Politics can be a rough and tumble affair, but usually the worst thing exchanged at Republican Party of Minnesota conventions is the stink eye.
But last night in Rochester, U.S. Senate candidate Julianne Ortman's campaign manager and midget wrestling fan Andy Parrish took Republican intra-party aggression to a whole new level.
It's surprising that a veteran of Michele Bachmann's congressional and Presidential campaigns--and well as the failed pro-marriage amendment fight--would lose his cool, even with his candidate losing the fight to Chris Dahlberg and the least interesting man in the world (whom the Republicans endorsed today).
But that's exactly what happened, according to tweets from the floor of the convention in Rochester.
Republican activist and blogger Jeff Kolb told the tale:
Ortman campaign manager @andyparrish just called me a "fucking cream puff" and a "twitter tough guy" then slapped me in the face. #mngop14
— Jeff Kolb (@jpkolb) May 31, 2014
Sargent-at-arms removed @andyparrish from the hall after he slapped me. #mngop14
— Jeff Kolb (@jpkolb) May 31, 2014
Parrish apologized just before noon on Saturday and Kolb accepted:
While tensions run high at conventions my behavior towards @jpkolb was inappropriate, uncalled for and unprofessional. (1/2)
— Andy Parrish (R-MN) (@andyparrish) May 31, 2014
.@andyparrish Apology accepted. #forward
— Jeff Kolb (@jpkolb) May 31, 2014
Twitter was invented for this sort of thing
Some of the ensuing mirth, despite the newfound Republican unity later in the convention:
Re-enactment. “@nwlaroche: Slap happy! RT @mitchsterpix: #mngop2014 #mngop14 pic.twitter.com/Hf6rsbOFpP”
— Benjamin Dorsey (@BenjaminDorsey) May 31, 2014
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a slap is a good guy with a t-shirt gun. #mngop14 #MnGOP2014
— David Brauer (@dbrauer) May 31, 2014
Somebody come slap me in the face. Cuz you're not cool until you get slapped in the face at a convention. #mngop14
— Ben Dally (@BFDALLY) May 31, 2014
I told John Parrish called a guy a cream puff then slapped him. John: What else did he do, throw his drink on him? #mngop2014 #mngop14 #fb
— Javier Morillo (@javimorillo) May 31, 2014
Exclusive from the floor of #mngop2014 #mngop2014 pic.twitter.com/WBmMoDCN0t
— Javier Morillo (@javimorillo) May 31, 2014
I may be paraphrasing but from what I understand every time @andyparrish loses an election an angel gets its wings. Did I get that right?
— Eric Austin (@e_austin) May 31, 2014
I don’t envy #mngop14’s problems. h/t @sallyjos pic.twitter.com/u9zPdx0Ljh
— Joe Widmer (@JoeWidmer) May 31, 2014
Was it like this? Airplane! Slap: http://t.co/n5H795PPw2 #mngop2014 @blakeffm @dbrauer @BettyTiselj @Stowydad @tomscheck
— Mark J. Westpfahl (@MarkJWestpfahl) May 31, 2014
Tweet of the night contender RT @kevinecker: Maybe @andyparrish was the smart one by coming up with a great excuse to leave. #mngop14
— Jeff Kolb (@jpkolb) May 31, 2014
cc: @emkolb RT @blakeffm: Devil's advocate: Who among us has not been tempted to slap @jpkolb? #mngop2014
— Jeff Kolb (@jpkolb) May 31, 2014
Meanwhile, the DFL is soldierig on without such vigorous floor action, although as write this, there's a platform discussion going on that's nearly as sleep inducing as a Minute With Mike McWhatever.
Image: Andy Parrish, cartoon by Ken Avidor.
If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen P.O. Box 108, Maynard MN 56260) or use the paypal button below:
Email subscribers can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.
Editor's note:The reader below failed his first-grade level reading skills by being unable to understand that the slap took place when Ortman lost to both Dahlberg and the least interesting man in the world.
These are not not the same people. The latter is Mike McFadden (and the hot link leads to an article about McFadden). Some people simply don't get the Innertubes.
Original comment:
The MNGOP endorsed Dahlberg?? You sure about that?
Posted by: Some random troll using a fake email address | Jun 01, 2014 at 02:55 PM
The troll sounds like a walking example of the Dunning-Krueger Effect. He's almost as dumb as the Gores Group ads run by their front group "Compete Minnesota" on behalf of Scott Honour.
Posted by: Phoenix Woman | Jun 01, 2014 at 09:56 PM