In yet another moment of public solecism, Democrat John Douglass has further cemented his own temperament-based ineligibility to serve in the United States Congress.

Douglass—who is challenging incumbent Republican Robert Hurt for Virginia’s 5th District congressional seat—physically assaulted a young conservative who was filming Douglass’ discussion with attendees of a public forum in Farmville, Virginia on August 21.

The seemingly unprovoked attack follows another superfluous Douglass public outburst wherein the retired Brigadier General went ballistic over a reference to Americans For Tax Reform President, Grover Norquist, at a Charlottesville candidate forum.  (Audio available here.)

While Douglass surrogates like Peyton Williams and Fred Hudson make faux calls for “civility” in the 5th District race—decrying characterizations made by the General’s critics—to date, none of these John Douglass adulators has condemned his own candidate’s disturbing physical or verbal aggressions.

H/T: The American Maverick

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52 COMMENTS

  3. this show how unfit this individual is to be Congressman for the fifth district.
    if he has done what written in his bio., than he shouold have know better. Being part of command staff as a 1 star, than this type of behavior was drilled into his head that this wa snot exceptable.
    But where are the democrat calling him out on this?

  4. How unlike a liberal? The more they get pressed, the more out of control they become!

    Aww, Jack, we’re such mild-mannered people!

    But where are the democrat calling him out on this?

    Right here, votes. But try to find Rob or FOX News discussing Republican outrages. Both sides play politics. Do you? It’s time for you to condemn Todd Aiken’s remarks and Romney’s lie that Obama has removed work requirements for welfare. ;-)

    As Rob says, Douglas is showing himself to be temperamentally disqualified for public office. Then again, from this video it looks like he struck the camera, not the camera operator. Never tell the truth if your audience would rather believe an exaggeration, Rob!

  5. Ken, It is not OK for Douglass to attack another’s personal property. For example, the law does not allow for someone to punch another’s vehicle or grab another’s clothing.
    Douglass’ behavior is far out of control. He is an embarrassment to his party. Douglass is unfit for the office he seeks. Many predict Robert Hurt will score a huge win BECAUSE Douglass is a real loser and in many respects.

  6. Need to check out
    http://www.the americanmanerick.com/2012/08/douglas-strikes-conservative-at-public.html to get the full story.
    It seem he did strike both the camera and the camera operator. But still the 5th district or state level democrats to call him out or just ask him to drop out. But it’s too late in game to find someone else who would be willing to run against Hurt.
    Rob and myself are not only one’s with opinion that Douglass is not qualified for public office.
    Yes all parties are guilty of play politics.
    Am I am guilty of playing politics,maybe. But would you not be guilty of samething plaing politics?
    I can tell from knocking on doors to get vote out this Novemember good 80% of Democrats I have talked too feel that Douglass was a poor choice for the fifth district. PLus good 50% of Democrat I have spoken too don’t have foggies idea who Douglass is and what he stand for. But as one lady told me yesterday the Democrat cparty is like that of republican party the leaders are not listening to majority, they are listening to fews. As here in Charlottesville.

  7. So apparently Douglas took aim at the camera with a few rolled up papers and in so doing also struck the cameraman “a little bit.” And this somehow equates with Douglas “striking the cameraman” and the cameraman being “a victim of a personal attack.”

    1) that’s a gross exaggeration, and 2) it’s a lie – see below – that I’ve made excuses for what Douglas actually did.

    Douglas is showing himself to be temperamentally disqualified for public office.

    Douglas’ action deserves condemnation. So do Rob’s exaggerations.

  8. Under the eye of law, he is could be assested simple battery!
    Hitting the camera which is held against the individual eye is stricking him. Can tell this by way camera dropped down.
    Plus the young say he was struck.
    Under the eye of law it would be consider a personal attack.
    But in long run, it would be up to a Judge to decide.
    Douglass is showing himself to be temperamentally disqualife for public office.
    He should have know better, that is whole issue in a nut shell, he should have know better……………..

  9. Honestly Ken, Smell the coffee. Douglass has cooked his goose. His action in attacking the camera man has cost him the election. It is all downhill now.

  12. Imagine folks, he is running for office so this IS his best behavior.

    Makes me thankful we have a sound and sane congressman already representing the 5th.

    Go back to Northern Virginia Mr. Douglas.

  14. Here is the official "apology" from Douglass:

    "Instead of ginning up a right-wing hissy fit over a camera bump, Corporate Congressman Robert Hurt’s campaign should back off their spying on one-on-one conversations. Voters who are upset over his campaign’s invasion of privacy say it’s “horrible,” “skulking” and “poor taste” — they rather see Hurt show up to a debate, where he can explain why he subsidizes corporations that outsource jobs, twice votes to end Medicare as we know it, and maintains financial ties to uranium mining that puts Virginia families at risk."

  15. Makes you wonder if Gen (ret) John Douglass had ever pulled a Gen Patton while serving this Country, or if he would do it while serving in Congress……hum……..

