Democratic operatives didn't take kindly to former Rep. Tom Davis' (R) remarks that their Virginia gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds "doesn't speak the language" needed to court northern Virginia business leaders.
Party brass fumed at what they interpreted as a anti-rural remark. Wanting to generate a spin on it, Democratic operative David "Mudcat" Saunders took to the phone in what he thought was a strategy call, The Washington Post reported.
He noted that the remarks might better be spun as anti-working-person, rather than anti-rural, because "From what I've seen up in Northern Virginia, they don't give a damn if people talk s*** about us." And in trying to explain that the comments might also be offensive to those with rural roots who live in Northern Virginia, he said there are "more rednecks on Route 1 in Alexandria than the sixth district of Virginia."
"As if those of us downstate are, what, barefoot and stupid?" said House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong (D), who was also on the conference call. He called for Robert F. McDonnell (R), Deeds' opponent, to repudiate Davis' comment.
Also, on the call -- you know because you're reading it now -- members of the press! Oopity!
An embarrassed Saunders then related that he thought it was a strategy call, not a press call, even though it had been scheduled as a press call all along. He also dialed back on his use of the term redneck, which he explained was meant as affectionate and that he too is a redneck who hails from Virginia's sixth district.
Of course, because them rural folks is too trusting to bother to ask everyone on a conference call to identify themselves!
