Comments on: Russell Pearce Would Have Taken the Guy Out, No Doubt

By: Tom Prezelski

Tom Prezelski — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 08:30:08 +0000

1. Ted is right. This is not an episode of Burn Notice. In an episode of Burn Notice, Michael Westen would explain all the reasons why trying to take out the shooter under those circumstances is a bad idea, make his priority getting people out, then wait for the cops. In other words, a TV character in a silly action show would display more sense than Russell Pearce.

2. Christopher is wrong about open primaries but right about Pearce. Toward the end of the 2008 session, when it was clear that the Republican leadership had become ineffective and there was polling data which suggested that Democrats might take the House, we suddenly found ourselves being treated cordially by lobbyists who normally never spoke to us. Sometimes, they would even buy us dinner. This went to show me that if Democrats were able to take at least one house of the legislature, and make it clear that it was not a fluke, it would end the perception of a permanent Republican majority, which would make it less likely that an exclusionary and divisive figure like Russell Pearce would have such power.

By: Tracy S.

Tracy S. — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 02:09:28 +0000

Pearce is an idiot. The gunman was wearing body armor, the theater was dark, not just darkened but dark. Not only would Pearce not have had any idea where the shots were coming from (and likely would have shot someone fleeing), but the armor would have allowed the gunman to just keep firing no matter that he was being shot at by Mr. Congeniality. Bring back the assault weapons ban! No one needs that in their house or on the street.

By: Sonoransam

Sonoransam — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 22:42:04 +0000

To finish my post in the No. 3 position. The man in question was named Joe Zamudio.

“I could have very easily done the wrong thing and hurt a lot more people,” Zamudio told the Arizona Daily Star. Instead he kept his weapon in his pocket.

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/article_cffa49d7-0ec2-5ca7-a3fd-242bf2b20379.html

By: Christopher Francis

Christopher Francis — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 22:36:26 +0000

Dearest Commenters,

Russell Pearce only has as much power and influence as people will allow. I thought the same thing about Jesse Helms towards the end of his term in Congress — I could never understand why his fellow lawmakers had such a high tolerance level (if not respect) for him.

The GOP bigwigs tolerated Pearce when he was in power because they couldn’t afford to throw him under the bus and split the party. But now his grumpy old man act has gotten stale, he’s degraded into a caricature, and he’s become too much of a stench in the nostrils — even among people who call themselves conservatives and probably agree with him on some things — to vote for anymore. Pearce is the poster child for supporters of an open primary.

Your Humble Servant,
Christopher

By: Sonoransam

Sonoransam — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 22:22:30 +0000

Tom: And, as you know, there was a trained person with a CCW in the crowd. As I recall he assessed the situation and decided not to add any more gunshots to the confusion.