HKonJ Today

They're saying around 25,000 turned out in downtown Raleigh to protest the direction of North Carolina under the Republican regime.

Almost 200 from Watauga County were in the "mammoth" crowd.

Thom Tillis and the Indelible Stench of Karl Rove

The American Conservative Union issued its "Ignorant Camp Followers" "Defenders of Liberty" award to Republicans in the NC General Assembly, based on how their ALEC-addled drones voted on 12 bills, and House Speaker Thom Tillis, without whose iron grip on the flow of legislation none of the 12 bills would have passed, did not make the cut.

He missed voting on two of the 12 bills, and that's a serious -- and serendipitously happy -- no-no to the American Conservative Union. How cool was it to be able to deny recognition to Tillis on a technicality!

Poor Thom Tillis! Dissed once again by conservatives, who owe him everything, really, but who don't trust his sucking up to the country club elite.

When Good People Get Fed Up

Clay Aiken is announcing today that he is indeed running for Congress in the 2nd Congressional District of North Carolina. Incumbent Republican Renee Ellmers' campaign immediately began playing the only gay card they could think of: Aiken, sez Ellmers' flack, represents "San Francisco values."

Please!

I believe that the young man who rose out of a bad domestic situation, who became a teacher of special needs students in public school, who started a foundation to help kids with disabilities -- I believe he represents North Carolina values far more than does Renee Ellmers.

A young man who had an amazing talent and who got rich because of it.

He's pictured this morning in the N&O with "consultant" Betsy Conti and "advisor" Gary Pearce, so he's also smart enough to surround himself with some smart, experienced people with deep North Carolina political knowledge.

Aiken has a primary in May with a couple of other contenders, but one of his primary opponents has already announced that he's dropping out and will endorse Aiken.

Clay told the N&O that Ellmers' flailing attacks on him suggested that she was nervous. Yeah. Call it "flop sweat."

Do You Smell Toast?

Greg Brannon, the Cary OBY/GYN and Tea Party alternative to slick Thom Tillis in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate, is facing a civil lawsuit alleging that Dr. Brannon suckered a friend and the husband of one of his pregnant patients into investing $250,000 into a technology company that Brannon claimed was going to be at least as big as Facebook. Didn't turn out that way.

According to "The Morning Memo," "The court file is eight inches thick and filled with political dope, such as his botched investments and how he recruited investors apparently at his OB-GYN practice."

That's just plain creepy.

Renee Ellmers Tempts Cosmic Irony

Surely you know about cosmic irony: "A type of irony in which Fate, the Universe, God, or whichever omnipotent force you choose, makes it their sole purpose to mess with your life. They like to screw you over and watch the mayhem while laughing at your misfortune." Like if Rush Limbaugh were suddenly diagnosed with sickle cell anemia.

So the obliviously arrogant Renee Ellmers tempts cosmic irony by going on the radio and sneering at possible Democratic challenger, Clay Aiken, as someone who couldn't even come in first in American Idol, not to mention Celebrity Apprentice, so how the hell would he ever ascend to the Olympic heights of occupying a seat in Congress?

How indeed?

Can't you just write those headlines: "Gay American Idol Runner-Up Beats Ellmers Decisively." You invited it, Renee!

Proof That the End Times Are Upon Us

When conservatives get all irate over hearing "America the Beautiful" sung in not-English.

Nutballs At the Tea Party

At the Republican Senate candidate forum on the banks of Loch Loman Lake Norman last night -- the Tea Party tribal stomp that loss leader Thom Tillis turned up his nose at -- Tea Party star Greg Brannon said he wanted to phase out Social Security. Apparently, some bicycle seats are fully edible, if old people would just apply themselves!

Heather Grant, the Nurse Ratched of Wilkes County, said she hoped to be one of the six new Republican senators that it'll take to try President Obama for impeachment. She also said that she wants to do away with the Environmental Protection Agency, because she can still see her hands in front of her face when she's outside.

Rev. Mark Harris of Charlotte's First Baptist Church said he was shocked -- shocked! -- that the U.S. House of Representatives had not already impeached Obama.

Rev. Harris also said he was hoping and praying that his BFF, Jehovah, would chasten the numerous Federal judges who were overturning anti-gay marriage laws all across the land, because God has ordained divine discrimination. Otherwise, Federal judges were going to split hell wide open when they land there, which will be soon.

One Down. No Discernible Effect on Tillis

The talk-radio yakker is dropping out of the crowded Republican Senate primary field. Bill Flynn had already lost his campaign manager.

Well now. If the preacher, the nurse, the Shelby mayor, and one or two more also dropped out -- and endorsed the OB/GYN doc from Cary as they exited -- then maybe Dr. Greg Brannon would have a shot at beating Tillis in the primary.

None of which is going to happen.

Too many Lilliputians are trying to pull down the Brobdingnagian Tillis, who is shrugging them off like a horse's tail swishes flies.

And, yes, I am implying that Mr. Tillis is a horse's ass.

Does Thom Tillis Have a Republican Enemies List?

Leigh Thomas Brown

A realtor named Leigh Thomas Brown is challenging preacher man and incumbent Larry Pittman in the Republican NC House district representing Cabarrus County. Tea Party operatives are saying/suggesting that NC House Speaker Thom Tillis put her up to it because of the naughty things Pittman said about Tillis in a Cabarrus Tea Party meeting last year.

Interesting that Leigh Thomas Brown (who also apparently tried to run for governor in 2012) was very much opposed to Amendment One. Another Tea Party flame-thrower, "Lady Liberty," exposed that indiscretion.

According to The Daily Haymaker, another Republican House member who's gotten crossways with Tillis is also being primaried.

My, my! Are the country club Republicans reasserting their supremacy?