Brancaccio's column this morning....

Well, I was sure it would be something on Madore: Brancaccio is one of those who are using their position to whip up the "great, unwashed masses" into Tuesday night's riot at the Board of Commissioners meeting.

Noticeably absent from Lou's column was the excerpt from the massive collection of hit pieces he's done on Benton and Madore since this all started.

"However, the county provides a few exceptions to the requirement that job positions be publicly advertised, and says elected officials have the discretion to appoint department heads."

Lou's position is summed up, perhaps, with this excerpt of today's column:

Put Benton through a normal hiring process. Let his qualifications speak. And for goodness sake, don't hitch your political wagon to Benton. I mean I love the guy but … really?

Excepting for the well-known fact that Brancaccio hates Benton with a passion rarely seen in public life, here's the thing: it wouldn't matter.  Writing as if he's trying to help Madore out of a jam when, in reality, he'd like to see him run over by a CTran bus?  Well, that's just Lou's style.

It wouldn't matter because we all know that no matter what the commissioners (And by "the commissioners," I refer to Commissioners Madore and Mielke) did... no matter how they went about it... no matter what the "process" (and even Brancaccio has admitted their process was legal, though many of those next to him on the far left are less inclined to believe it)  used... if they hired Benton for ANY major position anywhere in the Administration of this county, for any reason...

Brancaccio and the rest of the un-hinged left's response would be precisely the same.

Oh, the left dresses it up a tad bit by talking about "process" and all that, but the adults know it has nothing to do with "process."  Because if "process" were all this was about, then they'd have to admit that, once they figured out the commissioners had the legal authority to do what they did, that would be the end of it.

But it's no more about process than Brancaccio's efforts to cover up the foibles of our democrat brethren while implementing his built-in double standard, is about "truth."  (Google "Jim Jacks," for example... or Brancaccio's selective coverage of the CRC.)

Because the other dirty little secret is that had this appointment been a radical fringe-leftist like, say Jim Moeller... we'd be lucky to hear a peep out of anyone on the left... including Brancaccio.

Oh, I absolutely admit that this has bad optics.  I wasn't involved in any of this, to be sure.  But I can guess the calculus that went into it was something like this:

"So, we want Benton.  But we know, no matter WHAT we do, the left's collective head will explode if we get him.

So, we can drag this out, go through the motions, and THEN hire him, which we have the absolute right to do, only to run head-long into this kind of junior mint firestorm, or we can just cut to the chase and get there."

They likely made the decision: if we hire Benton for anything, this would be the reaction, so why stretch it out?

Why, indeed.

Do they do what they believe best for the county, or are they to be controlled by the ringmaster of this circus with a proven record of disregard for our community and the people within it?

That's easy.

Meanwhile, those whining the loudest fail to understand that, according to their president, "elections have consequences."

They refuse to give Benton a chance for no other reason that he's Benton, and they're ruled by their biases and prejudices.

Well, that's the difference between the hypocritical left and me: if they had even selected Brancaccio, who knows as much about running an honest, responsive daily newspaper as Benton does about running this department, I'd be at least inclined to give him a chance.

Here's the thing: what's driving this is two-fold: hatred of Benton and...

... terror that he might succeed.

Imagine: it's their worst nightmare.  If Benton actually was successful, my God, their world would come to an end.  And they simply cannot have that.

As a result, these apocalyptic responses, these Chicken Little ad hominems, the fringe-left is in full-on attack mode.

There's nothing these people can do about it, of course.  And they know that.

All this bogus talk about "recalls" and the like?

They'll be laughed out of court if any of these people are moronic enough to set foot into one.

Brancaccio knows that as well, but as he wrote today, "The point, of course, is that Madore makes news and — yes — news sells."

And that it does.  Not to mention that it gives Lou and his Pit Chihuahua, Stephanie Rice, the opportunity to dredge up every "sin," real or imagined, in yet another effort to injure both Madore and Benton.  And who can miss an opportunity like that?

But in the end, it won't make any difference.

Benton does not kowtow to Brancaccio's agenda.  He disrespects it.  He disregards it. 

And he disregards Brancaccio, because he is well aware that Brancaccio is driven by Brancaccio, and not what's best for the people of this community.

And isn't that reason enough to ignore him?