Profiles in courage…
As of lunchtime today, pretty much every Republican and his brother or sister had issued a statement calling for Dave Agema’s resignation from the RNC. Fred Upton, Justin Amash, Betsy DeVos, Michigan GOP chair Bobby Schostak, RNC chair Reince Priebus. The list is long and very few but the most extreme ultra-conservatives is on it. Two name stood out at lunchtime, though, hold outs as every other GOP member had gotten on the train and realized that Dave Agema was damaging their party:
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and Republican Senate candidate and RNC committeewoman Terri Lynn Land.
Land is in Washington, D.C. this week, attending a major RNC meeting and, as her colleagues around her fled from Agema like rats leaving a burning ship, she held her ground, issuing blithe platitudes through her spokesperson about not tolerating “discriminatory acts or speech” and lauding her belief that “all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect”.
This afternoon, that finally came to an end. As one of the last Republicans standing, Terri Lynn Land finally realized that blatant bigotry and raging homophobia are not hills she’s willing to die on to earn the love and admiration of the oh-so-powerful tea party that has taken over the Michigan Republican Party and called for Agema to resign.
To be clear, Land didn’t decry Agema’s offensive bigotry and hate speech. Rather, she just thinks it’s an expedient thing to do.
I think what is best for the party, and is best for Dave, is that he resigns.
What a strong, decisive, courageous woman. Willing to put aside her own personal extremist views and turn her back on her bigoted friend Dave Agema to support the party.
If this is what passes for “leadership” in the Michigan Republican caucus, they are in serious, serious trouble.
ADDING: Michigan GOP chair Bobby Schostak was equally courageous in condemning bigotry and racism:
For the good of the party, we believe Dave Agema should resign.
That’s the kind of firm leadership that is sure to banish bigots and racists from the Republican Party.
LEADERSHIP!
