I never would have guessed that easy-going Assembly Minority Leader Pat Hickey could be so petty and thin-skinned, but under increasing pressure from conservatives within his caucus and conservative challengers to some of his Gumby Republican colleagues, the man has totally lost it.
Last Tuesday, the Washoe County GOP tweeted a quote from by my friend and former Congressman Allen West (we became e-pen pals back in 2007 when the lieutenant colonel was still serving in Afghanistan):
“The day is coming when principled pragmatic Constitutional conservatives will be sought after to restore America & we will answer the call.”
Now, here’s the thing about Col. West: He’s no mushy moderate. The man not only talked like a conservative in Congress, he voted like a conservative and took the conservative fight to both the Democrats and the RINOs. You could only call him a “Gumby Republican” if you wanted a size 12 boot up you keister!
Which is why I found it so interesting to see Hickey respond to the Washoe GOP tweet on Sunday thusly:
“Smart for Cong. West to tell us to be principled and ‘pragmatic’ conservatives. Being practical means we can get things done.”
This was moderate Hickey trying to piggyback off a true conservative leader to excuse his failed go-along-to-get-along, let’s-make-a-deal-by-giving-away-the-store strategy on how to “get things done” in the 2013 legislative session. It was as laughable as it was pathetic. So I replied…
“Too bad you and your caucus, under your leadership, failed miserably at that this last session, my friend.”
The “my friend” reference was a little jab at Hickey’s DC/inside-the-beltway habit of calling even his most hated enemies “friend” in a phony effort to appear more distinguished, respectable and diplomatic.
Hickey responded…
“Sorry to inform you have few if any, friends in the Caucus left, including myself, ‘my friend.’ Just a Muth ‘truth,’ I’m afraid.”
Which was hilarious. As if I’m in this fight to make “friends” or care whether or not members of Hickey’s “Gumby Caucus” want to be my BFF’s. Apparently Hickey is unaware of the old maxim that if you want a friend in politics, get a dog. As such, I responded thusly…
“Not sure why you think that would bother me in the least.”
For some reason, that retort really got under Hickey’s skin, so he shot back this tart response…
“You don’t care, Chuck. And that is why increasingly no one cares about you. Sad. So much wasted by an angry friendless man.”
Well, I do care…just not about getting the fawning approval of a group of moderate Republicans who failed to live up to their campaign rhetoric or the GOP party platform they ran under.
As for being friendless and no one caring about me, that’s why I have not one, but TWO dogs!
As for being angry, I replied…
“Not angry at all, Pat. I’m having a blast watching you & the other Gumby Republicans squirm.”
And indeed I am. These people are losing it. Coming totally unglued.
For 20 years now Hickey and his non-confrontational moderate brethren in the Legislature have been selling out and undermining conservatives. Finally, thanks in large part to the growing (not shrinking) tea party and liberty movements in Nevada, their day of reckoning may be coming.
Bring on Conservageddon!
