"I Am Not and Have Never Been a Vegetarian"

I've blogged in the past about how this campaign season hasn't been especially nasty or negative, despite hype to the contrary.

I take it all back. This smear campaign against Republican gubernatorial candidate Roy Brown in the meat-loving state of Montana is unconscionable:

"I am not and have never been a vegetarian," Brown said. "I am disgusted by the baseless allegation that I am a vegetarian and that my personal eating habits should somehow be construed as opposed to the economic interests of Montana's livestock industry."

Brown explains the source of the rumor to the Billings Gazette: "Brown did say that he and his family temporarily cut back on their consumption of meat and dairy products 25 years ago when they were caring for a dying loved one who couldn't eat those products."

Via CCF.

Comments

[Ironic]

I too would be offended if someone called me vegetarian. Vegetarians are the wowsers of the culinary world.

[Daniel Reeves]

Unforgivable! How dare they call him a vegetarian without proof!

[SIV]

Now that's my kind of politics!He should eat a variety of animals in public to counter the vicious smear and throw the bones at the press.

[JLE]

I could think of worse things.

[Ryo]

That's gotta be a first right? A Republican trying to convince the electorate that they just can't get enough meat in their mouth.

[Ironic]

"I could think of worse things."

He is AREADY a politician. You can't get much lower than that except to say that he is a VEGETARIAN POLITICIAN.

[G. Gordon Liddy]

There are a few decent vegetarians.

[Mike Laursen]

Isn't the Montana definition of vegetarian anybody who eats any vegetable other than potatoes, corn, or ketchup with their meat?

[Xeones]

Those... those BASTARDS.

[JW]

Kinda gives a whole new meaning to meatpuppet.

[Robert Byrd]

"There are white vegetarians too."

[Ironic]

"Isn't the Montana definition of vegetarian anybody who eats any vegetable other than potatoes, corn, or ketchup with their meat?"

No.

[Hannibal]

Some of my best meals are vegetarians.

[joe]

I don't trust Brown. I've read about him. He's...he's not. He's...he's not..uh...

He's a vegetarian.

No?

[JW]

"I heard he was a heterosexual too.

That's latin for goat diddler, right?"

[Elemenope]

Is this quite as stupid as I think it is?

Because I think this is pretty stupid.

[J sub D]

I heard he was a thespian too.

[Pro Libertate]

And he matriculated, as well!

I wonder if the same trouble would arise if one ate meats not derived from Montana livestock?

[Travis]

The nation's longest serving Senator wins the thread.

[David E. Gallaher]

It is obviously silly to think a Republican might be vegetarian, but it is possible, if not probable that a libertarian could be vegetarian.
The main reason is alliteration.
Lyndon LaRouche and libertarians?
Well, I rest my case.

But which is worse: a socialist or a vegetarian?
Don't be too hasty with your answer.

[Mr. Nice Guy]

JW, J sub D, and pro liberate
You guys are coming off as very, very cosmopolitan with your fancy word games and exhibitions of book learnin'. Real America is taking note!

[Mr. Nice Guy]

I think its easy for a libertarian to be a vegetarian. I can't think of any logical contradiction there.

Hell, I think its worse. I don't think there is anything more or less coherent about a libertarian who wants the government to coerce others into humane treatment of animals than there is about a libertarian who wants the government to coerce the abortionists and their propsective clients from engaging in their business. Both simply think that one of the limited government functions that is legit is to protect life and then they reason that a certain type of life (fetuses or certain animals) are worthy of that protection for whatever reason.

I guess I have to put out the disclaimer (for the retarded) that I am not equating the inhumane treatment of animals with the inhumane treatment of children, though I think both are in fact bad things.

[Brandybuck]

Democrats accusing a Republican of being a vegetarian? What a strange bizarro world we live in.

[Aresen]

Maybe they meant to say he was a vegetable.

[joe]

I don't trust Brown. I've read about him. He's...he's not. He's...he's not..uh...

He's a carrot.

No?

[Kolohe]

Democrats accusing a Republican of being a vegetarian? What a strange bizarro world we live in.

There's a mailer that accused Mitch McConnell of being gay.

[the OverKiller]

I've tried vegetarianism, but I got so tired of just fish fish fish chicken and fish. No beef (or pork!) got old real fast.

[John Thacker]

There's a mailer that accused Mitch McConnell of being gay.

And there's been a history of weird comments by state Democrats in South Carolina alluding to Sen. Lindsey Graham possibly being gay. (Well, he is a bachelor, so it is possible.) See here, for example.

[From one of the odder syllogis]

he is a bachelor, so it is possible.

[Everything in moderation, incl]

I've tried fasting, but I got so tired of just fruit fruit fruit fruit fruit and tea.

I've tried celibacy, but I got so tired of just
coitus interruptus coitus interruptus, coitus interruptus coitus interruptus and oral sex.

I've tried teetotalling, but I got so tired of just beer beer beer beer beer and wine-coolers.

I've tried libertarianism, but I got so tired of just fabian socialism fabian socialism fabian socialism fabian socialism and Whiggism.

[John Thacker]

he is a bachelor, so it is possible.

That is essentially the argument being made. Sen. Graham isn't married, which is odd at his age and especially in a politician, so he must be gay. This declaration is made on pro-gay sites as well as anti-gay site; the former sites speculating is considered hip and fun, whereas the latter is horrible and intolerant. (Much like Tinky Winky being a gay icon was fun, but Falwell's newsletter noting it ridiculous.) Simple Bayesian logic would argue that it does make it somewhat more likely that he's gay, but it remains an odd quasi-speculation that South Carolina Democratic officials occasionally allude to.

[peachy]

If I were a gay politician in the South, the very last thing I would be is single. There's nothing like a nice matronly church-going school-marm of a wife to prove that you're perfectly straight.

[pointing out the obvious]

Yo, it's equally possible for husbands to be gay.

[Abdul]

joe,

Brown certainly could be a vegetarian. It's his bloodlines.

[ed]

It wouldn't be a story if he were a Democrat veggie-tarian.

[VM]

Hay hai gaiz. this is my friend the Vegetarian Ray. He's a vegetarian.

[SugarFree]

But which is worse: a socialist or a vegetarian?

Considering a Venn Diagram of the two overlaps into a near perfect circle, do I still have to choose?

[VM]

sadly, Splenda, sadly. You *must* choose...

[bigbigslacker]

That guy looks like one of them molesterers to me.

[joe]

Abdul,

I understand his family comes from the vegetarian part of Montana.

[Charlie Crist]

There's nothing like a nice matronly church-going school-marm of a wife to prove that you're perfectly straight.

Oh, she doesn't have to be a school marm.

[R C Dean]

If I were a gay politician in the South, the very last thing I would be is single. There's nothing like a nice matronly church-going school-marm of a wife to prove that you're perfectly straight.

Are you saying Laura Bush is a beard?

[Erica]

I'm a proud conservative republican who is also a vegetarian. so is my father, mother and boyfriend. Not only is it the moral thing to do, but it is also much healthier.