Ovittore makes it official
Jay Ovittore, a Democrat, made his bid for Congress official today. You can click here to listen to his campaign kick-off speech. (4 min)
Afterward, Ovittore and I talked a little bit about what a tough race this is. Whoever gets past the primary will be challenging Howard Coble, who was first elected to the House in 1984. One state that is the most telling on what a challenge it is for anyone to unseat Coble: You have to go back to 1990 to find a race that Coble won with less than 70 percent of the vote.
Comments (14)
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But did you ask him the tough question about his views on Karl Marx and why he chose to list "The Communist Manifesto" as one of his favorite books before he decided to run for office, and why he later removed that entry from his blog ?
People want to know why Ovittore listed the bible of Communism as one of his favorite books and why it appears that he has tried to hide that fact. It is a fair question that Jay hasn't yet answered.
People have a right to know the ideological influences and leanings of people who are asking for their vote.
Posted on November 15, 2007 2:02 PM
No I didn't because I don't personally find the question all that interesting and, if I'm not mistaken, it has been asked and answered in another forum.
Let me flip the question around: if a politician listed the bible as among their favorite books, would I be withing bounds to question that?
Posted on November 15, 2007 2:11 PM
Sure, go ahead and ask anyone you want about their opinion of the Bible. Afterall doesn't the winning candidate get sworn in with one hand on the Bible?
Posted on November 15, 2007 2:36 PM
Actually, Gatecity, no they don't. Congress' official swearing in is done en mass, in the House chamber, with the right hand raised and the left hand at ones side. An individual Congressman can opt for a private photo-op ceremony, but that doesn't hold the force of law and some of them don't bother it.
Posted on November 15, 2007 2:39 PM
Hey thanks for the info. Hopefully we won't send the N&R's new best Commrade and his manifesto to D.C.
Last week was a good sign that the voters around here are getting a little more savvy. After 14 years District 5 in town finally saw through the N&R's girl.
Posted on November 15, 2007 3:07 PM
I know, it isn't interesting to find out why a candidate for Congress is a fan of Karl Marx and appears to have tried to cover it up. That's not important to voters. They don't really need to know the political philosophy of the people they elect (unless of course they are right wing fanatics).
And he hasn't answered the question. He said he listed it because he was reading it at the time. Yet, he never explained why he removed it, and ONLY it, from his list when he decided to run for office.
The Bible isn't a book on politics or economics. Marx is. I am also willing to bet that if you asked a politician why the Bible was a favorite book of theirs, they would give you a better answer than "I was reading it at the time".
Posted on November 15, 2007 3:08 PM
What specifically do you object to in the Communist Manifesto? Have you read it? It is very pro-freedom and pro-democracy, which is probably why Mr. Ovitorre liked it at the time.
Communism certainly has lots of problems, but it is basically dead, so conservatives really need to stop trembling in their boots about it -- or faking outrage because somebody read a book!
Meanwhile, capitalism is alive and well -- but has problems of its own that conservative idealogues are incapable of comprehending. Without regulation, capitalism devolves into monopolistic tyranny, and becomes elitist, anti-freedom, anti-democracy and anti-equality. This is what we are seeing happen now in the U.S. with the rise of the corporatocracy that is making us less safe and less free every day.
Posted on November 15, 2007 4:33 PM
There is a difference between reading a book (I have read The Communist Manifesto as a poli-sci major) and listing it as a favorite. As I have stated elsewhere, I wonder how people would react if the book was Mein Kampf or The Turner Diaries and was listed by a conservative as a favorite read.
Posted on November 15, 2007 5:12 PM
Jay Ovittore due to drugs he has a new friend call leo, now leo no one but he can see! he talks to leo alot but no one can see leo due to it is in his head, He looks at wall and talks to this leo, some times as a female I feel unsafe around him due to he talks to (LEO) the walls alot and the walls have names!
Shannon
Posted on January 9, 2008 5:01 AM
Fact: Jay is a high school drop out
Fact: jay has a wife and a Woman on the side
he lives with in Greensboro.
Fact: Jay has no schooling so no one will give him a job so he paint a home for cash
Fact: jay a ant-war & ant-army person used a vets in his band to get surport! THATS WRONG!
Fact: Jay is ant-god and state
Now when your kid walks up to you and said (mom i am droping out like jay, forget school! im running for congress)
all you dem's cant say nothing! Jay is one and you back him so why cant your kids drop out and run also?
the Greensboro party has lost its mine! all i got to say is johnny carter from summerfield must win!
Jim Longworth also is wright, JAYS A JOKE! and we are a joke to back him!
Posted on January 9, 2008 5:16 AM
jay said: i will not thow any mud ( BUT ) jay has! FACT: Jim Longworth this week show us that was a lie that jay said!
Fact: Jay is a high school drop out
Fact: jay has a wife soon to be x-wife due to a Woman on the side jay has!
Fact: Jay has no high schooling so no one will give him a job at walmart or etc so he paint a home for cash
Fact: jay a ant-war & ant-army
but used a vets in his band to get surport! THATS WRONG!
Fact: Jay is ant-god and state
Now when your kid walks up to you and said (mom i am droping out like jay, forget school! im running for congress)
all you dem's cant say nothing!
Jay is one and you back him so why cant your kids drop out and run also?
all i got to say is johnny carter from summerfield must win!
Jim Longworth also is wright, JAYS A JOKE! and we are a joke to back him!
Posted on January 9, 2008 5:25 AM
Yes Criss the Greensboro party is Sick of Ovittore but we are stuck with him 16 weeks!
how about we drop him and talk about a real story, like fairtax.org now thats real news!
Posted on January 9, 2008 5:31 AM
Yes Criss the Greensboro party is Sick of Ovittore but we are stuck with him 16 weeks!
how about we drop him and talk about a real story, like fairtax.org now thats real news!
Posted on January 9, 2008 5:31 AM
Okay...the balcony is closed here. I'm shutting down this coment thread and stopping comments on this post because someone have been violating the sites terms of service.
Posted on February 13, 2008 11:00 AM