Tancredo and Friends

Olympia, WA - I really don't know how to react to this story, but still I feel the need to at least spread it.

Tom Tancredo, the former Republican congressman and presidential candidate from suburban Denver who garnered the support of as many as 1 in 50 Republicans two years ago, has been in the news a lot lately denouncing the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to SCOTUS for her inappropriate cultural background because, frankly, he is a leader of the xenophobic wing of the GOP.

Fast forward to today (or rewind to two years ago) where we learn that his former speech writer, Marcus Epstein, has just pleaded guilty to the crime of accosting a woman on the street, calling her "nigger" and karate chopping her in the head.

No, folks, this is not a Dave Chapelle sketch. This is real life.

And get this, Epstein is currently the executive director of Tancredo's political action committee, which is actually called Team America PAC. Worse yet, he will remain on the job until he, gulp, goes to law school in the fall.

It is just plain sad that anyone would commit such a shameful act on another human. But while Tancredo, who himself is a fringe political player at best, at least has the sense to avoid karate chopping people of color, we still should stop and think a moment about the associations of folks who are guilty of these kinds of crimes, especially as we mourn the terrorist attack on Dr. George Tiller, and use that judgment as we move forward in the political world.

P.S. Here is a story I wrote about Tommy T during the NH primary two years ago.

Also, my gaydar was going off BIG time that day. Just sayin'.