may be your kind of Democrats, they sure as Haiti aren't mine.

Author

GeoRoss

Date

2007-10-11T08:24:32-06:00

ID

115079

Comment

Hear Hear Geo! Personally, I am tired of hearing them play the gay card myself. It was reported on Sunday by the Clarion Ledger (Bless their heart) that Equality Mississippi contacted JAE and JF about their stance on homosexuality. Groups says Dems 'play the gay card' It is this very reason that I am (who am a staunch democrat) having a hard time with our Democrat nominees. Aside from all the other crap the two of them are spewing like prayer in school, etc.

Author

Puck

Date

2007-10-11T08:44:38-06:00

ID

115080

Comment

Well, one wonders if "Equality" Mississippi bothered to complain about the candidates' immigration rhetoric while they were at it. Or perhaps they filed a request for babies of "foreign" descent born in Mississippi to be shipped out. I, too, am sick of the gay card. I'm sick of the immigration card. I'm sick of the flag card. I'm sick of people hawking hate to get votes.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-11T08:56:07-06:00

ID

115081

Comment

Amen Sister.

Author

Puck

Date

2007-10-11T09:19:31-06:00