The McDaniel Hostage Crisis – Day 55 – Freedom not to associate and a look around the media

We interrupt our coverage to bring you this special report.

As Chancellor Hollis McGehee has been appointed to hear the McDaniel challenge, a hearing has been set for this Wednesday morning in Laurel. Presumably, ground rules will be set.

Now that this thing is about to be in front of the judge, the rhetoric has almost completely subsided in the short term as the Magic 8-Ball team is apparently trying to erase the last 50 days or so of the crisis where they were the carnival barkers of the circus. Legally, the McDaniel challenge is channeling Ike Brown’s argument that political parties have the freedom “not to associate” with whoever they choose. Their remedy? Throw out tens of thousands of votes. That’s the unfortunate crux of the actual McDaniel legal challenge and it will be unfortunate to watch them argue that publicly. It will be bad for the MS GOP. It will be bad for Mississippi. And one of the most notable partners of Hortman Harlow Bassi Robinson & McDaniel, PLLC will be forever linked to it.

But folks in the media around the state continue to try and put all of this into some perspective. Marshall Ramsey had another brilliant strip.

#mssen heads to court! @clarionledger pic.twitter.com/uxAysxcO3O

— Marshall Ramsey (@MarshallRamsey) August 15, 2014

When Andy Taggart and Jere Nash agree on something, you know that the issue is far beyond partisanship.

And finally Wayne Weidie put his own perspective to it.

When my wife woke up Friday morning I had to tell her the sad news. Chris McDaniel had filed his legal challenge for his primary defeat by Sen. Thad Cochran. That challenge includes wanting the court to exclude all the votes cast in Hinds County. Since my wife and I vote in Hinds County, I had to tell her our voting rights could go down the drain. Seriously, can sore loser McDaniel, his lead counsel Mitch Tyner, and other leaders in his campaign give us more bizarre headlines on a daily basis?

That’s the way it was – Day 55 of the McDaniel Hostage Crisis.

Good day Mississippi – and good luck.