Politicians! I have spent all my life with their usually vapid witterings going on and on and on until, about 40 years ago, I thought I had heard everything. Another thing I was wrong about but which old age had allowed to fall through the gaping holes of my memory. Yesterday four police officers, including one female officer, were coldly and efficiently butchered as they sat drinking coffee in the small town where they worked. The main suspect is on the run and turns out to be:
Maurice Clemmons, the 37-year-old Tacoma man being sought for questioning in the killing this morning of four Lakewood police officers, has a long criminal record punctuated by violence, erratic behavior and concerns about his mental health.
It also turns out that this murderous psycho was released early by Gov. Mike Huckabee on grounds of clemency and against the wishes of local prosecutors. Well, we all make mistakes and if you are a leading politician taking very many decisions during a life's work then some of them are bound to be wrong - in retrospect. But when they go wrong, especially terribly and tragically wrong as in this case, how you re-act tells everything that needs to be known about you:
Huckabee, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination last year, issued a statement tonight calling the slaying of the police officers "a horrible and tragic event." If Clemmons is found responsible, "it will be the result of a series of failures in the criminal justice system in both Arkansas and Washington State," Huckabee said.
He added that Clemmons' release from prison had been reviewed and approved by the Arkansas parole board.
Or, to put it in the local argot, 'Le's see if we kin shift this shit aroun' on ter some other sucker's plate'.
'Lest we forget', to quote an old homage to the war dead, of whom these police officers have earned an honourary entitlement, here is just some of Clemmons's history:
When Clemmons received the 60-year sentence, he was already serving 48 years on five felony convictions and facing up to 95 more years on charges of robbery, theft of property and possessing a handgun on school property. Records from Clemmons' sentencing described him as 5-foot-7 and 108 pounds. The crimes were committed when he was 17. Clemmons served 11 years before being released.
News accounts say Huckabee commuted Clemmons' sentence, citing Clemmons' young age at the time the crimes were committed.
Sorry, Governor Huckabee, you just disqualified yourself from any office higher than local dog-catcher!
http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2009/11/maurice_clemmons_record.aspx
Posted by: JK | Monday, 30 November 2009 at 16:55
Oh dear, read it and weep!
Posted by: David Duff | Monday, 30 November 2009 at 17:11
I always took Huckabee as a moderte leftie on most issues but a Soical Conservative on some hot button issues. And his reasons to support some conserative positions seemed like left logic.
Posted by: hank | Monday, 30 November 2009 at 17:49
Hank?
I agree with you assessment.
Posted by: JK | Monday, 30 November 2009 at 18:00
http://tolbertreport.com/2009/11/29/statement-from-huckabee-on-maurice-clemmons/
Posted by: JK | Monday, 30 November 2009 at 18:11
Well David, we've arrived at a sort of disagreement, I doubt seriously Mr. Huckabee could be elected even to dogcatcher.
http://www.arktimes.com/Articles/ArticleViewer.aspx?ArticleID=154e1aad-fd18-4efd-8d80-b5dab8559419
I think even Sarah P. could absolutely barbeque him.
Posted by: JK | Monday, 30 November 2009 at 18:39
'JK', I read the first but only skim-read the second - a bit too long - however, I would have to agree with you that Huckabee's dead meat as far as any presidential hopes are concerned. To paraphrase Lady Bracknel: 'To release one murdering rapist, Mr. Huckerbee, might be regarded as a misfortune, but to release two looks like carelessness'!
Posted by: David Duff | Monday, 30 November 2009 at 21:39