  19. Douglass camp is placing the blame on what happen on Hurt Campaign.
    In their eyes if young man was not there, this would not have happen.
    Odd are Douglass camp is going to prevent anyone who is not member of thier party to attend any more functions.

  20. wolf wrote:
    Ken, understood, yet very obvious you don’t believe Douglass’ serious actions are a big deal.

    No, no big deal. I’ve just said it show him to be disqualified from office. No big deal!

    Some of you people are simply incapable of accepting facts that spoil your fun.

  21. Douglas’ apology is as incoherent as Obuma’s speeches. I guess you need a course in Liberal Language to understand what he’s saying.

    Hitting a camera = bump

    Right Wing Hissy Fit = Offended by one’s hitting of said camera.

    Voters who are upset over his campaign’s invasion of privacy say it’s “horrible,” “skulking” and “poor taste”=?

    Who are these people Douglas is talking about and what invasion of privacy is he talking about?

    twice votes to end Medicare as we know it = what does it matter we have Obamacare now. Why should this disturb anyone?

    Conclusion: Douglas is an unstable, incomprehensible, empty suit that wants a free lunch and good salary from the US taxpayer.

    Go back to Northern Virginia Mr. Douglas.

  22. One reason John Douglass is so far behind now (18%) is that he has not apologized for the assault – the videos can be seen on youtube – and these videos have been viewed on youtube alone by over 9,000 people, and are posted on over 100 different sites and blogs where there are no counters. This public relations disaster seems to have caused the Obama and Kaine campaigns to uninvite him to their rally in Charlottesville shortly after the incident. Needless to say, his arrogance and ill temper are not well-suited for the office of Representative to the United States Congress. See videos here:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48RDHSkaJDE

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSeIH4I_Bv8

  24. So, big deal. He was Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
    As I ran a mental health unit, couple of nursing units. With 50 cent I can go get a senior coffee at McD as Douglass can. In long run when no longer playing in game doesn’t mean anything in today world. Mr. Douglass is like allot of old soldiers, airman, navy, marines. He is trying to find that glory that once was part of his life. How better yet than to get elected to congress. As Gen. MacArthur once say, old soldier don’t die we fade away. It is time for Mr. Douglass to fade alway like allot of us.
    Over time we do become empty suit! It is nature of beast, Ken. So he is like me just an empty suit who sometimes wishes to relive the glory from past, as allot of veteran wish for. to have someone walk up and offer to pay you a drink or a meal. Instead we are just part of wallpaper as rest of world……………………………………..

  25. With 50 cent I can go get a senior coffee at McD

    Tell them they’re overcharging you 7 whole cents.

    So he is like me just an empty suit

    I wouldn’t describe either one of you that way.

  26. Ken:
    there are allot us who are empty suits. But most of us have found away to produce. Most of us know our limitations.
    Mr. Douglass campaign has not been even run of mill. when start checking into # of people showing up for his rally, # less than 20– 90% of time.
    He is empty suit,nothing new, just same old song and dance routine with a differnet spin. Same for when the man came to town. He showed us how he felt about us the citizen. When he decided to hang on the mall for extra hr and no one in his camp called any body to let them know. So how much money was lost here in city and county. Now much money was lost since 29 was clsed down and north – south traffic was stuck. did anyone look at how this effect Danville, Lynchburg, Culpeper, and other community, no.
    President is an empty suit as well. did anyone look at how many tractor trailer was stacked up in traffic waiting and loosing money.
    Empty suit can be helpful at in time, in right case but on average we just get in way. Douglass is in way along with myslef. People in county and Charlottesville are comfortable with way things are, period. The few of us who speak up, are just tired old men as couple of my neighbor would say.

  27. I’m sorry if you were inconvenienced by the President’s visit, but he is the President after all, and inconvenience is unavoidable when he travels. And 8000 people wanted to see him badly enough to endure inconvenience themselves and come down to the Mall.

    If Romney’s elected, he’ll cause the same traffic hassles wherever he goes. He probably already does. It’s petty to complain.

  28. I wasn’t, I am lucky and know how to get around the mess. it is individuals who needed to get to hospital, get home to their kids, to their love one’s, busniess that depend on us, the list goes on and on. Who were inconvenienced by the President’s visit. I don’t know about Romney’s since he hasn’t been to town.

  29. Ambulances, if there were any, were probably allowed through. And everyone knows that presidents nowadays require great security when they travel. You’re blaming Obama for the requirements of the office. That’s illustrative of the pettiness to which political discourse has sunk.

  30. No, he could have take Marine 1 to town and landed south of mall.
    I am not blaming for the requirement for safety of President.
    I am blaming him for tighting up traffic because of his sudden decision to hang out on downtown mall and staff could have let the police know and would have been less of a traffic issue.
    In today world there is no excuse for any head of state acting way he did. If Bush came to town and did same thing I would be on his ass too. there is no excuse.

  31. I doubt if mode of transportation was really his choice, but I agree with you about his hanging around another hour without warning.

