Once again the two-edged sword known as the Internet has cut the hand that wields it, giving voice to Republican sentiments that would otherwise remain hidden from view.
The former head of Washington State's Republican Party, Kirby Wilbur, couldn't resist commenting on the presence of several protesters arrested at the Party's headquarters in Bellevue, Washington. They were there to protest the GOP's lack of action on immigration.
While the current state GOP chairperson, Susan Hutchison, issued a prepared statement acknowledging the protestor's concerns, she was away in Washington at the time. This left the field open for the former GOP chairman to weigh in with his own, less measured reaction, via the Twitter:
Kirby Wilbur @KirbyWilbur
I missed all the fun at State HQ today as the left wing witches and hags protested and got arrested. They look so old and ugly...#wagop
For the record, one of the old, ugly "witches and hags" included Peggy Lynch, the wife of the Mayor of Seattle, Mike McGinn. It's not clear whether the protesters were of any specific nationality. They intended to get arrested.
Their act of civil disobedience, along with an immigration protest outside the building, were among dozens of events across the U.S. The demonstration in Bellevue drew a response from about 50 police officers.
The advocates want to escalate pressure on House Speaker John Boehner to bring a Democrat-sponsored immigration bill up for a vote and to persuade Republicans to back it.
The sweeping measure would, among other things, create a path to citizenship for those in the country unlawfully. It is unlikely to be voted on this year.
Only three Republicans have signed on to the bill, none from Washington.
The state GOP moved quickly to distance itself from Wilbur's heartfelt views:
Keith Schipper, a spokesman for the state Republican Party, said the group clearly wanted to get arrested, but did not get personally insulting toward GOP staff. “The ghost of Kirby Wilbur has no influence on the Washington State Republican Party any more. He doesn’t speak for the party,” Schipper said.
Wilbur, the former conservative talk-radio host, quit as state Republican Party chair in July to take a job with Young America’s Foundation in Washington, D.C.
It would seem the
Young America's Foundation and the Republican Party will be
well-served by Mr. Wilbur:
A former radio talk show host, Wilbur’s job is executive director of the foundation’s National Journalism Center, which trains young conservatives in dealing with the media.