Did Little Elian Gonzalez Help to Defeat Steve Largent?

Self | 11-07-02 | Theodore R.

[Polybius]

Now could Largent be the latest casualty of "Elian's revenge"?

Interesting. I didn't know he had taken that stance.

I'm for "father's rights" just as much as the next guy.

However, what those who framed the Elian affair solely as a "father's rights" issue never addressed was the fact that Elian's father, stepmother, little brother and Elian himself after the snatching were held by the Clinton Administration under de facto house arrest.

The only time the family was allowed outside of their guarded compouds was when they were paraded like circus animals, under guard, at meetings with Democrat politicians, Democrat operatives and non-Democrat politicians such as Largent that held the Politically Correct position on the issue or at Geogertown fundraisers for Democrat politicians.

Requests by Republican Congressmembers to be allowed to meet with the Gonzalez family, all of them at the same time, and without their guards were turned down. Steve Largent, on the other hand, allowed himself to become part of the circus, as the token Republican meeting the Gonzalez family under house arrest circumstances.

Steve Largent allowed himself to play the role of "useful idiot" in that Clinton-Castro stage production.

Being allowed to speak his mind outside of a joint Cuban and Clinton Administration Government house arrest enviornment was a "father's right" that Elian's father was never granted.

In the end, however, it is probably all for the best.

The episode enraged the Cuban American community in Florida to the point that it had an even stronger than usual Republican turnout at the 2000 Election and that was the difference that managed to squeak Florida into the the Bush column.

As a result, we now have George W. Bush as a popular Republican President and a Republican controlled Congress in these dangerous post 9/11 times.

Imagine having Al Gore in the Oval Office during thes times.

I have a hard time believing that God works in such convoluted ways. So, let's just say, not that I believe in such things either, that "Fate" sacrificed Elian for the future good of America. The little guy "took one for the team" and, with 20/20 hindsight, it's a good thing that he did.

[fieldmarshaldj]

The wrong Congressman ran for Governor, it should've been JC Watts... Perhaps he now has his future job opportunity ahead of him in '06 against Brad Henry (who surely will be a one-termer). Of course, Mary Fallin may want the job, too...

[Theodore R.]

What is the story on Mary Fallin? Isn't there some kind of personal scandal there? Didn't she defer to Largent in 2002? I think she did want to run, but Keating discouraged her, am I right?

[dfwgator]

Largent, in an interview, cussed out a reporter.

You'd think that it would have helped him, like it did when Bush and Cheney went after Clymer.

[Theodore R.]

Texans, however, resisted the Nolan Ryan ad and elected Republican lieutenant gubernatorial nominee David Dewhurst by a 4-point margin. I guess Ryan has lost his luster in TX, like the other Ryan is no anathema in IL. Now Republicans won't have the excuse that a Democrat lt. gov. is blocking Governor Perry's program. Let's hope they deliver. If not, "Miz" Ann may have to come back and run herself in 2006, if no Democrat will step forward.

[Theodore R.]

Scratch an OK Democrat, and I am afraid that you will have a closet or an open "Friend of Bill." Didn't that apply to former Congressman McCurdy, who lost the Senate race to James Inhofe in 1994? Isn't David Boren, who only narrowly defeated Inhofe for governor in 1974, also a "Friend of Bill" as well as GA Jimmy?

[Theodore R.]

who surely will be a one-termer)

Not necessarily, most OK Democrat governors win reelection: Boren and Nigh were there for a long time. Only David Walters, an open "Friend of Bill," had trouble winning again based on his personal corruption.

[Saundra Duffy]

Steve Largent was among those in Congress pushing strongest for the deportation of Elian Gonzalez to Cuba

I didn't know that! Then I'm glad he lost! Amen.

[jpl]

I really hope J.C. Watts will come out of retirement and run in four or eight years. If the wide receiver can't do it, maybe the quarterback can!

[Okies love Dubya 2]

I was upset about Henry's election too, but then my dear hubby pointed out that a Democrat in Oklahoma is usually more conservative than a New England Republican. Since we can't move just now, I guess we'll have to give the man a chance and live with it.

[Theodore R.]

The way that you characterized Steve's campaign, he sounds like he misapplied the Woodrow Wilson dictum: "I am too proud to fight!" Steve did not know that a statewide campaign even in a state favorable toward his party can be very competitive. Running for Congress from Tulsa was not challenging enough for him. Then he seemed to think it was the voters' "duty" to elect him because he has resigned from Congress to run. It was very foolish of him to leave the House a year early to plan a gubernatorial campaign and then not to really campaign with all the obvious assets he had at his disposal. Steve is still young, but he must be having an early mid-life crisis. He learned a lesson the hard way: in competitive politics, no victory is inevitable.

[deport]

You may want to look at this... lots of speculation abounding by our resident empty 1/2 glass feller.

[PhiKapMom]

What defeated Steve Largent was the Indy getting over 100,000 votes with having the cockfighting issue on this general election ballot. Elian had nothing to do with it.

Cockfighting brought out people to vote that had never voted before -- Keating made a huge mistake having it put on the general election ballot.

That said, a Freeper sent the OK Freepers a message to the effect that this may be a blessing as our State is basically out of money and now it is up to the new RAT Governor and RAT Legislature to do something. The RAT promised the farm on education with no increase in taxes.

Now we will get a lottery for education which as every other state knows will not make a big difference. With the corrupt Government we have, probably 90% of the proceeds from the lottery will go in their pocket! We already have ghost employees and graft here -- now they will have a bigger pot to play with!

OK Republicans can just sit back and see what happens. What it should do is totally overhaul the Republican Party of Oklahoma and get some energetic people into party politics! And we are rid of Keating for good!

[PhiKapMom]

I forgot to include you in my reply to the resident half empty glass guy. Elian had very little, if anything, to do with the defeat of Steve Largent.

Bad campaigns don't and should not win and Largent's falls in that category. When attacked, a candidate needs to fight back. As J.C. Watts likes to say -- a good campaign is when you start on the offensive when you start running! Largent did not do that!

Personally I wanted J.C. for my Governor since he decided not to run for Congress this time!

[deport]

Well I doubted in my mind that 'little Elian' even crossed the minds of most if not all voters in OK when they went in to make the selection... I can just see it now.... "Hey ma, what do you think about the 'little Elian' kid? Reckon ol' Steve should be put out to pasture for his stance. Yep, that's it we'll just vote for the Democrat or that indy guy and let ol' Steve suffer"...

Well you have a democrat bunch having to deal with a deficit and in Texas the GOP got the onus put on their back as to how to deal with some 5+ billion dollar expected deficit. Or that's a number I've heard bantered around.

[PhiKapMom]

I thought there was graft when I lived in TX, but it cannot hold a candle to what goes on in State Government here!

Should be interesting!