Post-Election: A Brief Survey of the Crazy That Was Ken Cuccinelli

Update. It's worth pointing out that this extreme far-right, hostile-to-women, anti-abortion, anti-birth-control, anti-gay, anti-labor, obsessed-with-sodomy person who brought attention to himself by strongly supporting the placing of unnecessary medical equipment up women's private parts -- now mandatory under state law (who loves limited government?) -- lost by less than 2.5% of the vote of the citizens of Virginia. So read my "takedown" with that in mind. Let's hope it's not so close next time...

Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe enjoying a light moment.

From my perch in solid blue San Francisco Bay Area, I can safely view the election of Terry McAuliffe and be happy. After all, he's one of us, the good guys, the supporters of equality, social spending, same-sex marriage, education. I can even ignore how smarmy he has always seemed, but what do I know? The Clintons love him.

The Washington Post points out blithely in post-election analysis that now comes the hard part for Terry McAuliffe: governing. So true. Why do I think McAuliffe chuckles when he hears that? Sez the Post:

RICHMOND — Virginia has opened the doors to its 200-year-old Executive Mansion to a flamboyant Democratic cheerleader who will have to overcome skepticism and a GOP-dominated House to effectively govern a state with more than 8 million residents.
With no experience in state government and an agenda outlined only in broad strokes, Gov.-elect Terry McAuliffe eked out a win Tuesday on a promise to expand Medicaid, invest in education, improve transportation, promote green technology, protect access to abortion, and ensure that Virginia is welcoming to gays and scientific inquiry.

I don't know, but McAuliffe's list of promises sounds rational and is a great step forward and away from near-miss Ken Cuccinelli, who embodied -- before his almost predictable flame-out -- the nutty extreme of tea-party craziness.

To wit -- in 2013 America -- Ken Cuccinelli decides to impress his constituents with his fervent opposition to sodomy. Why? For the children. American children are safer when there's no sodomy.

I want to be your governor! (I'm politically ambitious!) I'm declaring my undying hatred and disgust for sodomy! Sing it from the rafters! Let it echo among the hills of Virginia! NO SODOMY!

Mr. Clean.

Wait. Wasn't this already adjudicated? Didn't a three-judge panel of the 4th-Circuit Court of Appeals just this March already decide that, based on the seminal Lawrence v. Texas Supreme Court case, a decision written by conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy, that sodomy was okay between consenting adults? Among consenting adults, for that matter? Well, uh, okay, yeah, I guess.

Not good enough for aspiring goober-natorial Ken Cuccinelli! Thinking of the children, the VA AG decided to appeal. I mean it's SODOMY.

The March 12 ruling of the appeals court’s three-judge panel overturned a lower court decision upholding the conviction of a 37-year-old man charged in 2005 with soliciting a 17-year-old woman to engage in oral sex. No sexual encounter took place, records show.

The Attorney General’s office argued that the Supreme Court’s Lawrence decision didn’t apply to cases involving minors. But 4th Circuit Appeals Court Judge Robert King, who wrote the majority opinion, said the Lawrence decision rendered the Virginia sodomy statue “facially” or completely unconstitutional.

The full 4th-Circuit Court decided, a few weeks after Cuccinelli's appeal to reject it outright without a hearing. Not a single judge voiced support for Cuccinelli's attempt. In August, John Roberts, acting for the Supreme Court, rejected Cuccinelli's request for a stay of the 4th Circuit's ruling.

There's still hope for Cooch: The Supreme Court has yet to announce whether it will take up the case in the new session. An announcement is expected in early 2014.

Mother Jones has the last word on Cuccinelli's anti-sodomy crusade:

Maybe Ken Cuccinelli Shouldn't Have Built His Campaign Around Sodomy

Ya think?

Footnote. I know I failed in my promise that this be a "brief" survey of Cooch's craziness, but then by only writing about his fascination with sodomy I also failed to deliver a "survey." So, let's remind readers that Cuccinelli's brother in arms, soon-to-be-ex-governor Bob McDonnell's nickname is Governor Transvaginal Ultrasound. Why? Because both supported a bill to require all women seeking abortion in Virginia to undergo a totally unnecessary, extremely invasive procedure that some women (all women, one would expect) would consider degrading.

Governor Bob McDonnell: Transvaginal ultrasound? Sounds fun!

Unfortunately, this Virginia craziness has sparked efforts by Republicans in Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin to enact their own transvaginal ultrasound laws. Go Team Red!

This concludes, for the time being, this brief survey of the crazy, which, despite the Virginia rebuke, shows no signs of letting up. Here's hoping the women's vote can turn that around.