File this under "I'll do anything to get elected". Ex-Congressman Rob Simmons (R-CT), once a self-proclaimed moderate, is now a raging Tea-Bagger!
Two weeks ago I went to a non-partisan forum to check out the five, (yep five), Republicans vying for the CT GOP nomination in the upcoming contest against Senator Dodd.
Second to speak was Rob Simmons who, before losing to Joe Courtney-D in 2006, spent six years in Congress portraying himself as a moderate. As such I was quite surprised when he started off his 15 minute speech with this: (note, video here, but not very good. Therefore the transcript)
[More, including YouTube footage, after the break]
"Thank you for being here today. Now more than ever, this state and this country needs people like you, to be speaking out. Speaking out about the important issues that confront us, in our economy, and in our government. And I would ask, just for a moment, how many of you have attended tea parties, {Rob raises his hand}, town halls, thank you, thank you for your participation. I've made it a habit over the years to carry my Constitution in my pocket as a reminder of what this country, and what this country's government is all about. But more recently, because of the participation of many of you, I've added something to my Constitution. I've added a tea bag." {Simmons then opens his pocket Constitution, and pulls out a tea bag.} Audience laughs.
After his speech, I caught up with Mr. Simmons in the foyer, and he showed my his Tea Bag once more, again pulling it out of his pocket Constitution. I asked if he wasn't making a mistake by associating himself with the Tea Party movement. Yet given the chance, he didn't back away. Not one inch.
ANDERSON: "You're not worried that it's bad for the [GOP] brand, with it being a little strident, a little over-the-top?"
SIMMONS: "I'm not sure I understand the question"... (big smile)
ANDERSON: "I've been to a couple of Tea Parties, and some of the signs there are borderline, I don't want to say hate, but really some of them were pretty bad. As an American I was offended by some of them."
SIMMONS: "Well, I think everybody has to make their own judgement. I did not, in the Tea Parties I went to, here, in New Haven, Hartford and Norwich, I saw no signs or people who were offensive".
Now it'd be nice to think that Simmons was just naive as to the Obama-hate and offensive rhetoric that has popped up at Tea Parties and Town Halls across Connecticut and the country. However Simmons is no country-bumpkin', having spent years in the CIA, and the past two decades in politics.
My belief is that Rob knows exactly what he's doing in playing to his Tea Bagging base, and by no means is it an accident that he's become one of them!