From KSL comes a headline raising the most asked question that Democrats ask about Jim Matheson … WTF?
Matheson still not ready to choose a presidential candidate
Aside from the fact that a higher percentage of Utah Democrats voted for Obama than, I believe, any other state, Jim Matheson is apparently still trying to find a way to give his delegate vote to John McCain.
This week’s developments may make the Democratic nominee seem obvious to most people, but some superdelegates, including Utah Rep. Jim Matheson, are still officially uncommitted.
In the political world, protocol means a lot, and today Matheson’s spokesman said the congressman isn’t going to rush his announcement and he doesn’t have to.
At this year’s state Democratic convention, Matheson gave a talk big on party unity. “I’m gonna run harder than I have ever done! I’m gonna raise the money! I’m gonna work for votes!” he said.
Today, Matheson’s spokesman says it is in the interest of party unity that’s keeping this superdelegate mum on his pick for president, even now.
So … WTF? After watching Jim’s juggling act in 2006 with the Pelosi question (praising her to Democrats and castigating her with the press, the public, other Blue Dogs) you’d think that having avoided having to openly support Hillary for President would make him happy to give support to Obama, but, no, Jim doesn’t have to. Neener, neener. Jim’s different.
And. of course, State Party Chair Wayne Holland does yet another song and dance for Matheson:
In addition, Utah Democratic Party Chair Wayne Holland says there is protocol for a person in Congress to follow. “They’re definitely going to give more respect and time to Senator [Hillary] Clinton to let her make the first move, an indication that the party’s unifying. That’s respect that I think she has earned,” he said.
Earned or not … what does this say about the hundreds of other Congresspersons that have already sacked up and done their bit for either candidate? Is Wayne talking about the Blue Dogs and using “Person in Congress” as a euphamism for, say, the CAFTA GANG bullying the new presumptive nominee?
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t really about Hillary and Obama for me. The BS about building party unity from, first, Clinton and now Matheson, by waiting for a few weeks while they battle for deals and position makes me a little ill.
Someone want to cough up another explanation of why Jim is holding out?
Maybe it’s instead of an empty scrotum, it’s a case of the scrotum being half full.
By the way, like many people, you are using the expression “begging the question” incorrectly. Wikipedia has a good explanation of the term. In simple terms, “begging the question” means using circular logic.
“Begging the question” is a form of logical fallacy in which a statement or claim is assumed to be true without evidence other than the statement or claim itself. When one begs the question, the initial assumption of a statement is treated as already proven without any logic to show why the statement is true in the first place.
Circular logic is, IMHO, too simple.
Regardless, you were correct. Never type in a hurry.
“Jim Matheson is apparently still trying to find a way to give his delegate vote to John McCain.”
Somehow, that wouldn’t surprise me.
Begging the question fallacy (BQF) is technically when one of the premises of a syllogism is the same as the conclusion. Example:
JM Bell is Rad.
I Like JM Bell.
Therefore, JM Bell is Rad.
Sometimes the BQF can be as simple as
JM Bell is Rad.
Therefore, JM Bell is Rad.
But often it can be a lot more complicated with many premises, maybe even hundreds. But a syllogism is BQF so long the syllogism has at least ONE NECESSARY premise that is ostensibly the same as the conclusion. So often BQF can be termed tautological, or circular. It just depends…
My BA in philosophy compelled me to write this. It is not often I get to use it. 🙂
Now I’m confused… Is JM Bell rad or not?
Any other word and my narcissism would be all over that question, but … rad? Hearing the word makes me want to tuck my pants into my combat boots and grow my bangs out really long.
Because you ran. You ran so far away-a-a