Never Trumper Tom Nichols often touts his “expertise” on various matters, although it’s unclear as to what specifically he’s an “expert” on. But I’ve been assured that he’s an expert among experts, and in fact is an expert ON experts, so just keep that in mind as you read the rest of this story.
As we’ve previously reported, Republican Edward Durr, who per the Associated PressIn a surprising victory, Steve Sweeney, long-serving New Jersey State Senate President was defeated. He is still making waves in the Garden State.
Not only did he receive a congratulatory call from former President Donald Trump, but he’s also caught the attention (and ire) of New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D), who last Friday called Durr “dangerous” for the state while lavishing praise on Sweeney for his “leadership,” the latter of which is obviously not felt by a majority of voters in New Jersey’s 3rd District.
In response, an unintimidated Durr cut Murphy down to size, pointing out that “Murphy is not what America is all about, he’s the dangerous guy who killed 10,000 nursing home residents and destroyed the lives of countless hardworking New Jerseyans.” A fair – and inarguable point – if there ever was one.
But even though “to the victor goes the spoils” or however the old saying goes, Durr’s smug critics remained undeterred, which brings us to Tom Nichols and a piece he wrote over the weekend, which appeared in The Atlantic. In it, Nichols who – again, remember, is an “expert” in some things – stated in so many words that while Durr’s story was neat, that we needed people in government who actually knew a thing or two about politics:
For many former right comrades, the plucky and ordinary guy who took down Trenton’s corrupt pol was catnip. However, they appear to have the wrong belief that the elected local representative is right and long-serving politicians are wrong.
The local voter will always be right, regardless of whether the challenger to the election is Republican. It is important to note that this narrative does not include conservatives being open to applying to newcomers like Alexandria OcasioCortez. Many Republicans were skeptical of the bravery and perseverance displayed by a young lawmaker named Barack Obama. They argued that Obama was simply a pushy gate jumper.
There are so many strawmen, and yet there is not enough time. And isn’t it interesting that the “upstarts” the “conservative” Nichols defends are radical leftists including one (Obama) who was not remotely an “upstart” thanks in large part to a powerful Illinois kingmaker and Obama’s close political alliance with admitted domestic terrorist Bill Ayers and related associates?
But I digress.
Back to what to Durr and what Nichols said about him, you likely won’t be surprised to find out that Durr has responded accordingly to the jab by giving the appropriate response considering the troubled state of New Jersey politics:
Sen.-Elect Ed Durr on @SaveJerseyLive when you are asked about @TheAtlantic’s contention that he doesn’t know how to govern in the New Jersey legislature:
“How much worse could I make it?”
— Alex Wilkes (@AlexandraWilkes) November 10, 2021
I’m close to proposing this guy be given the “thug life” distinction, but we need to hold off maybe just a little while longer to confirm. By the way, the rest of that “Save Jersey” interview can be heard here, for anyone interested.
But back to Nichols, though he’s an expert at stuff apparently he’s not an expert on why a guy like Durr appeals to ordinary New Jerseyans. Nick Arama (a fellow New Jerseyan) said it perhaps best.
“Unlike Joe Biden, [Durr] admits he doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. He doesn’t pretend to know everything or be everything. He does, however, want to speak for people and let them know that someone is listening. How honest and refreshing is this?”
And to counter another Durr point, it’s not that Republicans automatically defend Average Joes and Janes who win elections over career politicians, though admittedly we’ve all railed against the latter a time or two in our lifetimes. It’s that the surprise winners in some of these instances deserved it considering what the career politician has done (or not done) for their constituents over the time they’ve served in office.
It doesn’t take an “expert” to be able to figure that out, or so I’ve been told – by “experts” who might not be as “expert” as expertising as Tom Nichols.
On a related note, make sure to check out this interview Durr did with NBC10 – Philadelphia. I gotta say I’m truly impressed with the lavender button down and suspenders look, complete with mobster-like sunglasses that (if he’s like me) were probably purchased at the local convenience store. SO New Jersey that you can’t help but feel unworthy:
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