  32. Yes he does. Since this was a campaign visit, fly in and made a bigger impression, which he did in more of negative than a positive.
    but there is still no excuse for his behavior and everyone and his brother jumping on his band wagon and agreeing he had the right to do this.
    No one will really know how much this little road is going to cost all of us in pocket book on this little road trip of his. What did it do for us?
    Nothing…………………

  33. People want to see their president – at least 6500 people and probably a lot more (who couldn’t make it) in this area did a week ago.

  34. So it is ok for approximately 6500 individuals to disrupt the lifes and business of 50,000 plus individuals. This was a campaign stop in a one horse town. For what? In fact both his visits were campaign visit. There is only one other Presdient I am aware of who came to town and if was not offical business of office. LBJ came to a football game. At least LBJ has his priority right.
    But to come to town for 6500 individuals for a campaign stop and expect rest of us to get down on a knee is b.s.
    To wait in traffic for 2 hrs because President want to go visiting on downtown mall bs. Just to show and say I saw the President WOW. Plus as I was down there, I saw allot of school age childern waiting in line. maybe they should have substrated the # of childern out to get a true figure.
    Next time maybe just count register vote who attend.? Maybe. As long as I am alive there is no excuse for what happen! Period. No one has right to disrupt the lifes and a community as he did, just because he is president and it is a campaign stop.

  35. So we actually disrupted your “lives,’ eh? Well that’s either not very nice of us, or mighty melodramatic of you.

    Campaigning is part of governing, votes. And even going to a football game can be a form of campaigning.

  36. “Campaigning is part of governing, votes.”

    Sure, just don’t go telling us Ken then such can’t actually be distinguished from elected leadership.

  37. spade, you’re either naive or you’re playing dumb. Communicating with the public is an integral part of leadership, and there is no substitute for direct, in person communication.

  38. Also left out ability to lead. Left out ability to step up and take charge. Just because he is president he hasn’t show the same ability as former President. In someway Jimmy Carter has gotten him bet.

  40. Ah but there is a substitute. It’s called having always cared and doesn’t involve getting that last word.

    So again Ken, how does this dinstinguish governing from campaigning? Yes, leadership needs to communicate but tell us, what sets apart the campaign and being government?

  42. Nice try, guys. Oppose everything the president wants to do, cheer Rush Limbaugh when he says “I hope he fails” before the president even takes office, cheer Mitch McConnell when he says the number one priority is not to work with the president to find common ground but to defeat him, and then blame the president for not leading you.

    Thanks to guys like Rob, who either don’t know or don’t care that the Republican Party has always included moderates, but labels them RINOs and works to drive them out of the party, Boehner can’t even lead the Republicans himself.

  43. “Oppose everything the president wants to do”

    Can you attempt thinking aside here on your own Ken? I came to this dance late and I haven’t even mentioned the president (until now) in this thread.

    Showing candidness in whom you’re (presuming from these qouted words by your post before this one) supporting is admirable, but I’ll ask for a third and last time….. how does this dinstinguish governing from campaigning?

  44. Your politics are clear, spade, and you’re asking a question about the president.

    what sets apart the campaign and being government?

    What do you want, an essay or a dissertation? It’s clear that politicians in a democracy need to campaign in order to govern. That’s how they get elected and re-elected so they can do what their base wants them to do. So it’s not true, as Rob’s first guest today tried to say, that politicians — whoops, he didn’t say “politicans,” he said “Obama” — only campaign for their own sake.
    If you have a problem with Obama campaigning, you should have a problem with Reagan campaigning.

    This should be patently obvious. The arguments you guys advance so often are so mindless. You put partisanship before common sense and even a modicum of fair-mindedness.

  47. Since you put it so nicely, I couldn’t resist trying a fourth time. Reminds me of someone who must get the last word.

    I’ll take either form of composition, if it means I can get some sort forthright answer.

    “You put partisanship before common sense and even a modicum of fair-mindedness.”

    So excuse me, does that mean you’re actually being impartial?

    I’m such a stinker, aren’t I Ken?

  48. I didn’t use the word “impartial,” spade. Think about it: if someone was impartial on the issues, why would they vote? How can any halfway intelligent person study the issues and remain impartial? They can be undecided or have mixed feelings, but they can’t be without thoughts or feelings.

    The word I used was “fairminded.” Fairmindednesss is trying to apply the same standard to each side. One sign of attempted fairmindedness is the willingness to criticize your own side or acknowledge when the other side makes a good point. And by the way, I say “try” to apply the same standard, because if you’ve read any social psychology recently, you know that complete fairmindness is pretty well impossible to achieve. Human beings are highly subjective, self-justifying liars and excuse makers.

    Yes, I know, the “mainstream media” doesn’t try to be fairminded. It’s blatantly unfair. So is FOX News. And so – often comically so on this blog – is the Schilling Show.

  49. Actually, come to think of it, you used “impartial” correctly and I had the meaning wrong. Anyhow, some people on both the Left and the Right clearly try to be impartial. And some don’t.

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